Hunter-gatherer societies are often put on a pedestal as paragons of equality – but the reality is more complicated
Hunter-gatherers do not always seek total equality, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t egalitarian.

‘The school that became a grave’ – Jeremy Scahill on US bombing of Minab, killing 120+ Iranian kids
Democracy Now! AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, I’m Amy Goodman. We’re broadcasting from Publix, the House of Journalism in Berlin, Germany. The Pentagon is sending a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East as President Trump considers a new escalation of the US war on Iran. The latest move adds 7000 sailors, up to

Attention can’t be bought, so brands turn to memes
It is important to knowing what a community finds funny, what it finds tired, and when a brand has no business speaking at all.

Cornell 7 case puts a spotlight on fraternity misconduct – and the limits of universities’ power to stop it
While universities can suspend and expel students for committing sexual violence and other kinds of illegal misconduct, they face logistical and financial limits to preventing such behavior.

Secret chambers in Tutankhamun’s tomb could hold the burial of a lost Egyptian queen – we may get answers soon
There is growing interest in the possibility of hidden spaces next to the king’s tomb.

Burnham has said the unsayable on Brexit. What happens now?
Now that Burnham has started the conversation, it’s unlikely to go away again any time soon.

Plans to tamper with the pension triple lock might not be as dangerous for Labour as some believe
Young and old voters aren’t actually that divided over the triple lock.

Physicists who uncovered the first particle accelerator were honored with a Nobel Prize 75 years ago – their work shaped physics, medicine and even art research
Particle accelerators aren’t just for testing the Standard Model. They’re also used to diagnose and treat disease and study world history.

Want to use AI to improve your work? Have it disagree with you
Prompting AI models to contradict your ideas can improve your thinking about a problem.

79 deaths a day: South Africa’s diabetes crisis needs a new strategy
Diabetes is manageable. With timely support, people can lead long, healthy lives free from preventable complications.

How Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is helping kids start reading when they’re very young
This free program mails an age-appropriate book monthly to each enrolled child from birth to age 5.

More than 50 years after a North Dakota school district burned copies of Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘Slaughterhouse-Five,’ the anti-war novel is still being censored
The battle over the novel offers a window into America’s long-running fight over what students should be allowed to read.

Mangrove restoration is becoming big business, but benefits don’t always reach local people
Beyond the monetary value of carbon credits sits something more complex: every restoration project involves trade-offs, and somebody carries them.

US regulators want to make corporate earnings reports less frequent, but investors have doubts
No federal rule proposal has ever generated so much opposition.

Renoir and Love is a wonderful celebration of the fleeting joys of life
An exhibition that will leave most with a deep appreciation for Renoir as an artistic innovator and painter of the first rank.

Seaweed strandings cause a stink – here’s why they harm your health
When free-floating patches of seaweed are pushed together by currents and winds, seaweed strandings can inundate the coastline with often devastating consequences.

White nationalism’s appeal runs deeper than partisan politics
Nearly 1 in 7 white men under 30 in the US support white nationalism, and partisanship alone doesn’t explain who’s drawn to it.

Police arrest two as protesters accused of blocking NZ aerospace summit
Asia Pacific Report Pro-Palestine protesters targeted Christchurch’s Te Pae Convention Centre today to highlight the National Aerospace Summit’s alleged ties with Israeli military. The protesters from Peace Action Ōtautahi started their action at Victoria Park from 7am, Allied Media reports. Police said two men, aged 56 and 23, had been arrested after vehicles were allegedly

Rising CO₂ is making African savanna grasses grow more – what this means for grazing, fire and carbon storage
New research in the Kruger National Park has found that rising CO₂ in the atmosphere helps savanna grasses grow when less water is available.

National Year of Reading: linguistic diversity should be central to reading for pleasure intiatives
Books in different languages do more than support language learning. They connect families, amplify diverse voices and make reading more inclusive.

Women in architecture: the damaging workplace culture pushing talented professionals out
The profession needs to dismantle the structural and cultural barriers that have held them back for far too long.

Marie Antoinette at 20: Sofia Coppola’s playfully postmodern period drama is finally getting the praise it deserves
Marie Antoinette was released into a cultural moment dominated by consumerism as empowerment, when ‘girl power’ was used to sell music and fashion to young women.

As Brazil prepares to vote for a new leader, can Latin American democracies withstand US pressure?
With the two presidential candidates running neck-and-neck, this election has stakes beyond Brazil. The growing power of US big tech is also in the spotlight.

What should parents consider when tracking their child’s location?
Location tracking means parents can easily check in on their kids while allowing them more freedom. But there are risks too.

