New Solomon Islands prime minister Snyder Rini today declared that law and order had been restored to his country, after hundreds of police and troops cordoned off Parliament for its first sitting since Rini’s election last week triggered two days of rioting.

Scores of Australian troops were today flying to the Solomon Islands in the Pacific to restore peace after rioters and looters laid waste to much of the capital Honiara’s Chinatown neighbourhood in protests sparked by the election of a new prime minister.

A five-year-old boy who was separated from his father when an Indonesian passenger jet crashed and burst into flames has been found alive at a hospital in the city of Medan, officials said today.

Cork All-Ireland winning hurling captain Ben O'Connor has launched Fota Wildlife Park's new children's book, "A Hare at Fota" today.