Interim president Bronislaw Komorowski appeared to have held off a last-minute surge from the identical twin brother of the late president, who died in an April plane crash that shocked the country and forced Sunday's early election.

Opposition MPs staged a walkout at a parliamentary committee today in a protest against the conduct of the chairwoman, National MP Sandra Goudie.

World leaders have demanded Hamid Karzai detail plans for Afghanistan's future.

New Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stands by her decision to topple Kevin Rudd, highlighting her loyalty to him as a deputy.

Matt McCarten explains why it may be hard for NZers to understand what happened to Kevin Rudd.

A UK Judge has accused Prince Charles of grossly exceeding his constitutional powers by interfering in a £3bn property development.

With Julia Gallard's appointment as Australia's new PM, Opposition leader Tony Abbott has an ever harder road ahead to the federal election.

Australia's first female Prime Minister begins work today with one item dominating her agenda, writes Greg Ansley.

Julia Gillard faces a huge task in pulling her government back together, writes Australian correspondent Greg Ansley.

Julia Gillard is set to oust Kevin Rudd in a caucus vote across the Tasman this morning and become Australia's first woman prime minister. Here's a sample of the debate on the issue in the Australian media.

Julia Gillard late last night appeared poised to become Australia's first female prime minister after a dramatic coup that caught Canberra by surprise.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he will put his leadership to the vote in caucus on Thursday.

NZ-Chinese representatives and a pro-Tibetan group are at odds over Russel Norman's anti-Chinese protest last week.

Russel Norman, has been accused by National and Act of being the aggressor in his bust-up with Chinese security guards.