A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 struck 157 km (98 miles) east of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported, prompting a warning about potential tsunami waves in the region.

&quot;Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible,&quot; the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said in a message following the quake, which struck the New Ireland region of Papua New Guinea at a depth of 103.2 km.

The PTWC said tsunami waves were possible in the next three hours along some coasts of not only Papua New Guinea, but also Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Nauru, Kosrae and Vanuatu.

New Zealand also issued a tsunami warning, while Hawaii and Australia said there was no threat to their coastlines.

&quot;We&#39;re continuing to assess the situation ... at this stage we are advising New Zealanders to stay off the beaches, stay out of the water, not go sightseeing and to listen to the radio and TV,&quot; a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Civil Defence &amp; Emergency Management said.

&quot;At this stage, the warning&#39;s been issued for the whole of NZ,&quot; she said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the quake, which the USGS initially measured at magnitude 8 and at a depth of 73 kms.

Quakes are common in Papua New Guinea, which sits on the Pacific&#39;s &quot;Ring of Fire&quot;, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

(Reuters)

New Zealand also issued a tsunami warning, while Hawaii and Australia said there was no threat to their coastlines

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 struck 157 km (98 miles) east of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported, prompting a warning about potential tsunami waves in the region. "Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said in a message following the quake, which struck the New Ireland region of Papua New Guinea at a depth of 103.2 km. The PTWC said tsunami waves were possible in the next three hours along some coasts of not only Papua New Guinea, but also Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Nauru, Kosrae and Vanuatu. New Zealand also issued a tsunami warning, while Hawaii and Australia said there was no threat to their coastlines. "We're continuing to assess the situation ... at this stage we are advising New Zealanders to stay off the beaches, stay out of the water, not go sightseeing and to listen to the radio and TV," a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management said. "At this stage, the warning's been issued for the whole of NZ," she said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the quake, which the USGS initially measured at magnitude 8 and at a depth of 73 kms. Quakes are common in Papua New Guinea, which sits on the Pacific's "Ring of Fire", a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates. (Reuters)

7.9-magnitude quake in Papua New Guinea sparks tsunami warning

Refugees in Papua New Guinea and Nauru were handed a lifeline on Sunday with Australia and the United States reaching a &quot;one-off&quot; resettlement deal.

Under Australia&#39;s tough border security laws, asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to the controversial remote detention facilities in the Pacific, even if found to be refugees. &nbsp;

&quot;The arrangements with the United States will offer the opportunity for refugees, both on Nauru and Manus, to be resettled,&quot; Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Canberra. Turnbull would not say how many refugees would be resettled in the United States, but that women, children and families would be prioritised.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in New Zealand, confirmed the arrangement, adding that &quot;we know that these refugees are of special interest to UNHCR and we&#39;re very engaged with them on a humanitarian basis there and in other parts of the world&quot;.

Abdul Aziz, 24, who has spent more than three years on Manus Island after fleeing his home in Sudan in 2013, was very happy. &quot;All the refugees were smiling and hugging each other. This nightmare is going to end finally, but the main question is when and how and how we get out of here,&quot; he told Reuters.

The agreement, to be administered with the UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), is available only to those currently in the processing centres and will not be repeated.&nbsp;

Immigration minister Peter Dutton said asylum-seekers whose refugee applications are rejected would be expected to return to their home country. While those who are offered the US move but reject it themselves would be offered a 20-year Nauru visa instead.&nbsp;

Some 1,200 people are in detention in the camps have been widely criticised by refugee advocates and medical professionals, who say some asylum-seekers suffer from mental health problems due to their prolonged, indefinite detention.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Australia stressed that under the deal, refugees in remote camps will be offered the US move but immigration policy will remain unchanged

Refugees in Papua New Guinea and Nauru were handed a lifeline on Sunday with Australia and the United States reaching a "one-off" resettlement deal. Under Australia's tough border security laws, asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to the controversial remote detention facilities in the Pacific, even if found to be refugees. "The arrangements with the United States will offer the opportunity for refugees, both on Nauru and Manus, to be resettled," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Canberra. Turnbull would not say how many refugees would be resettled in the United States, but that women, children and families would be prioritised. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in New Zealand, confirmed the arrangement, adding that "we know that these refugees are of special interest to UNHCR and we're very engaged with them on a humanitarian basis there and in other parts of the world". Abdul Aziz, 24, who has spent more than three years on Manus Island after fleeing his home in Sudan in 2013, was very happy. "All the refugees were smiling and hugging each other. This nightmare is going to end finally, but the main question is when and how and how we get out of here," he told Reuters. The agreement, to be administered with the UN High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), is available only to those currently in the processing centres and will not be repeated. Immigration minister Peter Dutton said asylum-seekers whose refugee applications are rejected would be expected to return to their home country. While those who are offered the US move but reject it themselves would be offered a 20-year Nauru visa instead. Some 1,200 people are in detention in the camps have been widely criticised by refugee advocates and medical professionals, who say some asylum-seekers suffer from mental health problems due to their prolonged, indefinite detention. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Australia-US migrant deal: Refugees in detention camps offered US resettlement

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck off the town of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said. 
 
