*Norbert Hofer concedes to Van der Bellen on Facebook site *Germany’s Gabriel hails ‘victory of reason’ over populism A Green Party-backed independent, Alexander Van der Bellen, defeated the Freedom Party’s Norbert Hofer to become Austria’s next president, beating off a challenge by an anti-immigration candidate who had threatened to sour Austria’s ties to the European Union. With counting still under way, Van der Bellen took an estimated 53.6 percent of the vote to Hofer’s 46.4 percent after Sunday’s repeat run-off election, public television channel ORF said, citing initial projections. Austrian Press Agency also ... (full story)