The Brief: Austria votes, Raqqa, Iraq tension, Rohingya

A man walks past a poster of Heinz-Christian Strache, lead candidate of the right-wing Austria Freedom Party (FPOe) in Vienna, Austria [Sean Gallup/Getty Images]

Here are the stories you shouldn't miss, plus the ones you should keep an eye on for Sunday:

Don't miss:

• Austria votes today and the far right is expected to gain popularity. Find out everything you need to know here. We will be bringing you all the latest.

• In the Middle East, ISIL is being pushed from its former de facto capital in Syria, Raqqa. What's expected next in the battle? Read more here.

• And in Asia, the Rohingya crisis is far from over. We published an open letter to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi from a member of the persecuted minority. You can read this moving letter here.

Looking ahead:

• It's a day of elections. As well as Austria's national election, Kyrgyzstan is in the middle of a presidential election and Venezuela is choosing governors in all 23 states.

• The Catalan president faces increased pressure to declare independence. We report from Barcelona on rising tensions following the vote to secede from Spain.

• And in the Middle East, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters have rejected a warning from Iraq to withdraw from oil-rich Kirkuk. We will bring you all the latest.

Stay with us on aljazeera.com for more...