Birdsong tells only part of a forest’s story: Evolutionary trees reveals the rest
Tracking species relationships isn’t easy. Yet analysing 422 bird species across 1,410 locations offers far deeper insight, revealing the true depth of the evolutionary history at stake.

In a year of record-breaking heat, Australia and Pacific leaders meet to sharpen climate goals
These Pacific meetings are a curtain raiser for the annual UN climate meetings in Turkey next month.

Are Australia’s native bees thriving or declining? We don’t know but can find out
Native bees pollinate many of Australia’s unique plants and help entire ecosystems thrive.

The ‘Cornell 7’ reported rape shows why we need to rethink sexual violence prevention
A young woman has reported she was sexually assaulted by seven men in 2024. It reveals sexual violence is more than just the actions of ‘bad’ individuals.

Australia’s Medicare breach reveals a new kind of cyber threat. How must NZ respond?
The Manage My Health hacking breach exposed weaknesses in New Zealand’s digital defences. But the rise of autonomous AI agents poses a very different threat.

From rock bottom to a grand final: what’s behind the Newcastle Knights’ incredible rise?
The Knights’ new coach took his squad 100 metres underground into a coal mine to help his players better understand the region’s working-class history.

Money for something: why public funding for NZ’s live music scene needs retuning
Every dollar invested in local live performance is multiplied in benefits to local communities. But state funding has to be strategic and targeted.

Fiji approves ‘lifeline’ needle exchange law to combat HIV emergency
RNZ Pacific reporters Fiji’s lawmakers have passed legislation allowing the rollout of a needle exchange programme aimed at containing the rapid rise of HIV from intravenous drug use. The HIV/AIDS (Amendment) Bill 2026, which will introduce evidence-based harm reduction programmes, is being hailed as a “lifeline” for the country. Fiji now joins Australia, New Zealand

Christa Pike survived a lethal injection attempt – the latest person to endure a failed execution
The constitutional prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment has shaped legal discourse around failed executions, but courts have not stopped states from attempting to execute the same person again.

From suicide bombers to positions of authority – the changing role of women in jihadi groups
More women are taking up training and recruiting positions in the Islamic State group and other militant organizations.

Dozens of men failed to stop an alleged gang rape at Cornell – here’s the misperception that keeps bystanders from intervening and how to short-circuit it
People may accept bad behavior – even sexual assault – when they overestimate how acceptable their peers think it is. But there are ways to undermine this thinking and make intervention more likely.

Are Australians really overtaxed? It depends what you think government should do
Governments in rich nations tend to spend more on health. Do we really want them to spend less?

Birds are building nests with our rubbish. Can we offer them something better?
Birds are ingenious when it comes to foraging for nest materials, but in the Anthropocene, this often comes at a cost. Giving them better options is one solution.

Are right-brained people really more creative? Here’s what the science really tells us
Here’s what more than 150 years of science really tells us about being left-brained vs right-brained.

Ahead of the global climate summit, Pacific leaders call on nations to keep 1.5°C within reach
Pacific leaders are seeking support for regional climate-finance options that give communities better access and stronger input into global decision making.

Australia’s proposed laws could help regulate privacy risks from chatbots – if we get the details right
Big AI companies may already know much more about you than you’re comfortable with, even if you’ve never used their services.

Bike-sharing programs can help cities reduce emissions and congestion
The environmental value of bike sharing depends partly on how often bikes are used to replace trips that would otherwise have been made by car.

Attacks on cultural heritage are unfolding with authoritarian politics in the U.S. and beyond
In recent years, several governments have placed the very heritage they are charged to protect at risk.

With a former Wallaby’s ‘cruel’ diagnosis, is there a link between contact sports and MND?
Motor neurone disease is rare, but there is growing evidence playing contact sports may increase your risk.

NSW’s largest coal mine project is set to expand. Here’s what authorities got wrong about the trade-offs
A coal mine in the Hunter Valley region has sparked debate among politicians, environmental advocates and local residents.

Meta wants people to use ‘AI agents’ to do daily tasks for them. Here’s why that’s a problem
Meta can’t beat its rivals on raw AI capability. With its new Muse agent, it doesn’t need to

A sapphic sitcom answer to Heated Rivalry, British spies and premium Aussie drama: what to stream in October
A divisive documentary, a top-tier Australian drama, a queer baseball comedy and more.

GPs can now prescribe ADHD medication – but big barriers to treatment remain
In February, NZ rolled out new rules promising easier access to ADHD treatment. Today, gaps in training, cost and access show why the reform was only a first step.

