Southern hemisphere countries that have largely escaped swine flu infections could soon become more vulnerable, experts warn, as the approaching winter brings with it an elevated risk of the virus spreading and mutating.

Australia plans to buy 100 state-of-the-art U.S. jet fighters and double the size of its modest submarine fleet in a bid to keep pace with an Asian military buildup.

Japanese stocks advanced while those in Australia and New Zealand dipped in quiet trading Friday with most of the region’s markets closed and investors awaiting key events in the coming week.

Fiji’s military ruler defied international pressure to announce elections by Friday, confirming that he would not hold them for at least five years and setting the stage for his country’s ouster from a South Pacific bloc.

A pack of mice mauled a bedridden 89-year-old man at an Australian nursing home, shredding parts of his ears and prompting the government Thursday to launch an investigation into the facility.

A jetliner carrying more than 225 people slammed its tail into the runway during takeoff from Australia because someone programmed the wrong weight for the plane into a flight computer, investigators said Thursday.

The International Olympic Committee is concerned that moves to restrict media coverage of sports will erode free speech, former IOC vice president Kevan Gosper told an Australian Senate hearing Wednesday.

Australia announced Wednesday it will increase by almost one half its troops in Afghanistan to about 1,550 as part of the U.S.-led surge of international forces to bolster the faltering fight against Taliban insurgents.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says Australia will send 280 additional troops to Afghanistan, increasing the overall Australian deployment there to about 1,380.

Four horses had to be euthanized in four days from injuries suffered in steeplechase races in Victoria state, renewing calls for the races to be banned.