ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on January 15, 2026.
Australia is betting on a new ‘strategic reserve’ to loosen China’s grip on critical minerals
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan M Park, Professor of Global Governance, University of Sydney MirageC/Getty The federal government has unveiled new details of its plan to create a A$1.2 billion critical mineral reserve. Three minerals will initially be the focus: antimony, gallium and rare earths (a group of 17 different elements).
The Making of an Autocrat: podcast out now
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Bergman, International Affairs Editor, The Conversation We used to have a pretty clear idea of what an autocrat was. History is full of examples: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, along with Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Viktor Orban today. The list goes on. So, where
China matches US contribution to Pacific environmental body a week after Trump pulls out
By Kaya Selby, RNZ Pacific journalist Just over a week after the United States announced its withdrawal from the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) — China has stepped in to fill the funding gap. President Donald Trump included the scientific organisation among a list of others that US government officials were ordered to withdraw from.
Pedestrian deaths just reached an 18-year high. Bull bars are part of the problem
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience, The University of Melbourne Doug Bagg/Unsplash, CC BY The national road trauma data for December last year was just released, which means we now have a full picture of Australia’s road safety outcomes for 2025.
Another war in the Horn of Africa would be disastrous for one of the world’s most repressive nations
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Gourlay, Teaching Associate in Politics & International Relations at the School of Social Sciences, Monash University Independence Day celebration in Eritrea in 2023. J. Countess/Getty Images The geopolitical temperature is rising in the Red Sea. Ethiopia is threatening Eritrea, its diminutive neighbour, making a claim on
Does adding ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to your ChatGPT prompts really waste energy?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Morris, Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, New Zealand Serene Lee/Getty Images Cut the words “please” and “thank you” from your next ChatGPT query and, if you believe some of the talk online, you might think you are helping save the planet.
Native pollinators need more support than honeybees in Australia – here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graham H. Pyke, Honorary Professor in School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University A native _Leioproctus_ bee on _Calectasia narragara_. Kit Prendergast/@bee.babette_performer Late last year, the New South Wales government announced an additional A$9.5 million in funding to support honeybee keepers in the wake of the 2022 arrival
DNA from wolf pup’s last meal reveals new facts about woolly rhino’s extinction
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Neal Coulson, Professor of Zoology and Joint Head of Department of Biology, University of Oxford Woolly rhinos once roamed the Earth far and wide. Daniel Eskridge/Shutterstock The woolly rhino, Coelodonta antiquitatis, would have been an impressive sight to the ancient people who painted images of them
Searching reporters’ homes, suing journalists and repressing citizen dissent are well-known steps toward autocracy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantin Zhukov, Assistant Professor of Economics, Indiana University; Institute for Humane Studies Neither of these men — US President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin — likes being held accountable by the press. Contributor/Getty Images The FBI search of a Washington Post reporter’s home on
Could ChatGPT convince you to buy something? Threat of manipulation looms as AI companies gear up to sell ads
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Schneier, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School AI advertising could be hard to resist – or even recognize. showcake/iStock via Getty Images Eighteen months ago, it was plausible that artificial intelligence might take a different path than social media. Back then, AI’s development hadn’t
Whether or not US acquires Greenland, the island will be at the centre of a massive military build-up in the Arctic
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, Professor of War Studies, Loughborough University Donald Trump is clearly in a hurry to dominate the political narrative in his second term of office. He began 2026 with strikes in Syria against Islamic State groups, the kidnapping of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, threats to intervene
Prioritising protein? What the new US dietary guidelines get right – and wrong – according to 2 nutrition experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland Last week, United States health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr released the government’s revamped dietary guidelines for 2025 to 2030. These recommendations on healthy eating are updated every five years and help shape food policy
No power, no phone, no radio: why comms dropped out during the central Victorian fires
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiannuala Morgan, Lecturer in communications, The University of Melbourne Australia has entered an era of climate instability, where communications during bushfires and extreme weather must perform under increasingly severe conditions. Digital services such as the VicEmergency app and mobile fire alerts have become central to how people
Trump wants to cap credit card interest to 10% for a year. Should Australia consider it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ama Samarasinghe, Lecturer, Financial Planning and Tax, RMIT University US President Donald Trump has called for a one year cap on credit card interest rate charges at 10% – around half of the average current US rate – starting from January 20. Vanderbilt University analysis from September
This TikTok star sharing Australian animal stories doesn’t exist – it’s AI Blakface
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tamika Worrell, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Critical Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University Bush Legend/The Conversation The self-described “Bush Legend” on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram is growing in popularity. These short and sharp videos feature an Aboriginal man – sometimes painted up in ochre, other times in
How street vendors and waste pickers can help cities manage growth
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gisèle Yasmeen, JW McConnell Professor of Practice, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact recently renewed global commitments to sustainable and equitable urban food systems. The pact has been signed by 330 cities around the world that have pledged to
Alleged tobacco kingpin Kazem ‘Kaz’ Hamad has been arrested in Iraq – what happens next?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Martin, Associate Professor in Criminology, Deakin University Overnight, government authorities in Iraq arrested Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, the alleged kingpin of Australia’s illicit tobacco trade. Declared by an Iraqi court to be “one of the most dangerous wanted men in the world”, Hamad is the alleged mastermind
Why the world’s central bankers had to speak up against Trump’s attacks on the Fed
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Central bankers from around the world have issued a joint statement of support for US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, as he faces a criminal probe on top of mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump to
With its new laws, the government is tackling hate speech quickly, but not properly
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keiran Hardy, Associate Professor, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University On Tuesday, in response to the Bondi terrorist attack and mounting pressure to take strong action, the Albanese government released draft legislation to counter hate crime and strengthen firearm controls. The draft bill is 144 pages long. It
Why Iran can’t afford to shut down the internet forever – even if the world doesn’t act
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dara Conduit, ARC DECRA Fellow, The University of Melbourne As citizens around the world prepared to welcome the new year, Iranians began taking to the streets to protest their country’s deepening economic crisis. Spurred by the continued devaluation of the Iranian currency against the US dollar, as