Question of whether taxpayers or fossil fuel companies pay for climate change damage heads to Supreme Court
If fossil fuel companies misled the public about the dangers of their products, should they be required to pay for damages from climate-related disasters?

Standardized tests needed to boost student achievement? Saskatchewan begs to differ
Until recently, the Prairie province has been an outlier with no provincewide mandated testing.

Thriving Kids launches today. Here’s what will and won’t change
NDIS eligibility criteria isn’t tightening until January 2028, and no one is being moved off the scheme yet. So what’s actually changing?

How do I know my child is ready to leave the house on their own?
There is no single right age when children can spend time out with friends unsupervised. This can make it difficult to judge whether they’re ready.

Why do so many of us sign up to loyalty programs and then never use them?
For some customers, loyalty programs provide clear financial benefits through discounts or points. But emotional benefits – such as feeling valued – also matter.

We love TV reno shows. Could they help us build more sustainable homes?
Programs like ‘Big Little Reno’ aim to help people make their houses more energy efficient.

DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island is a joyous, painful love letter to the Filipino diaspora
The first major Hollywood animation centred on Filipino culture speaks to the experience of migration that has become so deeply embedded in Philippine society.

Why some Ukrainian refugees struggle to rebuild their careers after arriving in Canada
New research on Ukrainian refugees’ employment outcomes reveals that higher education does not always translate into better employment recovery after displacement.

Scientists predicted Friday 13 November 2026 will be ‘Doomsday.’ Should you be worried?
An article published in Science in 1960 predicted that, thanks to ever-increasing growth, in the year 2026 the human population would approach infinity.

Canada promised a new citizenship guide that better addresses reconciliation a decade ago. It still hasn’t arrived
Ottawa has left the outdated 2009 Discover Canada booklet in place, pushing the work of teaching reconciliation to newcomers onto underfunded community educators.

Digger tries to mock powerful older men – but can’t escape 64-year-old millionaire Tom Cruise
Cruise’s presence is the most interesting thing about a film that is otherwise much too full of itself.

This year’s Labour conference was the party that delegates should have had in 2024
In a change from 2025, the event was defined by optimism.

Confronting demons: how acoustic and AI technology brought ancient Etruscan tombs back to life
Our research suggests these tombs were designed and constructed not simply to house the dead, but to affect the living.

Covid fatigue linked to reduced brain blood flow
Everyday activities can require enormous effort for people living with post-COVID fatigue. This study examines the brain mechanisms that may contribute to fatigue.

Long-acting medicines could make daily tablets a thing of the past for some patients
Long-acting treatments could reduce missed doses and ease the burden of taking medicines every day, while giving patients more choice.

New Greens leader David Shoebridge declares Greens ‘here to replace’ Labor
Shoebridge at a post-ballot news conference focused on the Greens going after Labor, arguing it had left a vacuum by ‘rushing to the right’.

Australian electric car and bus sales soar – but trucks lag far behind
As hundreds of thousands more EVs hit Australian roads, is our charging infrastructure up to scratch?

After a decade, the UN’s Antonio Guterres is stepping down. His legacy will be mixed, at best
The long-standing UN secretary general could have done more to protect the world’s most vulnerable people.

Bushfire season is fast approaching. A new satellite tool can help communities better prepare
The tool can help communities better understand their local conditions and prepare for bushfires early.

Education Ministry inquiry the latest sign NZ’s Official Information Act isn’t working
Calls for an overhaul of New Zealand’s freedom-of-information rules have gone largely unheeded for years. But momentum for reform seems to be building.

Tragedy stopped Mawson exploring this remote Antarctic region. We must get there to study its melting ice
If all the ice in the Wilkes Subglacial Basin melted, it would raise global sea levels 3 to 4 metres. It happened before – at temperatures we’re heading towards

Canada’s Indigenous health obligations can’t be separated from rights and reconciliation
Commitments to Indigenous health research cannot be clawed back as part of proposed dismantling of equity, diversity and inclusion criteria for federal research funding.

The ‘War Games’ problem: Computer science has long understood what it takes to keep AI under control
A hit 1983 movie illustrates what computer scientists have long known: If you give an AI agent a goal but don’t control what it can and can’t do, you shouldn’t be surprised by what it does.

Government takes early action to protect ‘legacy’ technology systems against AI breaches
All government departments and agencies must conduct an immediate stocktake of their legacy systems, under the government order.

How sugar from outer space became one of the backbones of life on Earth
Ribose molecules came to Earth in meteorites and eventually became key parts of RNA. But how they survived in between has been a mystery.

