Rudd sweeps to power in Australia

Labour Party leader Kevin Rudd swept to power in Australian elections yesterday, ending a 11-year conservative era and promising major changes to policies on global warming and the Iraq war.

Official figures from the Australian Electoral Commission showed Labour far in front with more than 60% of the ballots counted. Using those figures, an Australian Broadcasting Corp. analysis showed that Labour would get at least 81 places in the 150-seat lower house of Parliament - a clear majority.