ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 22, 2025.
Indonesian military operations spark concerns over displaced indigenous Papuans
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist A West Papua independence leader says escalating violence is forcing indigenous Papuans to flee their ancestral lands. It comes as the Indonesian military claims 18 members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) were killed in an hour-long operation in Intan Jaya on May 14. In a statement,
Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Singh, Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock You’ve seen them in every gym: tight black leggings, neon sleeves and even knee-length socks. Compression gear is everywhere, worn by weekend joggers, elite athletes and influencers striking poses mid-squat. But do
Australia’s knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University Shutterstock Russia’s possible interest in basing long-range aircraft at an Indonesian airbase not far from Australian shores shook up a relatively staid election campaign last month. The news, which Jakarta immediately dismissed, caught many by surprise
‘Perfect bodies and perfect lives’: how selfie-editing tools are distorting how young people see themselves
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Coffey, Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Newcastle Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock Like many of her peers, Abigail (21) takes a lot of selfies, tweaks them with purpose-made apps, and posts them on social media. But, she says, the selfie-editing apps do more than they were designed for:
NZ Budget 2025: tax cuts and reduced revenues mean the government is banking on business growth
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Sawyer, Professor of Taxation, University of Canterbury Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Not a lot is known about the government’s plans for taxes in the 2025 budget. Few tax policies have been announced so far, and what has been revealed involves targeted tax cuts for business interests. This
Evidence shows AI systems are already too much like humans. Will that be a problem?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra Peter, Director of Sydney Executive Plus, University of Sydney Studiostoks / Shutterstock What if we could design a machine that could read your emotions and intentions, write thoughtful, empathetic, perfectly timed responses — and seemingly know exactly what you need to hear? A machine so seductive,
Playing the crime card: do law and order campaigns win votes in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chloe Keel, Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University Crime and public safety are usually the domain of state politics. But the Coalition tried to elevate them as key issues for voters in the recent federal election. Claiming crime had been “allowed to fester” under Labor,
Labor now has the political clout to reset Australia’s refugee policy. Here’s where to start
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary Anne Kenny, Associate Professor, School of Law, Murdoch University Australia’s policy towards refugees and asylum seekers stands at a critical juncture. Global displacement is at record highs and many countries are retreating from their responsibilities. At this moment, Australia can lead by example. As Australia’s prime
Please don’t tape your mouth at night, whatever TikTok says. A new study shows why this viral trend can be risky
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Moira Junge, Adjunct Clincal Associate Professor (Psychologist), Monash University K.IvanS/Shutterstock You might have heard of people using tape to literally keep their mouths shut while they sleep. Mouth taping has become a popular trend on social media, with many fans claiming it helps improve sleep and overall
E-bikes for everyone: 3 NZ trials show people will make the switch – with the right support
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caroline Shaw, Associate Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Getty Images Anyone who uses city roads will know e-bikes have become increasingly popular in Aotearoa New Zealand. But we also know rising e-bike sales have been predominantly driven by financially well-off households. The question now is,
Drivers of SUVs and pick-ups should pay more to be on our roads. Here’s how to make the system fairer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne In the year 2000, almost 70% of all new cars sold in Australia were small passenger vehicles – mainly sedans and hatchbacks. But over 25 years, their share has dropped dramatically
Australia’s Wong condemns ‘abhorrent, outrageous’ Israeli comments over blocked aid
Asia Pacific Report Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has released a statement saying “the Israeli government cannot allow the suffering to continue” after the UN’s aid chief said thousands of babies were at risk of dying if they did not receive food immediately. “Australia joins international partners in calling on Israel to allow a full
The West v China: Fight for the Pacific – Episode 1: The Battlefield
Al Jazeera How global power struggles are impacting in local communities, culture and sovereignty in Kanaky, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands and Samoa. In episode one, The Battlefield, tensions between the United States and China over the Pacific escalate, affecting the lives of Pacific Islanders. Key figures like former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani and tour
Windows are the No. 1 human threat to birds – an ecologist shares some simple steps to reduce collisions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Hoeksema, Professor of Ecology, University of Mississippi Birds are drawn to the mirror effect of windows. That can turn deadly when they think they see trees. CCahill/iStock/Getty Images Plus When wood thrushes arrive in northern Mississippi on their spring migration and begin to serenade my neighborhood
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers on keeping Australia out of recession amid the ‘dark shadow’ of global instability
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra This week, the Reserve Bank delivered welcome news for mortgage holders, with another 25 basis points rate cut. With this cut, some are hoping that the cost-of-living pain will start to finally ease. Economists, however, are still wary of celebrating
40 years on – reflecting on Rainbow Warrior’s legacy, fight against nuclear colonialism
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – A forthcoming new edition of David Robie’s Eyes of Fire honours the ship’s final mission and the resilience of those affected by decades of radioactive fallout. PACIFIC MORNINGS: By Aui’a Vaimaila Leatinu’u The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior III ship returns to Aotearoa this July, 40 years
Gordon Campbell: NZ’s silence over Gaza genocide, ethnic cleansing
COMMENTARY: By Gordon Campbell Since last Thursday, intensified Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed more than 500 Palestinians, and a prolonged Israeli aid blockade has led to widespread starvation among the territory’s two million residents. Belatedly, Israel is letting in a token amount of food aid that UN Under-Secretary Tom Fletcher has called a
View from The Hill: Coalition split puts Victorian and NSW Nationals Senate seats at high risk
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Victorian and NSW Nationals senators due to face the voters at the 2028 election will struggle to hold their seats if the former partners do not re-form the Coalition before then. Under usual Coalition arrangements, Bridget McKenzie, from Victoria,
New Caledonia, French Polynesia at UN decolonisation seminar in Dili
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia and French Polynesia have sent strong delegations this week to the United Nations Pacific regional seminar on the implementation of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism in Timor-Leste. The seminar opened in Dili today and ends on Friday. As French Pacific
NSW is copping rain and flooding while parts of Australia are in drought. What’s going on?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne Emergency crews were scrambling to rescue residents trapped by floodwaters on Wednesday as heavy rain pummelled the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. In some areas, more
