Skip to main content

A strong preliminary magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits near Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A strong preliminary magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck near Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean on Monday, officials said.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake was at a depth of about 115 kilometers (70 miles). Earthquakes at shallower depths are felt more strongly at the surface.

The jolt hit about 35 kilometers (22 miles) northeast of Luganville, Vanuatu.

There were no immediate reports of damage or tsunami waves.

The U.S. tsunami warning center said there were no initial tsunami warnings, advisories, watches or threats from the quake.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

By WTOP Staff
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
Read Next Story

Related News

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

Police warn families of Tiananmen crackdown dead not to visit graves on 37th anniversary

Women are the first caregivers in this Ebola outbreak and the most at risk