New Zealand bans assault weapons

New Zealand has imposed an immediate ban on assault weapons following last week's Christchurch massacre that claimed the lives of 50 mosque-goers. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said,assault rifles and military-style semi-automatic weapons would be banned with immediate effect, making a pledge to ensure that nothing like the last week's attack ever occurs in the Pacific nation again. 

She added that high-capacity magazines and devices similar to bump stocks - which allow users to fire weapons



faster  - will also be banned.

Proponents of gun control in the United States and around the world praised the move.

Democratic US Senator and Bernie Sanders said in a tweet that US must follow New Zealand's lead, take on the National Rifle Association and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons in the country.

Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez contrasted the ban with US failure to enact even modest controls.