Solomon Islands

Scientists have recently revealed that Australia and New Zealand are best placed to survive a nuclear apocalypse and help reboot collapsed human civilisation.

The United States reopened its embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday after a 30-year hiatus, part of a bid to counter China's growing influence in the South Pacific.

A strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on Tuesday, with eyewitnesses reporting violent shaking that hurled televisions and other items to the ground.

A snap ban on foreign military vessels docking in Solomon Islands applies to "all countries in the world", a spokesman for the Pacific nation's prime minister told AFP Wednesday.

Solomon Islands said Thursday that it had secured a $66 million loan from China to fund tech giant Huawei building 161 telecommunications towers across the Pacific nation.

Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong warned on a visit to Fiji on Friday that there were regional consequences to the Solomon Islands' security pact with China.

China has "no intention at all" to build a military base in the Solomon Islands, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday.

Kavachi volcano in the Solomon Islands, which is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean and most known for its shark inhabitants, is showing increased plumes, as per the American space agency NASA.

China's foreign minister will make a "milestone" visit to Solomon Islands this week, the island state said.

China and the Solomon Islands have signed a framework agreement on security cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.

Australia's Minister for the Pacific was dispatched to the Solomon Islands on Tuesday over a controversial security pact Western allies fear will enable a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific.

The White House's top Asia official is set to travel to the Solomon Islands in a rare high-level visit that underscores alarm in Washington over the Pacific nation's security pact with China, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Amid a regional backlash, the Solomon Islands said it would not allow a Chinese military base in the Pacific islands nation despite its plans to sign a security pact with Beijing.

The Solomon Islands' prime minister said Tuesday that a contentious security agreement with Beijing was "ready for signing", denying reports that his country had been pressured to allow a Chinese naval base to be built in the Pacific island nation.

Australia's defence minister said on Friday any move to establish a Chinese military base in neighbouring Solomon Islands would be concerning, after a draft security document between Beijing and Honiara was leaked online.

Scientists have recently revealed that Australia and New Zealand are best placed to survive a nuclear apocalypse and help reboot collapsed human civilisation.

The United States reopened its embassy in the Solomon Islands on Thursday after a 30-year hiatus, part of a bid to counter China's growing influence in the South Pacific.

A strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on Tuesday, with eyewitnesses reporting violent shaking that hurled televisions and other items to the ground.

A snap ban on foreign military vessels docking in Solomon Islands applies to "all countries in the world", a spokesman for the Pacific nation's prime minister told AFP Wednesday.

Solomon Islands said Thursday that it had secured a $66 million loan from China to fund tech giant Huawei building 161 telecommunications towers across the Pacific nation.

Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong warned on a visit to Fiji on Friday that there were regional consequences to the Solomon Islands' security pact with China.

China has "no intention at all" to build a military base in the Solomon Islands, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday.

Kavachi volcano in the Solomon Islands, which is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean and most known for its shark inhabitants, is showing increased plumes, as per the American space agency NASA.

China's foreign minister will make a "milestone" visit to Solomon Islands this week, the island state said.

China and the Solomon Islands have signed a framework agreement on security cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.

Australia's Minister for the Pacific was dispatched to the Solomon Islands on Tuesday over a controversial security pact Western allies fear will enable a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific.

The White House's top Asia official is set to travel to the Solomon Islands in a rare high-level visit that underscores alarm in Washington over the Pacific nation's security pact with China, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Amid a regional backlash, the Solomon Islands said it would not allow a Chinese military base in the Pacific islands nation despite its plans to sign a security pact with Beijing.

The Solomon Islands' prime minister said Tuesday that a contentious security agreement with Beijing was "ready for signing", denying reports that his country had been pressured to allow a Chinese naval base to be built in the Pacific island nation.

Australia's defence minister said on Friday any move to establish a Chinese military base in neighbouring Solomon Islands would be concerning, after a draft security document between Beijing and Honiara was leaked online.