Australia PM Abbott unseated by rival

SYDNEY. KAZINFORM - Australians are to have a new prime minister after Tony Abbott was ousted as leader of the Liberal Party by cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull, BBC News reports.

In the hastily-arranged party leadership ballot, Mr Abbott, who had been plagued by poor opinion polls, received 44 votes to Mr Turnbull's 54. Liberal MPs also voted for Julie Bishop to remain deputy leader of the party. Mr Turnbull is expected to be sworn in after Mr Abbott writes to the Governor General and resigns.