Solomon Islands

The slip occurred near the island's corrections facility partially covering some of the staff housing there.

According to police one house was severely impacted with two people still buried under the rubble.

One of them has been located in the bathroom of the house and rescuers are working to dig them out but the other has yet to be found.

Three other family members who were in and around the house at the time managed to escape relatively unscathed.

The two men were arrested on Friday after the buildings in Tigoa were burned down last month.

The men have been flown to Honiara as the investigation continues.

In a statement police said the arson may have been linked to the election of the provincial premier in July.

Nauru Coach Dominic Tabuna said that their first game against Papua New Guinea has provided them with a lot of experience and motivation for the tournament.

“When I think of all the nations here playing here, I would assume PNG would be the toughest to beat with the fact that this is their home ground and their own weather and their own crowd. It all adds up with the experience they have over us, which is immense,” Tabuna said.

The logo includes the Solomon Islands' national colours, shell money and three paddles.

However, two competitions involving schools and the general public failed to find the winning design which was eventually created by a panel.

The paddle was used due to its significance not only in the Solomon Islands' culture, but also the wider Pacific community.

"Paddle signifies a journey that has a starting point and ends at an intended destination," Solomon Islands 2023 said.

Honiara won the hosting bid in 2016 but only secured land to build the new main stadium early last year.

Clint Flood is a senior advisor to the 2023 Pacific Games National Hosting Authority, which is being run out of the Prime Minister's Office.

He said the main focus right now is addressing the lack of sporting facilities currently in Honiara.

"We're sitting here in Apia where they're blessed to have all these venues from 2007. We don't have that in Honiara

Tahiti pipped Solomon Islands 4-3 in the final of the OFC Beach Soccer Cup last weekend to qualify for the World Cup in Paraguay later this year.

The Tiki Toa had not won a regional title since 2011, although they were absent when the event was last held six years ago.

Head coach Naea Bennett says the triumph in Papeete meant a lot to the Tahiti team.

"It was very important to us because since 2011 we didn't participate in this competition so it was very good for us to be back again in the competition and to win it at home we are very happy," Naea Bennet said.

In their preparations for the event from 7-20 July in Samoa, the team is aiming to participate in as many of the 27 sports as it can.

"For starters, as the next host nation, we are doing our best in getting involved with all the 27 sports in the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games. We don’t have shooting due to gun control back home, badminton, squash, lawn bowls and cricket, but all the other sports we are involved with," said Michael Chan, Chef De Mission of the Solomon Islands.

However, it was shrouded in controversy as 15 MPs abstained from voting.

Mr Sogavare was voted into power this afternoon at Parliament House in Honiara, polling 34 votes over his rival Matthew Wale in the 50 seat Parliament.

This will be Mr Sogavare's fourth prime ministership, his previous stints being in 2000, 2006 and most recently in 2014.

Two out of his last three terms as prime minister were cut short by no-confidence motions.

The governor general, Sir Frank Kabui, announced the date yesterday and also informed MPs that nominations for the top job opened today and would close on Thursday.

Each prime ministerial candidate must be nominated by four MPs.

MPs cast secret ballots in the vote which will start at 9:30am at parliament.

In order to win, a candidate must secure an absolute majority of the 50 votes.

If there are several candidates and an absolute majority cannot be achieved voting will continue by rounds of elimination.

Seven of the ten seats declared overnight were returned to their former occupants.

The only three new MPs so far are former clerk to parliament Clezy Rore, who ousted former finance minister Milner Tozaka for the North Vella La Vella Constituency seat.

The former permanent secretary of the ministry of finance Harry Kuma who ousted former commerce minister Connelly Sandakabatu for the Northwest Choiseul seat and finally Robertson Galokale who ousted Elijah Doromuala for the South Choiseul seat.