ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on February 27, 2026.
What’s the link between talcum powder and cancer?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tam Ha, Associate Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, University of Wollongong More than 1,300 Victorians have joined a class action against Johnson & Johnson alleging its talcum powder products left them with ovarian cancer, mesothelioma (cancer affecting the lungs) and other cancers affecting the reproductive organs. This follows
How should Australia handle ‘sovereign citizens’ clogging the courts? A former magistrate explains
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Heilpern, Associate Professor and Chair of Discipline (Law), Southern Cross University Imagine sitting in a crowded local court in Australia, and this happens (names have been changed): Court officer: I call the matter of James Burnett JB: I am the personage known by that name but
Raincoat no longer waterproof? A textile scientist explains why – and how to fix it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carolina Quintero Rodriguez, Senior Lecturer and Program Manager, Bachelor of Fashion (Enterprise) program, RMIT University You pull on your rain jacket, step out into the storm, and within half an hour your undershirt is soaked. The jacket you purchased as “waterproof” seems to have stopped working, and
AI can slowly shift an organisation’s core principles. How to spot ‘value drift’ early
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guy Bate, Professional Teaching Fellow, Management and International Business, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau The steady embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public and private sectors in Australia and New Zealand has come with broad guidance about using the new technology safely and transparently, with
Sydney’s Biennale theme, ‘rememory’, urges us to confront trauma – now more relevant than ever
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rodney Taveira, Senior Lecturer in American Studies, University of Sydney The Biennale of Sydney is returning this year for its 25th edition, and exploring a bold new theme: rememory. It’s a term artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi adopted from Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved (1987). In
How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Morieson, Research Fellow, Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Artificial intelligence (AI) is at a very Chinese time in its life. Recent moves from Chinese AI labs are throwing the dominance of American “frontier labs” such as Google and OpenAI into question. Last week
One Nation wants to get more doctors in rural areas – but it’s got the wrong approach
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hazel Dalton, Senior Research Fellow, Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University According to the latest polling, the right-wing populist party, One Nation, is gaining significant political ground. But the party has also made headlines for its controversial proposal to make new doctors complete a period of
‘Don’t leave late’ is the best advice for fires or floods. These terrifying videos show why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Fazeli, PhD Candidate, UNSW Sydney Where are you at most risk when a flood or bushfire strikes? You might think it’s at home. But in reality, the most dangerous time is when you leave and jump in your car. Many flood and bushfire deaths are linked
Should unis ditch group assignments?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason M. Lodge, Director of the Learning, Instruction & Technology Lab and Professor of Educational Psychology, School of Education, The University of Queensland It it time to get rid of group assignments at university? Federal Opposition education spokesperson Julian Leeser thinks so. On Thursday, he called for
One street tree can boost Sydney house prices by $30,000 – or cost $70,000 if it’s too close: new study
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Song Shi, Associate Professor, Property Economics, University of Technology Sydney A single street tree can potentially increase an average Sydney house price by A$30,000, our new research shows. This echoes past research showing street trees not only help boost property prices, but offer other benefits, from improved
Deeper ocean ecosystems are unique – and uniquely vulnerable without better protection
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James J Bell, Professor of Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand’s earlier efforts to safeguard marine or coastal environments, particularly as marine reserves and marine protected areas, typically focused on shallow ecosystems, largely because that is where most data exists. But
Michael Caine’s voice is iconic. Why would he sell that to AI?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Hume, Lecturer In Theatre (Voice), Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne Few actors are imitated as often as Michael Caine. Even Michael Caine has imitated Michael Caine. His voice has been used in birthday card greetings and been the source of jokes in
Anthropic v the US military: what this public feud says about the use of AI in warfare
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elke Schwarz, Professor of Political Theory, Queen Mary University of London The very public feud between the US Department of Defense (also known these days as the Department of War) and its AI technology supplier Anthropic is unusual for pitting state might against corporate power. In the
Ukraine: after four years of war, exhaustion on both sides is the main hope for peace
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Titov, Lecturer in Modern European History, Queen’s University Belfast As Ukrainian officials meet with US negotiators in Geneva with the possibility of full three-way talks involving Moscow, Kyiv and Washington in early March, there’s a glimmer of hope that an end to the conflict may be
Politicians say immigration threatens ‘Australian values’, but our research shows no one knows exactly what that means
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and new Liberal leader Angus Taylor have invoked “Australian values” to justify taking a hard line on immigration, especially from countries that supposedly don’t share our values. The
Duterte’s ICC pre-trial in The Hague: What prosecution, victims, defence say about the drug war
Did ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s actions merit an ICC trial? Here is how the prosecution, the victims’ representatives, and the defence are presenting their cases during the pre-trial at the International Criminal Court. Report compiled by Rappler. By Jodesz Gavilan in Manila The confirmation of charges hearings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) kicked off on
Grattan on Friday: Albanese celebrates caucus unity, but it can come at a cost
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the current furore about the fate of the ISIS brides, one would have expected we might have heard some strong advocates from the Labor left in caucus publicly arguing for their repatriation. It’s the sort of issue that decades
New global study: long after war, injuries from landmines and explosives kill nearly 4 in 10 victims
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacey Pizzino, Lecturer, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland When a war ends and peace agreements are signed, most people assume the danger is over. But for many communities around the world the danger remains in the ground, waiting. Landmines and other explosives left behind
Iran’s exiled crown prince is touting himself as a future leader. Is this what’s best for the country?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Theobald, Research Fellow, University of Oxford; University of Notre Dame Australia As Iranian and US diplomats meet in Geneva for crucial negotiations to avoid a potential war, opposition groups in exile are sniffing an opportunity. The Islamic Republic faces its greatest political crisis since its inception.
How can a tick bite cause a deadly meat allergy? An expert explains
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gofton, Senior Research Scientist, Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO An Australian teenager who died after eating beef sausages on a camping trip has been confirmed as the nation’s first death from a tick-induced meat allergy. New South Wales Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes today ruled Jeremy Webb
