From BBC World News
Australia votes to repeal carbon tax
Australia's Senate has voted to repeal the carbon tax, a levy on the 300 biggest polluters passed by the Labor Party when they were in power in 2011.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, whose Liberal-National coalition beat Labor in an election last year, had made the repeal a central aim of his government.
Politicians have been locked in a fierce row about the tax for years.
Labor says it helps to combat climate change, but the Liberals claim it penalises legitimate businesses.
The Australian Senate voted 39 to 32 to repeal the tax, which charges the highest polluters A$23 (£13;$22.60) for every tonne of greenhouse gases they produce.
Australia is the developed world's worst polluter per head of population.
But critics, including Mr Abbott, said that the tax cost jobs and forced energy prices up.
There were widespread protests against the introduction of the tax in Australia.
The repeal of the tax formed a major part of Mr Abbot's election manifesto.
The leader of Australia's Green party, Christine Milne, said the vote against the tax was an "appalling day for Australia".
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