Papua New Guinea kidnappers release last 3 hostages

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong says that an Australian-based archaeologist and two Papua New Guinea nationals have been released from captivity after being taken hostage by an armed group in a remote part of Papua New Guinea several days ago. The academic, Bryce Barker, and the other hostages were reportedly held at gunpoint by 20 armed men. Barker is a New Zealand national based at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. The archaeologist and his research crew were conducting fieldwork in the remote Southern Highlands province of PNG when they were taken hostage by the armed group.