Australia's Labor roiled by resignations after failed coup

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard faced a string of ministerial resignations on Friday in the wake of a botched leadership coup against her, forcing a reshuffle of her Labor government just months from potentially disastrous elections.

Resources Minister Martin Ferguson said he would step down, joining departing Cabinet colleagues Simon Crean and Chris Bowen, as well as junior minister Kim Carr. All had backed Gillard's chief rival Kevin Rudd as the party's best hope to reverse polls pointing to a thrashing by conservative opponents at the Sept. 14 elections. (Reuters)