ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 22, 2026.
Microscopic plant remains reveal 25,000 years of GunaiKurnai rituals deep in a Victorian cave
A new study shows the cave was only used for very special purposes.
Three things Australia must do to end the tobacco wars
Right now, based on market share, organised crime effectively is Big Tobacco in Australia.
Media scrutiny can take many forms. Pauline Hanson’s past few weeks have shown how quickly it can backfire
Since her press club address, media coverage of the One Nation leader has shifted from fawning to more sober – and revealed some dubious ethics in the process.
Testosterone testing the military: how the manosphere shaped US government policy
Testosterone has been hijacked. It’s no longer just a hormone but a measure of US military might.
Fiji universities criticised for ‘great shame’ of ignoring coup impacts
By Anish Chand in Suva Fiji’s universities have been criticised for failing to study the long-term effects of the country’s repeated political upheavals on the public service and governance, with the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing that a major gap in research has left important national lessons undocumented. Academic Professor Vijay Naidu told the
Domestiques, sprinters and climbers: who’s who in the Tour de France peloton (and why it matters)
The Tour de France is not simply a battle of who can pedal fastest. It’s also a race made up of politics and priorities.
Australia just outlined more ‘AI safety’ priorities, but is the plan actually coherent?
These priorities are mostly old policy initiatives that have until now been de-prioritised for months or even years.
27 missing, including 11 children, after two boats capsize off Papua New Guinea
RNZ Pacific reporters Concern is mounting for up to 27 people missing at sea in Papua New Guinea’s Islands region. Bad weather has hampered the search for the crew on at least two boats who were registered as missing on Saturday. The incident involved several staff of the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority and
New Zealand is cracking down on school attendance. Is it missing the bigger picture?
New attendance targets focus on getting children into class. But evidence suggests understanding why they are absent is the more important question.
The biggest atomic blast in Australia happened 70 years ago – mysteries about its impact linger
The bomb tested on WA’s Montebello Islands was at least four times as big as the Hiroshima blast. Yet key facts about this test remain shrouded in secrecy.
Trump’s new tariffs give Ontario and Québec the perfect excuse to sell their unsold American booze
Provincial alcohol bans have drawn presidential notice. Ontario and Québec should now sell their U.S. inventories as a goodwill gesture while continuing to ban imports.
‘Sanctuary people’ redefine what it means to protect immigrants in uncertain times
Many faith groups supporting immigrants root their mission in the idea of ‘accompaniment,’ which springs from Catholic social teaching.
AusAlert will deliver emergency warnings to all – but they must actually be accessible
AusAlert is a significant improvement to Australia’s emergency warnings, but the question isn’t just about whether it works.
Industry backlash threatens Australia’s gas supply fix. Leaders must step up
Gas companies have withdrawn support for the government’s gas reservation policy. But their main critique doesn’t stack up.
Swimming can alleviate low back pain – new study
If you’ve got low back pain, you’ve probably heard the advice to go for a swim. Now the evidence shows they were right.
Thinking of accelerating a Year 12 subject? Here’s what to consider
While there are many benefits to subject acceleration, not every student may be suited to it.
The long, global history of queer art in churches
Divine Playhouse, a queer arts venue in a deconsecrated church, was forced to close its doors in Sydney last week. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Why new Houthi threats in the Red Sea could spell trouble for global oil prices and inflation
Each year, about 10–12% of global shipping trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – whose name means ‘Gate of Tears’.
Gen Z is the first generation in history in which men are more religious than women. Why?
For every generation over the last century, Australian women have been more religious than men. But these charts show gen Z is different.
I created an AI boyfriend. He was charming — and deeply troubling
The one-sidedness of human-AI relationships is a problem. There’s a lot we can receive from an AI companion; there is less we can give.