ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on August 17, 2026.
Fiji High Court orders release of seven devices seized from journalist Charlie Charters
By Andrew Naidu in Suva Fiji’s High Court has granted an application seeking the release of seven electronic devices seized by police from British-Fiji journalist and sports marketing official Charlie Charters. The application was heard before Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu after preliminary issues were raised concerning the proper parties to the proceedings and the transfer of
Can vitamin C cure a cold? How a Nobel Prize winner convinced us it could
When a chemist wrote a book about vitamin C curing the common cold, the world took note. How wrong we all were.
Mangaia trio backs CIP, bringing ‘supermajority’ within reach
By Teitimoana Tairi of the Cook Islands News The Cook Islands Party (CIP) could secure a supermajority for its fifth consecutive term in government after three independent female candidates who won seats in Mangaia agreed to join the party. CIP leads following the preliminary count of the 2026 general election with 12 seats, leaving them
Child-like sex dolls are being stopped at Australia’s border. They could be an early child protection warning
It’s illegal to import or possess them, but child-like sex dolls can be bought online. Each seizure is an opportunity to prevent real child sex abuse.
View from The Hill: Hard-right Alex Antic in strong position to become SA Liberal president
The state party’s Senate ticket is shaping up to be a bunfight, with three senators up for election but perhaps only one likely to survive at the 2028 election.
Sports leagues’ concussion guidelines must be broadened as brain health concerns rise
Many sporting leagues are trying to reduce concussion risk, but their policies mainly fail to mention a growing threat.
Hydrogen microgrids could help power remote communities – but beware the hype
Hydrogen makes it possible to store renewable energy for longer – but has its limitations.
Australia needs more people who think like scientists. Here’s what that means
Science equips us with the tools to reason, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions in a complex, changing world.
Resolve poll suggests more voters support Labor’s federal budget changes than oppose them
While federal Labor remains ahead in most polls three months after the budget, Victorian Labor is trailing the Liberals ahead of the November state election.
Many NZ lawyers find their work rewarding – and distressing. How can they be supported?
NZ’s first large study of lawyer wellbeing finds widespread work-related distress – as well as some potential solutions to address it.
Large demos across West Papua meet with mixed responses by police
RNZ Pacific reporters Dozens of large demonstrations by West Papuans to mark a key anniversary of their homeland’s incorporation into Indonesia have been met with mixed and sometimes violent responses by police. Saturday was the anniversary of the infamous 1962 US-brokered New York Agreement under which Papua’s former colonial power, the Netherlands, agreed to transfer
Exclusive poll shows nearly half of respondents defecting from Victorian Labor. What do these voters care about?
Victorian voters surveyed named cost of living, crime and health as their top three policy issues, with just over three months until the next state election.
Poor genetic health threatens many species – but it’s fixable
Four experts explain what genetic health is and why it matters for our most vulnerable wildlife.
Of course parents want to keep tweens and teens safe. Here’s why you should also encourage them to take risks
Sometimes we think ‘if it feels scary, it must be unsafe’. But feeling nervous or excited is often part of the experience.
Why most homeowners don’t need to lose sleep over negative equity
Owing more to the bank than your home is worth is a daunting prospect. But if you’ve bought a place to live in, not as an investment, there’s little reason to panic.
Is bird flu infecting humans? How would we know?
Even with bird flu circulating in Australia, the risk to humans is low. But some groups are still at increased risk.
New EU laws make AI content labels compulsory – but might just make it harder to spot deepfakes
Labels alone won’t be enough to tackle the rise of deepfakes.
Women have always ‘method acted’ – they just don’t get called geniuses for it
Critiques of method acting misunderstand what method acting is – and dismiss the women who practise it.
NZ creates remarkably valuable tech firms. How can it keep more of the benefits?
A new stocktake of the tech ecosystem shows NZ has grown companies now valued at more than $133 billion. But is it as good at retaining them?
Fiji’s Palestine solidarity group queries ‘unprecedented’ security for Israeli embassy
By Jake Wise in Suva The Palestinian solidarity movement in Fiji is calling for greater transparency over the security arrangements surrounding the Israeli Embassy. Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) coordinator Shamima Ali, representing the movement, questioned what specific threat had prompted the heightened police presence around the embassy after police confirmed the additional security was