The epicentre of the quake was located 89 km (55 miles) northeast of Rabaul on New Britain island and at a depth of 499 km&nbsp;(310 miles). 
 
(Reuters)

The epicentre was located 89 km away from Rabaul

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck off the town of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said. The epicentre of the quake was located 89 km (55 miles) northeast of Rabaul on New Britain island and at a depth of 499 km (310 miles). (Reuters)

6.8 magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O&#39;Neill survived a no-confidence vote today, EMTV reported, an outcome unlikely to end upheaval in a country developing lucrative projects with energy majors ExxonMobil Corp and French giant Total SA. 
 
The Supreme Court last week ordered parliament to reconvene, for the first time since June protests between students and police boiled over into violent clashes, for the express purpose of allowing the opposition to lodge a no-confidence motion against O&#39;Neill. 
 
Deputy opposition leader Sam Basil moved the motion at the opening of the session today, detailing numerous accusations of corruption against O&#39;Neill since he took office in 2010. 
 
&quot;To make the wrong decision here would be a mistake,&quot; Basil told parliament. &quot;Today, it is up to us on the floor to make a change.&quot; 
 
But Basil only secured 21 of the 56 lawmakers needed to oust O&#39;Neill, leaving unclear how long a strike by aviation, maritime and public transport workers that has effectively cut off the rugged, mountainous nation, would continue. 
 
Anti-incumbency sentiment prevails&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, Australia&#39;s Oil Search Ltd yesterday cleared the way for ExxonMobil to take over InterOil Corp for $2.2 billion, giving the US giant access to a rich new gas field to expand its exports from Papua New Guinea. 
 
The move could lead ExxonMobil and Total to tie together their competing gas interests in the South Pacific nation, cooperating to reduce costs as they battle cheap oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices. 
 
However, despite the growing resource wealth, corruption and violence are endemic in the island nation of seven million people, raising concern about its long-term stability and the ability to deliver a higher quality of life to its citizens. 
 
Martyn Namorong, head of the PNG Resource Governance Coalition, urged protesters to respect the decision in order to avoid a further descent into chaos and violence. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m a little bit deflated personally, but I respect the decision of parliament,&quot; he told Reuters. 
 
&quot;Papua New Guineans have suffered a lot more than the politicians, and we should not create more suffering for ourselves.&quot; 
 
Student protest leader Noel Anjo urged Australia, which has said little about the crisis, to speak out. 
 
&quot;They should come out and say something, because this country, the leadership, is not right,&quot; he said. &quot;Under O&#39;Neill, the leadership has gone from bad to worse.&quot; 
 
Namorong argued that Australia&#39;s traditional role as the indispensable nation in the Asia-Pacific region was eroding. 
 
&quot;I think the Australian influence in PNG has declined and that is reflected in how indifferent Australia is to what happens in Papua New Guinea,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

?Deputy opposition leader Sam Basil moved the motion today detailing numerous accusations of corruption against PM O'Neill

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill survived a no-confidence vote today, EMTV reported, an outcome unlikely to end upheaval in a country developing lucrative projects with energy majors ExxonMobil Corp and French giant Total SA. The Supreme Court last week ordered parliament to reconvene, for the first time since June protests between students and police boiled over into violent clashes, for the express purpose of allowing the opposition to lodge a no-confidence motion against O'Neill. Deputy opposition leader Sam Basil moved the motion at the opening of the session today, detailing numerous accusations of corruption against O'Neill since he took office in 2010. "To make the wrong decision here would be a mistake," Basil told parliament. "Today, it is up to us on the floor to make a change." But Basil only secured 21 of the 56 lawmakers needed to oust O'Neill, leaving unclear how long a strike by aviation, maritime and public transport workers that has effectively cut off the rugged, mountainous nation, would continue. Anti-incumbency sentiment prevails Meanwhile, Australia's Oil Search Ltd yesterday cleared the way for ExxonMobil to take over InterOil Corp for $2.2 billion, giving the US giant access to a rich new gas field to expand its exports from Papua New Guinea. The move could lead ExxonMobil and Total to tie together their competing gas interests in the South Pacific nation, cooperating to reduce costs as they battle cheap oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices. However, despite the growing resource wealth, corruption and violence are endemic in the island nation of seven million people, raising concern about its long-term stability and the ability to deliver a higher quality of life to its citizens. Martyn Namorong, head of the PNG Resource Governance Coalition, urged protesters to respect the decision in order to avoid a further descent into chaos and violence. "I'm a little bit deflated personally, but I respect the decision of parliament," he told Reuters. "Papua New Guineans have suffered a lot more than the politicians, and we should not create more suffering for ourselves." Student protest leader Noel Anjo urged Australia, which has said little about the crisis, to speak out. "They should come out and say something, because this country, the leadership, is not right," he said. "Under O'Neill, the leadership has gone from bad to worse." Namorong argued that Australia's traditional role as the indispensable nation in the Asia-Pacific region was eroding. "I think the Australian influence in PNG has declined and that is reflected in how indifferent Australia is to what happens in Papua New Guinea," he said. (Reuters)

