Australia

The Labor Party appeared more likely than Prime Minister Scott Morrison's coalition to form a government after Australia's election on Saturday that could result in a rare hung parliament.

Scott Morrison says he followed security officials' advice in managing relations with the Solomon Islands after the South Pacific neighbor's leader alleged he'd been threatened with invasion.

The announcement comes amid concerns that other Pacific island countries financially weakened by the pandemic and its impact on tourism could be lured by China into similar deals.

Under the Solomon Islands' terms of a draft agreement, China could send police, military personnel and other armed forces to the Solomon Islands "to assist in maintaining social order."

Scott Morrison has called for a May 21 election that will be fought on issues including Chinese economic coercion, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement comes amid growing concern by the U.S. and its allies about China's growing military assertiveness and Washington's concern of Russia using the weapons in Ukraine.

The country's defense minister cites both the Russia-Ukraine war and China for accelerating the rearming of fighter jets and warships.

China has not provided any specifics about what offenses Cheng Lei is accused of committing, who has been held for 19 months on suspicion of relaying state secrets abroad.

One Asia-Pacific security observer says Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. would all be "very concerned" about the draft agreement.

Barty is retiring only two months after winning the Australian Open, saying she wants to pursue other dreams.