SYDNEY (AFP) – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard courted one of five minority lawmakers key to resolving the nation's political stalemate Saturday, as polling showed their voters favored her rival.

Gillard held private talks with independent MP Andrew Wilkie, a former soldier and spy who resigned over Australia's role in the Iraq war, hoping to win his support for her to form government.

The prime minister and conservative rival Tony Abbott both failed to take a majority at last weekend's elections, resulting in the nation's first hung parliament in 70 years.

Both leaders are desperate to curry favour with Wilkie, Greens MP Adam Bandt and three rural independents in order to secure the 76 seats needed to take power, with Abbott holding 73 seats outright to Gillard's 72.

Wilkie said the talks had focused on the need for gambling law reform, an issue he is passionate about, while Gillard had stressed the strength of her ruling Labor party's position. '

'She feels confident that she can form a government. She's very very keen to get the support of all the independents so she has a little bit of a buffer. She's very keen to get a resolution very quickly,'' Wilkie said.

Airline says sorry for crash message
LONDON (AP) – Passengers on a British Airways flight from London to Hong Kong were mistakenly told to prepare for a crash landing, causing panic onboard.

The carrier said Friday it had apologized for causing customers distress after an emergency message was accidentally triggered.

Passengers were warned during a flight Tuesday that the Boeing 747 may crash into the sea. They heard the message: "This is an emergency. We may shortly need to make an emergency landing on water.''

Michelle Lord, who was onboard, told Britain's The Sun tabloid that her fellow travelers were deeply frightened when the taped warning was played over the airliner address system. "People were terrified. We all thought we were going to die,'' said Lord, 32.

British Airways said cabin crew quickly reassured passengers that the flight was not in danger. The company said it is investigating how the error happened.

Japan gives rare tour of gallows
TOKYO (AP) – Japan opened up the secretive world of its capital punishment system to the public Friday, offering journalists a rare tour of Tokyo's main gallows, an apparent effort to stoke debate about a practice widely supported here.

All executions in Japan are carried out by hanging, and no media coverage of executions is permitted. Inmates on death row do not know when they will be executed until the last minute, while family members and lawyers are only told afterward.

Along with the United States, Japan is one of the few industrialized countries that maintains capital punishment.

Despite persistent criticism by rights groups such as Amnesty International and the main Japanese bar association, there is little public outcry against capital punishment in Japan, where recent government surveys showed more than 80 percent support ratings.

Kenya charter takes effect
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Tens of thousands of Kenyans, joined by several African leaders, are assembling in the Kenyan capital's main park to witness the signing into law of a new constitution.

A colonial-era constitution is being replaced Friday with one that curtails the president's powers with an American-style system of checks and balances.

An overwhelming majority of Kenyan voters adopted it in a referendum held on Aug. 4. President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga back the new charter, a key component of a reform package.

The two pledged to implement the reform package after signing a power sharing deal to end violence that saw more than 1,000 people killed following the disputed December 2007 presidential polls. A surprise guest is Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.