Australia & Pacifics

WELLINGTON, Dec 2 (NNN-XINHUA) – An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4, jolted New Zealand’s North Island last night, according to New Zealand’s geoscience research service provider.

It occurred at 18:07 local time (0507 GMT), striking 20 km south-east of Tokoroa, a town in the Waikato region, of the North Island of New Zealand, at a depth of 159 km, said the GNS Science.

More than 9,000 people reported feeling the quake but there are no reports of casualties, so far.

SYDNEY, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's first medical team in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday provided free health services to people in Gizo, capital of the Western Province, which marked the third free clinical activity the team has conducted since its arrival in the country.

With the support of Gizo Hospital, the medical team set up a temporary clinic utilizing the hospital's consulting rooms and corridors.

SYDNEY, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- A new study led by Australian researchers has found that greater atmospheric demand for water is associated with a rising risk of major fires in global forests, calling for more urgent and effective action to combat climate change.

Published in the Nature Communications journal on Nov. 22, the study examined satellite records of fire activity and a global climate dataset to find the maximum daily vapor pressure deficit (VPD) for every fire detection -- over 30 million records in the last 20 years.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Finland’s leader says it must give more weapons and support to Ukraine to ensure it wins its war against Russia.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin made the comments Wednesday in Auckland on the first-ever visit by a Finnish prime minister to New Zealand and Australia. Among the aims of the visit are improving diplomatic relations and trade ties.

“We need hard power when it comes to Ukraine,” Marin told reporters when asked what soft-power influence smaller countries like Finland and New Zealand could exert.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s environment minister said Tuesday her government will lobby against UNESCO adding the Great Barrier Reef to a list of endangered World Heritage sites, arguing that criticisms of government inaction on climate change were outdated.

Officials from the U.N. cultural agency and the International Union for Conservation of Nature released a report on Monday warning that without “ambitious, rapid and sustained” climate action, the world’s largest coral reef is in peril.

WELLINGTON, Nov 28 (NNN-XINHUA) – New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, today announced a multimillion-dollar package, to tackle the widespread retail crime and reoffending, in the country.

The initiatives, which partner with small businesses and local councils, are the most significant crime prevention financial package.

SYDNEY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Rapid advancements in China’s military capabilities pose increasing risks to American supremacy in outer space, the head of the United States military’s space wing said on Monday.

Nina Armagno, director of staff of the U.S. Space Force, said Beijing had made significant progress in developing military space technology, including in areas such as satellite communications and re-useable spacecraft, which allow countries to rapidly scale up their space programs.

SYDNEY, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Some 2,500 people took off their clothes on Saturday to pose for U.S. photographic artist Spencer Tunick at Sydney's Bondi Beach in an effort to raise awareness about skin cancer.

Tunick, known for staging mass nude photo shoots at world landmarks, used a megaphone to direct attendees into several poses on the beach before many took a naked dip in the ocean.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An inquiry into a former Australian prime minister secretly appointing himself to multiple ministries recommended Friday that all such appointments be made public in the future to preserve trust in government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would recommend his Cabinet accept all of the retired judge ’s recommendations at a meeting next week.

SYDNEY, Nov 24 (NNN-AAP) – The Australian authorities have arrested six men, over the involvement of distributing more than 300 kg of methylamphetamine and cocaine, after a multi-agency police investigation.

Yesterday, strike force investigators conducted 16 searches in Sydney, seizing more than 1.2 million Australian dollars (about 0.8 million U.S. dollars) in cash, a rifle, ammunition, gold bullion, cigarettes, cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, steroids, electronic devices, cryptocurrency wallets and documents.