ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 10, 2026.
After ceasefire, negotiating a lasting deal with Iran would require overcoming regional rivalries and strategic incoherence
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ioana Emy Matesan, Associate Professor of Government, Wesleyan University President Donald Trump’s rapid and dramatic turn from threatening to kill “an entire civilization” in Iran on the morning of April 7, 2026, to announcing a two-week ceasefire later that day left many observers with a sense of
Hungary election: how a new opponent has forced Viktor Orbán into the first genuinely competitive race in 16 years
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zsofia Bocskay, Postdoctoral Researcher, CEU Democracy Institute, Central European University For the first time since Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010, the Hungarian electorate is faced with a genuinely competitive campaign ahead of the 2026 general election on April 12. For the past 16 years, Prime
Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb, has genuine warmth – but doesn’t quite work as a musical
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mara Davis Johnson, Lecturer in Creative and Performing Arts, University of Wollongong The Deb is finally here. The film has been plagued by unresolved legal troubles and repeated delays. But here it is – and for the most part, it’s an enjoyable Australian comedy with characteristically crude
What will it take to get ships going through the Strait of Hormuz again?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Professor, Defence and Security Institute, The University of Western Australia; UNSW Sydney Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement by President Donald Trump, linked to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, prompted immediate optimism shipping would quickly resume. It didn’t. The following morning, traffic remained minimal. A handful
Artemis II: as humans return to the Moon, which of these 4 futures will we choose?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priyanka Dhopade, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau The four Artemis II astronauts who looped around the Moon this week are expected to splash down soon. NASA’s grand mission spells a return to human deep-space travel, with renewed interest in building a
NZ is surrounded by ocean energy. Just what would it take to tap it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Stevens, Professor in Ocean Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Earth Sciences New Zealand “Same as it ever was” is a phrase that continues to resonate in 2026. The oil shocks of the 1970s, triggered by conflict in the Middle East, sent global energy prices
‘First contact’ that may have led to complex life on Earth finally witnessed by scientists
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Paul Burns, Associate Professor, School of Biotech & Biomolecular Science, UNSW Sydney On the shores of the west coast of Australia lies a window to our past: the stromatolites and microbial mats of Gathaagudu (Shark Bay). To the untrained eye they look like a collection of
Some countries in Asia are rationing energy – why they’ve been hit hardest by the crisis in the Gulf
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gokcay Balci, Lecturer in Sustainable Freight Transport and Logistics, University of Leeds The war in Iran has led to a global energy crisis. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major energy chokepoint that handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil, has been largely blocked by
The human body isn’t a masterpiece of design – it’s a patchwork of evolutionary compromise
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy E. Hyde, Lecturer, Anatomy, University of Bristol The human body is often described as a marvel of “perfect design”: elegant, efficient and finely tuned for its purpose. Yet, when we look closer, a rather different picture emerges. Far from being a flawless machine, the body reads
Psilocybin mushrooms are going mainstream, but scientific research and regulation lag behind
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hollis Karoly, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Amid a renaissance in the science of psychedelics, public interest in psilocybin – or magic mushrooms, as they’ve long been known – is surging. One study found that rates of psilocybin use increased 44% among
¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! Speedy Gonzales set to make his triumphant return to the silver screen
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jared Bahir Browsh, Assistant Teaching Professor of Critical Sports Studies, University of Colorado Boulder “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!” Meaning “hurry up, let’s go,” the trademark slogan of Speedy Gonzales was, for generations of children, the first Spanish words they learned. But by the 1980s, ABC had pulled
Fixating on a ‘magic number’ of childcare hours misses what’s most important for kids’ development
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Families with kids juggling full-time work may have been alarmed by media reporting this week, suggesting “too much” time in early childhood education and care could harm their child’s development. Data from a major Australian
Pauline Hanson has a long list of enemies. It’s intentional
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ashlynne McGhee, Head of Editorial Innovation, The Conversation Pretty much everyone of a certain age remembers this line in Pauline Hanson’s maiden speech: “I’m afraid we’re in danger of being swamped by Asians.” It wasn’t the first racist comment she’d made in public and it certainly wasn’t
Will knee injections help your osteoarthritis? Here’s what the evidence says
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Lawford, Senior Research Fellow in Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne Knee osteoarthritis is a complex disease that affects the whole joint, including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and movement difficulty, affecting 8.3% of people in Australia. When pain persists,
Is Australia at risk of a recession? Here’s what the data actually shows
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney Talk of a recession in Australia has picked up in recent weeks. Rising fuel prices, a sharp fall in consumer confidence, and signs of softer spending have all added to concerns the economy may be losing momentum.
Meet Diocletian – the Roman emperor who retired to grow cabbages
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Edwell, Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University Very few Roman emperors died natural deaths. Most were assassinated, some died in battle and one was even struck by lightning. Some emperors sensed the danger and got out of Rome altogether. But only one laid down his
Designing cities: should we build from scratch or keep history alive?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abeer Elshater, Professor of Urban Morphology, Ain Shams University Cities are often described as living archives of human memory. Walk through an old neighbourhood in an Islamic city like Fez in Morocco or Cairo in Egypt, and you can see layers of history in its streets and
PNG defence minister steps aside amid army recruitment controversy
By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor Papua New Guinea’s Defence Minister Dr Billy Joseph has stepped aside to allow investigations into allegations he interfered with army recruitment. Prime Minister James Marape said he would assume the defence portfolio while an independent probe into PNG Defence Force recruitment irregularities proceeded. A media release from Marape
Grattan on Friday: Taylor and Canavan are chalk and cheese – and that’s a problem for Taylor
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra If you want a basic measure of the difference between Liberal leader Angus Taylor and Nationals leader Matt Canavan, compare these two reactions to US President Donald Trump’s extraordinary threat this week that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. Asked
How does Medicare’s new Mental Health Check In work? Is this low-intensity CBT likely to help?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Baldwin, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology; UNSW Sydney If you’ve been struggling with your mental health lately, a new free service could help. Medicare Mental Health Check In launched earlier this year to give more Australians access to mental health care. The
