World News Roundup: Erdogan defies predictions of political demise ahead of Turkey election runoff; Kuwait suspends new visas for Philippines workers in rights row and more

Russia's invasion of Ukraine convinced Sweden and Finland last year to ditch long-held policies of military non-alignment and seek security of NATO's collective defence commitment. WSJ reporter appeals against extension of detention in Russia Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has appealed against a Russian court decision to extend his pre-trial detention by three months, court data showed on Friday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Erdogan defies predictions of political demise ahead of Turkey election runoff

President Tayyip Erdogan has defied forecasts of his political demise in Turkey's elections, rallying voters with a potent mix of religious conservatism and nationalism that looks set to propel his rule into a third decade on Sunday. Though he has yet to clinch victory - Erdogan must first beat Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Sunday's runoff - his momentum has only grown since he emerged with a solid lead in the first round on May 14, and analysts fully expect him to win.

Kuwait suspends new visas for Philippines workers in rights row

Kuwait has suspended all new visas for Philippine nationals indefinitely, the interior ministry confirmed this week, in an escalation of a row between the oil-rich Gulf state and Manila over worker protections and employer rights. Philippine nationals make up around 6% of Kuwait's 4.7 million population, government data shows. Kuwaitis make up 32%.

Azeri envoy to France sees chance of Armenia peace deal at Europe summit

Azerbaijan and Armenia could sign a peace settlement in their decades-old conflict over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh when their leaders meet at a European summit next week, Baku's envoy to France said on Friday. Up to 47 heads of state, government and EU institutions are expected to attend the summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in Moldova next Thursday, which brings together EU member states and 17 other European countries.

Ukraine's Supreme Court elects new head after corruption scandal

Ukraine's Supreme Court elected a new head on Friday following the removal of his predecessor, who has been detained on bribery allegations in the country's biggest anti-corruption case. A total of 108 judges out of 148 voted to appoint 56-year-old Stanyslav Kravchenko, who had been the head of the Cassation Chamber for Criminal Cases, which is part of the Supreme Court.

Rwandan genocide accused Fulgence Kayishema appears in South African court

Former Rwandan police officer Fulgence Kayishema, accused of ordering the killing of some 2,000 Tutsis who were seeking refuge in a church during the 1994 genocide, appeared briefly in a South African court on Friday and was remanded in custody. According to a charge sheet seen by Reuters, Kayishema faces five charges in South Africa, including two of fraud.

Analysis-NATO struggles in the shadows to find new leader

The race to be the next NATO boss is heating up. But it is a race run largely in the dark, with no sign of a winner yet.

Jens Stoltenberg, the transatlantic military alliance's Norwegian secretary-general, is due to step down at the end of September after nine years in post.

Sudan war spells more disaster for Darfur city on Chad border

When war engulfed Sudan's capital last month, it quickly spread to the western Darfur region, reigniting an old conflict and sending a wave of refugees over the border into Chad. Nasr Abdullahi sent his wife, sister and five children to Chad last week, staying behind to wait for news of a 17-year-old son in the capital Khartoum. But when his neighbour's house was burned down and gangs took over the streets, he fled too.

Serbia president puts military on combat alert, orders army to move closer to Kosovo border

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic placed the country's army on full combat alert and ordered its units to move closer to the border with Kosovo, the Tanjug news agency reported on Friday. Vucic's orders came as Serbs in the northern Kosovo's municipality of Zvecan clashed with Kosovo police who were trying to help the newly elected ethnic Albanian mayor enter his office.

Swedish foreign minister says ambition is to join NATO by July

Sweden still hopes to be a member of NATO by the time of the alliance's summit in Vilnius in July, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said on Friday. Russia's invasion of Ukraine convinced Sweden and Finland last year to ditch long-held policies of military non-alignment and seek security of NATO's collective defence commitment.

WSJ reporter appeals against extension of detention in Russia

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has appealed against a Russian court decision to extend his pre-trial detention by three months, court data showed on Friday. Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in March on espionage charges after Russia's FSB security service accused him of collecting military secrets in the city of Yekaterinburg.