A federal government frontbencher says a new security agreement being negotiated by China and Solomon Islands is “deeply concerning” as fears grow in Australia that Beijing could establish a military presence in the Pacific Island country. A draft official document – which emerged on social media on Thursday – lays down a framework which could permit Beijing to deploy forces …

One good thing can be said about 2021: it wasn’t as tumultuous as 2020, which put in a claim to be the worst year ever. That, however, may be damning with faint praise. Yes, the past twelve months did bring some good news. Indeed, for a moment in early summer it seemed that COVID-19 was in the rearview mirror. However, it isn’t. And 2021 …

Chinese police officers and equipment will soon be sent to Solomon Islands to help defuse months of civil unrest, a move that is already causing anxiety for Australian officials. On Thursday Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s besieged government announced it would accept Beijing’s offer of assistance to strengthen its anti-riot policing capabilities. In a statement the government said it was “mindful of …

At least 12 people have died in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, the disaster agency said on Friday, after the storm swept across the archipelago uprooting trees, toppling power poles and flooding villages. More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai pummelled the southern and central regions of the country, knocking …

China has responded to Australia’s decision for government officials to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, with an incendiary blast for the US’s “no.1 lackey”. China’s state-affiliated media organisation reacted quickly to Australia’s announcement on Wednesday morning, publishing a reply to an Australian media article about the snub. “#Comment: No. 1 US lackey”, the official Global Times account said, accompanied by an illustration …

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken fired a warning shot at China, saying any move to invade Taiwan would bring “terrible consequences.” Blinken spoke at the Reuters Next conference Friday when he shared his thoughts on China and the possible threat to Taiwan as tensions have continued to ramp up over the past few months. He reiterated the U.S. commitment to defend Taiwan’s right to self-govern, …

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has been awarded $35,000 in a defamation action against refugee advocate Shane Bazzi over a tweet that accused him of being “a rape apologist”. The now-deleted tweet was accompanied by a link to a story published in The Guardian in 2019, containing comments Mr Dutton made about women on Nauru when he was Home Affairs Minister. Mr Bazzi had denied defaming Mr Dutton, …

The leaders of the G20 countries have tasked the United Nations with co-ordinating aid for Afghanistan during a special summit although they were not united on how to deal with the country’s Taliban rulers. Italy holds the rotating G20 presidency this year and Prime Minister Mario Draghi called the summit to address the burgeoning disaster in Afghanistan. He said the …

  Former prime minister Tony Abbott has described China as a “bully” and stressed the importance of “solidarity with Taiwan”, while addressing a regional conference on the island. Mr Abbott made the visit to Taiwan, where he met President Tsai Ing-wen, after a weekend in which China flew dozens of military jets near the island as part of a bid to exert power over …

At least 17 people have been killed in celebratory gunfire in Kabul after Taliban sources said their fighters seized control of Panjshir, the last province in Afghanistan holding out against the Islamist group. Leaders of opposition to the Taliban have denied that the province has fallen. The Shamshad news agency said “aerial shooting” in Kabul on Friday killed 17 people …