ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on September 28, 2026.
What do NZ voters really care about? A global comparison reveals some surprises
Like people everywhere, New Zealanders are worried about living standards, costs and wages. But a global poll reveal some less obvious priorities.
Even the best telescopes have blind spots. This fix can help us build better maps of the universe
Sometimes, mapping the whole universe starts with getting thousands of tiny robots to move in exactly the right way.
Are autistic people more vulnerable to extremist content?
People with rigid thinking patterns who prefer routine and order may be drawn to extremist groups’ black-and-white solutions. But autism itself is not the problem.
China’s economy is changing rapidly. It’s no longer Australia’s easy export market
Australian exports to China in three key sectors are all slowing. Businesses will need to meet the challenge.
Deepfakes are distorting this year’s Victorian election. We found out who’s most susceptible to them
Voters need to become better at questioning what they see, without automatically disbelieving it.
More deaths, less outrage: are we becoming numb to the horrors of family violence?
52 Australian women have lost their lives to violence this year, including three in recent weeks. How do we make sure we don’t get compassion fatigue?
How smoking makes Australians poorer – and what we can do about it
A new study suggests making cigarettes cheaper would risk making smoking-related poverty in Australia worse overall, given it could lead to more people smoking.
From ‘disgrace and pollution’ to ‘pride’: how Australians came to embrace their convict family ties
Many former convicts changed their names and hid their past. But over the last 50 years, Australians have increasingly discovered – and embraced – convict relatives.
Floating power plants could offer coastal communities a reliable energy source. Here’s how
These mobile power systems could be a lifeline for remote, island and disaster-prone places.
What role does high school play in mental health? Feeling connected to other students and staff is key
By the time an Australian student is 15, they will have already spent as many as 11,000 hours at school. What happens here matters for their wellbeing.
The ICJ prepares a landmark ruling on the Rohingya genocide case against Myanmar
The International Court of Justice is expected to deliver its ruling in the genocide case against Myanmar next month.
One of Canada’s worst invasive species may have arrived naturally
Researchers have discovered the spiny water flea may have existed in North America far longer than previously thought.
From ‘Fear Factor’ to Beast Games: Why watching people suffer for money still makes compelling TV
Reality competitions once used money to motivate the game. MrBeast puts the money itself at the centre of the spectacle.
How routines, rituals and rites of passage are foundations of an inclusive classroom
Creating structures and routines in the classroom means providing children with predictability about what is expected, when it is expected and how.
Should you cut off your friend? How to tell when a friendship needs repair, change or an ending
Friendships are complicated relationships that can require more than an all-or-nothing choice. A therapist explains how to distinguish between conflict, change and genuine harm.
Xenia Fedorova, or how Russian propaganda turns free thinking on itself
The Fedorova case is emblematic of a rhetorical method used by Russian propaganda: appealing to the targeted public’s critical thinking to convince them to disregard sources seen as “official” and “dominant.”
Online attacks on Kenyan journalists: what makes audiences join in, push back or stay silent
Whether the public rallies to defend journalists can depend on whether audiences believe they deserve that support.