Tony Abbott came to power promising Australians "mature" and "stable" government. Just 17 months on, a possible leadership ballot next week could see him toppled by Malcolm Turnbull.

The fight over conservative Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's leadership broke out into the open today, with a member of his party triggering a potential challenge next week.

As spill-prone as a pissed kangaroo pouring cocktails, Australia could soon see its fourth change of Prime Minister in four years, writes Toby Manhire.

A document from an all-female wing of Isis spells out what's expected from women living under the strict regime - starting with marriage from age nine.

A senior Australian politician says he "can't rule out" the possibility there'll be a leadership spill on Tuesday aimed at ousting Tony Abbott.

The Isis group's release of a video showing its fighters burning alive a captured Jordanian pilot sparked street protests calling for vengeance and threatened to draw Jordan's usually low-key monarch towards ever more direct confrontation with radical Isl

The Republican Party was on the defensive yesterday after two of its leading presidential hopefuls indicated that they had sympathy for parents unwilling to vaccinate their children against infectious diseases, even in the midst of a dangerous outbreak of

Disturbing images appear to show a man charged with having a homosexual affair being stoned to death after he survived being thrown off a building.

The widow of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko has told the public inquiry into his death that her husband accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of being a paedophile.

In a speech to the National Press Club billed as "make-or-break", the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott offered policy retreats, sweeteners and promises to consult more.

The family of freed Australian journalist Peter Greste won't say when he'll be home, saying their top priority is protecting his mental health after 400 days in jail in Egypt.

Jordan yesterday renewed its offer to swap a convicted terrorist for the return of its air force pilot held captive by Isis.

It would've paid new mothers their full salary for six months, but now Tony Abbott has had to pull his signature paid parental leave scheme off the table.

Tony Abbott's address to the National Press Club today is being seen as a leadership make or break event.

Japan says the death of journalist Kenji Goto is an 'atrocious act' as Isis threatens to kill a Jordanian pilot if a female prisoner isn't returned by Friday.

Saudi officials deny they blurred out US First Lady Michelle Obama, but her decision not to wear a headscarf, and don blue, not black at the late King's funeral, is controversial.

Another tale of Russian spooks operating in the US has emerged, described by the former CIA analyst Mark Stout as a "classic case of espionage".

For all his faults, and they were many, John Howard had a sure-fire ability to read the popular mood and act accordingly.

A network of conservative advocacy groups backed by Charles and David Koch aims to spend a staggering US$889 million in advance of the next White House election, part of an expansive strategy to....

Did the PM realise it would happen as Auckland was celebrating its 175th anniversary? The tribute to the King that he issued suggests his advisers were not giving much thought to the gestures.

Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Greece, after his radical left-wing movement forged an unwieldy alliance with a far-right party.

Tony Abbott has been criticised over his decision to make gaffe-prone Prince Philip a Knight of the Order of Australia.

The drawn-out saga of the alleged fleecing of France's richest woman - a senile L'Oreal heiress - has finally come to court.

As Alexander Litvinenko lay dying from radiation poisoning in 2006, he named the man he thought had ordered his murder: Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It was billed as an early dress rehearsal for the Republican presidential nomination fight.