Al Qaida-linked Syrian rebels holding 45 Fijian peacekeepers hostage have issued a set of demands for their release, an official said today.

THE Samoan with the unpronounceable double-barreled name called it ‘slavery’ and duly gave the World Cup organisers both barrels.

THREE teenage boys who spent 61 days adrift in a tiny boat in the South Pacific walked ashore on shaky legs yesterday after their chance rescue — celebrated on their home island hundreds of kilometres away as a miracle that brought them back from the dead.

THREE teenagers missing in the South Pacific for 50 days — who were already eulogised in a memorial service — have been found alive by a New Zealand fishing boat.

At least three people were killed and thousands of villagers fled to shelters as a tropical cyclone battered the Fijian islands.

Fiji’s military ruler said today the country’s president had overthrown the constitution because appeal court judges tried to “force” the nation into elections under the old race-based voting system.

Fiji’s military ruler says it could be 10 years before he relinquishes power - offering a defiant challenge to South Pacific leaders as they meet to press him into restoring democracy.

Twelve world cities have agreed to darken their skylines for an hour in an Australian initiative to raise awareness about climate change, organisers say.

Fiji’s military regime today took the unprecedented step of halting all meetings of the nation’s powerful council of indigenous chiefs – accusing it of failing to accept that the military now controls the affairs of the South Pacific nation.

Fiji’s ousted prime minister today said the South Pacific country was sliding toward “the worst kind of dictatorship”, and offered to hold talks with the military regime to find a way to restore democracy as quickly as possible.

The Fijian prime minister ousted by a coup will return to Suva early next week despite the risk of arrest, his spokesman said today.

Promised elections to restore democracy to Fiji after this week’s coup could be more than two years away, the military-installed prime minister said today.

Fiji’s military ruler declared a state of emergency today, one day after seizing power, the country’s media has reported.

Fiji’s military commander said today he has taken control of the country from the elected government.

Troops entered at least two police compounds in Fiji and grabbed weapons today in the apparent first step towards seizing control of the south Pacific country.

Troops stayed in their barracks as a threatened coup deadline in Fiji passed on Friday, with the country’s defiant military commander enjoying a day at a sporting event while the prime minister left the capital and went into hiding.

Crisis talks between Fiji’s elected leader and its defiant military commander ended today without an agreement on averting a coup, but the prime minister said “substantial” progress had been made on issues that divided them.

Fiji’s army locked down its main barracks and conducted shooting practice today amid rising tensions between the military and the South Pacific country’s nationalist government.

A SLIGHTLY experimental All Blacks will face Fiji in their first test of the year tomorrow as coach Graham Henry fine-tunes the side ahead of the three-test Lions series.

NOW we’re getting serious. British and Irish Lions head coach Clive Woodward underlined the view that tomorrow’s meeting in Hamilton with New Zealand Maori is the unofficial fourth test of this 2005 series by naming his strongest side to date yesterday.

CARLOS SPENCER will make his farewell appearance in New Zealand from the bench after being named in the New Zealand Maori reserves for their match against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.

WINGER Sitivei Sivivatu, hooker Derren Witcombe and lock James Ryan will make their test debuts for New Zealand against Fiji on Friday after the trio were confirmed as starters in a new-look All Blacks side.

THE sight of a giant second row with a mop of ginger hair marauding all over the lineout and stealing opposition ball is something the British & Irish Lions are counting on as a major weapon in their armoury during this tour.

Eleven current or former All Blacks including Carlos Spencer have been named in the New Zealand Maori squad for matches against Fiji and the British and Irish Lions next month.

The British and Irish Lions will face the "strongest-ever" New Zealand Maori team in Hamilton in June.

Fiji’s vice president was sentenced to four years in prison today for his role in a 2000 coup that ousted the first ethnic Indian prime minister in the South Pacific islands nation.

FIJIAN police claimed they smashed the biggest methamphetamine lab ever uncovered in the Southern Hemisphere after seizing drugs and enough chemicals to make e450 million worth of the party drug “ice.”

Fijian second rower Ifereimi Rawaqa will make a dramatic return to Test rugby when he plays against France in their opening World Cup clash in Brisbane on Sunday, just a few weeks after being apparently ruled out of the tournament with a prolapsed disc.

Former Fiji Rugby Union Board member and interim chief executive officer Bob Challenor has died in a Sydney hospital after a long illness aged 64.

The leader of a bloody army mutiny in Fiji was jailed for life today. Captain Shane Steven stood expressionless when his sentence was announced.

Fijian coup leader George Speight remained unrepentant at toppling the Pacific nation’s first ethnic Indian prime minister, as he started a life sentence for treason.

Fijian coup leader George Speight was sentenced to death today for treason after leading the May 2000 storming of parliament that plunged the Pacific nation into political turmoil and economic crisis.

The nationalist who led a coup that toppled Fiji's government in May 2000 has been dismissed from parliament.

Fiji coup leader George Speight won election to the Pacific nation’s Parliament today, 16 months after he overthrew its democratically elected government.

An unemployed man was charged with two counts of murder today in connection with the gruesome killings of Fiji’s Red Cross chief and his companion.

Police are hunting the killers of Fiji's Red Cross chief, who played a major role in aiding hostages during last year's nationalist coup.

Prosecutors today accused 13 men charged with treason after an armed coup of trying to set up a ‘‘government at gunpoint’’ in Fiji.

Officials in Fiji were arguing today over where to hold a hearing on treason charges against coup leader George Speight amid concerns it could trigger fresh violence in the South Pacific nation.

An elderly, ailing tribal chief has been sworn in as Fijian President in the latest move to guide the ethnically-divided nation back to democracy.