Australia has abandoned plans for tougher asylum laws after a parliamentary revolt dealt an unprecedented defeat to John Howard's 10-year-old government.
The Australian government has granted refugee status to 77 Afghan asylum seekers detained on the Pacific island of Nauru, leaving 94 still awaiting their fate.
Australia has finally signalled a softening in their stance towards the fasting asylum seekers held in Last Modified: 19 Dec 2003 08:22 GMT Archive