Author: TMC Palau

Papua New Guinea’s police have rescued 39 Indonesian victims of an alleged international human trafficking operation in Port Moresby.In a statement, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) said four Chinese nationals have been detained as police prepare a range of serious charges.It said police executed search warrants at a downtown Port Moresby residence on Tuesday morning, based on intelligence developed by the RPNGC Transnational Crime Directorate, where they located five women and 34 men confined inside a three-bedroom property.According to police, the 39 individuals were allegedly approached through social media with false offers of employment, and subsequently held against…

The president of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) says journalists need greater protection when reporting on organised crime networks.Speaking at a panel discussion on organized crime in Savusavu, Kalafi Moala said journalists investigating drug trafficking face increasing threats to their personal safety.Moala, who is also RNZ Pacific correspondent in Tonga, recalled an incident involving a journalist from Tongas Kele’a newspaper who reported on Tongan gangs.A gang member went to the newspaper’s office the following day and threatened the journalist.Moala pointed out that in Tonga alone, organized crime has become more sophisticated.He said as crime grows, continued reporting and scrutiny…

An advertisement by Voyager Broadband that depicts two brown men attacking a Pākehā counterpart after their internet lags out while watching a UFC match has been criticised as ‘lacking cultural due diligence’.The AI-generated advertisement, which appeared on YouTube ads, has been taken down after questions were raised with the company last week over what kind of prompts were used in the ad.In the ad, the two brown men are depicted making animalistic noises prior to the attack on the white man, who is hospitalised as a result.In a statement to RNZ Pacific, a spokesperson for Voyager Broadband said the advertisement…

Big changes could be on the way for rugby in NZNew Zealand Rugby will hold a critical summit this week as it weighs major decisions over the future of Super Rugby and the NPC, as it seeks to cut $20 million a year in costs.NZ Rugby and its stakeholders, including provincial unions and the Players Association, will meet in Wellington on Thursday to discuss the governing body’s financial position and options for reshaping the domestic game.A confidential NZ Rugby document, seen by RNZ, outlines three proposals for the domestic game, including expanding Super Rugby with two additional teams; continuing with…

A senior executive at the Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL) is under police investigation for alleged sexual harassment.The allegations have surfaced just three weeks out from the Fiji Bati’s opening game against the Cook Islands at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC).FNRL life member and the founder of the code in Fiji, Culden Kamea, said a woman working at the FNRL office had made two allegations of sexual harassment.He said the allegations were now being investigated by the Fiji Police Force.In a lengthy statement, Kamea said the two incidents allegedly occurred at the FNRL head office during working hours…

“We sweat and cry salt water, so we know that the ocean is really in our blood.” The late scholar and poet Teresia Teaiwa understood what our ancestors always knew: the ocean is not simply around us — it is in us. As descendants of oceanic voyagers who traversed the farthest reaches of the Pacific guided only by celestial paths, the ocean swells and their collective fortitude, we understand that prospering through difficult journeys requires absolute unity. Our modern voyage runs through economic turbulence, volatile commodity markets and profound climate disruptions. Navigating it demands that national governance and communal responsibility…

Papua New Guinea will sever ties with Oceania Rugby and look at joining Asia Rugby if they do not get clear justification for their continued suspension by the regiona body.PNG Rugby Union (PNGRU) interim president Vincent Karawa told RNZ Pacific from Port Moresby on Tuesday that this is an option the union’s board is considering, following talks with Oceania Rugby this week.Karawa said the PNGRU board members, and the country as a whole, were getting frustrated because there was no confirmation from Oceania Rugby on when PNG would be reinstated so that they could be involved with regional and international…

Bougainville’s long road to independence could get longerBougainvilleans may have to wait even longer than expected on whether Papua New Guinea’s parliament will approve their vote for independence.But in a message from a West Papuan living in PNG, Bougainvilleans are being urged to stay patient and trust the process – because unlike West Papuans, they actually have a genuine process in play.The result of Bougainville’s 2019 referendum – in which 97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence – was finally tabled in PNG’s parliament last month.The parliament has the final say on whether to ratify Bougainville’s overwhelming vote for independence.The…

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said Guam was left out of a process afforded to the CNMI.Leon Guerrero said Guam qualifies as an “adjacent State” under US federal regulations and should have been formally consulted on the proposed Pacific Mineral Lease Sale, or PACM-2.In a 15 September letter to US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Marine Minerals Administration officials, Leon Guerrero said the proposed lease area is about 47 miles from Guam, compared with 57 miles from Saipan.The governor said the federal environmental assessment anticipates potential impacts on ports and infrastructure in both Guam and the CNMI, as well as possible…

This year’s annual summit of Pacific Island Forum (PIF) leaders, occurring less than two months after China fired a long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile into the South Pacific, was an opportunity for the region to speak collectively about its security and sovereignty concerns.At the end of the summit, 16 of 18 Pacific states endorsed a joint statement registering “concern on the recent intercontinental ballistic missile test which overflew a number of members without adequate notice.” Of the 18, only Nauru and Kiribati, both of which enjoy close ties to Beijing, declined to sign the statement.The pushback likely came as little surprise…