AP - Australia's Labor Party won the backing of a Greens party lawmaker Wednesday in its attempt to form the country's first minority government in nearly seven decades, while other nonaligned legislators said they are close to deciding which party they will support.
AFP - Australia's economy surged 1.2 percent in the three months to June, the biggest jump in three years, official figures showed on Wednesday, sending share prices and the local dollar sharply higher.
AP - An Australian mother twice convicted of killing her two young sons was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Wednesday for what the judge called "the greatest act of betrayal."
Reuters - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard forged an alliance with the Greens party on Wednesday to take her party closer to forming a government, but vowed not to allow the deal to change her plans for a tax on miners' profits.
AFP - Nearly 100 asylum-seekers broke out of an Australian immigration detention centre on Wednesday after days of riots and staged a protest outside, police said.
AFP - Australia's only Greens MP Wednesday declared his support for Prime Minister Julia Gillard as tortuous negotiations to form a minority government inched forward.
AFP - Australia's economy surged 1.2 percent in the June quarter and 3.3 percent over the year, smashing analyst forecasts, figures showed Wednesday, sending share prices and the local dollar higher.