At least 2,000 angry protesters chanted anti-government slogans today as Austria’s president swore in a new centre-left chancellor and his Cabinet, a “grand coalition” forged more than three months after hard-fought elections.

President Mary McAleese has said she is devastated by the ongoing violence in Lebanon and today called on both sides to pull back from the brink.

US President George Bush will today meet EU leaders for more than four hours of talks in Vienna.

Austria assumed the presidency of the European Union today with a pledge to make the 25-nation bloc “more tangible to our citizens”.

Seven European presidents urged Europeans to rebuild their trust in the EU and plugged the benefits of the continent’s integration in a joint opinion piece published in major newspapers across the bloc today.

Austria’s president honoured famed Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal with one of the country’s highest prizes today, recognising his achievements over decades in tracking criminals from the Second World War.

AUSTRIA’S new president was sworn in yesterday in a solemn ceremony dominated by mourning for his predecessor, who died this week just two days before his term in office was to end.

President Thomas Klestil of Austria has died a day after being airlifted to hospital suffering heart failure, a spokeswoman for Vienna’s General Hospital said.

A senior parliamentary official today defeated a candidate backed by right-wing populist Joerg Haider in a presidential election that showed voter dissatisfaction with the country’s government.

A senior parliamentary official today defeated a rival backed by right-wing populist Joerg Haider in a presidential election that also indicated voter dissatisfaction with the country’s government, preliminary results showed.