Papua New Guinea PM survives no-confidence vote?amid     strikes

A Papua New Guinea court has granted an injunction barring university students from protesting on campus after dozens of people were wounded during clashes between student protesters and police in the capital, Port Moresby. 
 
&nbsp;Political unrest has surged in the country in the recent weeks, just to Australia&#39;s north, amid calls for Prime Minister Peter O&#39;Neill to resign over corruption allegations. 
 
The government said that&nbsp;initial reports, that put&nbsp;the death toll to four&nbsp;in the Wednesday&nbsp;clashes,&nbsp;were incorrect. An official at the Port Moresby General Hospital said 38 casualties had been treated there, including four with bullet wounds, but no deaths were reported. 
 
Students and officials said police fired on the public and used tear gas to disperse crowds during a protest at the University of PNG&#39;s Waigani campus in Port Moresby. Protests were later reported in the PNG highland cities of Goroka and Mt. Hagen, and in Lae on the north coast. 
 
Papua New Guinea Higher Education Minister Malakai Tabar welcomed the court order blocking students from resuming protests. 
 
&quot;The overwhelming majority of students simply want to go to class, sit their exams and proceed to the next semester,&quot; Tabar said.&nbsp; 
 
Thousands of students across PNG have been protesting and boycotting classes for weeks. They want O&#39;Neill, who came to power in 2011, to face allegations for&nbsp;authorizing&nbsp;millions of dollars in fraudulent payments to a leading law firm.&nbsp; 
 
Student protest leader Noel Anjon said today that&nbsp;the protesters had no intention of giving up. 
 
&quot;The students are not going to give up until and unless the prime minister resigns or surrenders himself to police and is arrested and charged,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;This fight will continue.&quot; 
 
O&#39;Neill is facing multiple corruption investigations and has used the power of his office to avoid facing charges, said Paul Barker, director of the Institute of National Affairs think tank in Papua New Guinea. 
 
&quot;He has a strong vested interest in not stepping down because obviously if he steps down, his position to protect himself and deal with the public officers who are involved in investigations and prosecutions is substantially weakened,&quot; Barker said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There no doubt will be pressure from various parties, but it&#39;s hard to see him readily responding to those pressures,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Four students had died after police fired into a crowd of student protesters at the University of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday

A Papua New Guinea court has granted an injunction barring university students from protesting on campus after dozens of people were wounded during clashes between student protesters and police in the capital, Port Moresby. Political unrest has surged in the country in the recent weeks, just to Australia's north, amid calls for Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to resign over corruption allegations. The government said that initial reports, that put the death toll to four in the Wednesday clashes, were incorrect. An official at the Port Moresby General Hospital said 38 casualties had been treated there, including four with bullet wounds, but no deaths were reported. Students and officials said police fired on the public and used tear gas to disperse crowds during a protest at the University of PNG's Waigani campus in Port Moresby. Protests were later reported in the PNG highland cities of Goroka and Mt. Hagen, and in Lae on the north coast. Papua New Guinea Higher Education Minister Malakai Tabar welcomed the court order blocking students from resuming protests. "The overwhelming majority of students simply want to go to class, sit their exams and proceed to the next semester," Tabar said. Thousands of students across PNG have been protesting and boycotting classes for weeks. They want O'Neill, who came to power in 2011, to face allegations for authorizing millions of dollars in fraudulent payments to a leading law firm. Student protest leader Noel Anjon said today that the protesters had no intention of giving up. "The students are not going to give up until and unless the prime minister resigns or surrenders himself to police and is arrested and charged," he said. "This fight will continue." O'Neill is facing multiple corruption investigations and has used the power of his office to avoid facing charges, said Paul Barker, director of the Institute of National Affairs think tank in Papua New Guinea. "He has a strong vested interest in not stepping down because obviously if he steps down, his position to protect himself and deal with the public officers who are involved in investigations and prosecutions is substantially weakened," Barker said. "There no doubt will be pressure from various parties, but it's hard to see him readily responding to those pressures," he added.

Papua New Guinea court bars university protests after violence

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7.9-magnitude quake in Papua New Guinea sparks tsunami warning

Australia-US migrant deal: Refugees in detention camps offered US resettlement

6.8 magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea PM survives no-confidence vote?amid strikes

Papua New Guinea court bars university protests after violence

Papua New Guinea court bars university protests after violence