JULIA GILLARD

Authorities fear that as many as 75 people have drowned, while some 40 people are currently clinging to the upturned hull of the ship as they wait for rescuers.

The Australian government has released new information about the extensive history of physical and sexual abuse of minors in the military dating back more than five decades.

As Afghanistan troop withdrawals are scheduled for 2014, Australia has renewed its pledge to adhere to NATO plans. But an abrupt U-turn this week indicates the political difficulties of adhering to an international commitment.

The pullout will see the 1,500-strong Australian contingent leave Afghanistan by the end of 2013, a year earlier than planned, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Tuesday.

Australia is planning to pull out most of its troops by 2013, a year earlier than planned. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced Tuesday that the mission in Afghanistan was nearly completed and most of its troops would be back home by 2013, smh.com reported.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard backed a ban on Chinese telecoms firm Huawei from tendering for major government contracts on Thursday after Beijing raised concerns about fair treatment for Chinese firms.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard backed a ban on Chinese telecoms firm Huawei from tendering for major government contracts on Thursday after Beijing raised concerns about fair treatment for Chinese firms.

Huawei, China's largest equipment manufacturer, has just lost a shot at billions of dollars worth of infrastructure sales to Australia. In light of China's reputation for cyber-espionage, the Australian government has decided to block Huawei from bidding on Australia's roughly AUS$36 billion National Broadband Network project. The decision was reported on March 26.

Australia has blocked China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd HWT.UL from tendering for contracts in the country's $38 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) due to cyber security concerns, Huawei said on Monday.

General Motors Co. will invest more than $1 billion into its Australian subsidy Holden Ltd. for manufacturing and next-generation development with the support of a hotly debated 275 million AUD, $285 million, subsidy from the Australian government.

The new law, which has been the source of fierce battles between industry and government officials for two years, will affect around 30 companies, including international mining giants BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

Despite being under house arrest in England, Wikileaks announced they had found a way for Assange to run, Wikileaks announced via its Twitter page Saturday.

One of the worst affected areas was the New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga, where 8,000 people were ordered to abandon their homes amid warnings flood waters were expected to breach an 11-meter levee, Reuters reported.

Gillard told reporters that she was grateful for the ''overwhelming endorsement'' from her colleagues.

Former Prime Minister Rudd, who was ousted by Gillard in June 2010, said Australians had lost trust in her leadership of the Labor party, which was headed for disaster at the next elections due in late 2013.