Starship’s first orbital flight put its heat shield to the test – how it fares could determine if SpaceX’s vision is possible
Starship’s heat shield is made of up of an array of ceramic tiles. Each is a small component, but together they have large consequences.

Can governments ever convince women to have more babies? Here’s what other countries can teach us
Australia is on track to have more deaths than births by the 2060s. Other countries grapple with the same problem. Are they doing better than us?

Our research shows how AI is getting better at exams. Here’s how unis can respond
Three years ago, researchers tested AI on real Australian law exams and it struggled. They wanted to know if this is still the case.

As El Niño strengthens across the Pacific, Australian farmers could face fierce frosts
Papua New Guinea’s frost disaster suggests heat and drought aren’t the only symptoms of a changing climate.

Stage manager is arguably the most stressful job in live performance. Here’s why
In one research project, more than 93% of stage managers interviewed said they had ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ experienced burnout.

Why monkeys handle conflicts better than we do
Among primates, reconciliation quickly follows conflict. Among humans, the ego gets in the way: protecting one’s image often takes precedence over repairing social bonds.

Ethiopia is sliding back toward war – a look at what is driving the fighting and why it matters
An offensive in the Tigray region followed months of aerial strikes by the Ethiopian government. The situation could spark a wider regional conflict.

If he wants to secure legitimacy for electoral reform, Andy Burnham must stick to these rules
Involving both the public and all parties in shaping reforms on how they vote will be crucial.

Low productivity is NZ’s economic elephant in the room. Election pledges mostly avoid it
Economic growth may have returned to NZ, but lifting living standards will require more than a cyclical recovery. What should voters be looking for in policies?

Burnham delivered honesty and emotion – but what about the promises? Our experts assess his plans
The prime minister wants fixing the crisis in social care to be the defining mission of his premiership.

Five reasons why Victoria’s new proactive homelessness plan is worth trying
A new Victorian program is a positive step forward in the state’s battle against rough sleeping.

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study
Four viruses and one bacteria were responsible for 12% of the world’s cancer cases in 2024. Does this mean they’re preventable?

Privatised aid failed the people of Gaza. The world should learn not to repeat it
New research looking into the US government-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation shows when aid is handed over to corporations, civilians pay the price.

Victorian DemosAU poll has Coalition’s two-party lead narrowing, but they remain ahead
With the Victorian state election two months away, the Labor government has improved in the polls, but remain behind the Coalition.

Exercise before surgery improves outcomes and shortens recovery time – new research
Pre-surgery exercise has benefits, whether it is supervised or home-based. But professional supervision can help patients achieve higher exercise intensities.

One giant clam contains a month-by-month diary of the Great Barrier Reef’s climate 200 years ago
The clam fills a crucial gap in our records of what the reef was like before industrial-era global warming.

AI often leaves out minority languages – but some communities are turning it into a lifeline
AI is helping communities own and build vital tools for their minority languages – all without external funding.

Pacific leaders urge Jakarta to allow UN rights visit to West Papua
RNZ Pacific reporters Pacific Islands leaders have used their addresses to the United Nations General Assembly to urge Indonesia to allow the UN human rights chief access to West Papua. Pacific Islands Forum countries in 2019 requested that Indonesia allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Papua to assess claims of widespread

NZ election poll watch: minor parties gain as Labour and National slide
Despite gains for the Greens and slumps for Labour and National, the overall left-right balance remains largely unchanged.

How does a bird virus infect a person? Surprising findings from B.C.’s human case of H5N1 avian flu
The human avian flu case in B.C. demonstrates there is much to learn about the complex factors that may result in a virus developing the ability to infect humans.

We can finally measure the damage each new coal, gas or oil project will do to people and nature
For decades, we couldn’t trace the link between new fossil fuel projects and their damage to people and planet. But now we can.

Do calorie-restricted diets work? Or will I just re-gain the weight?
Diets like the Fast 800 or intermittent fasting have become popular ways to lose weight. But they’re not long-term solutions.

Is it safe to charge your phone overnight?
The answer is more nuanced than it’s ever been.

Year 12 students might feel anxious as exams approach. Here’s what can help
While it’s normal to feel some anxiety and nervousness around the exam period, there are signs a student may need extra support.

Can we predict genocide by listening to what leaders say? Research finds common threads
As mass atrocities continue worldwide, finding ways to spot warning signs earlier could help mitigate or prevent future catastrophe.

Why universities must tread carefully when validating Onkwehón:we identity
Requirements for documentation such as citizenship and status cards can disadvantage people whose relationships with their respective nations have been disrupted.

How NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will open a window into the Milky Way
From supernovae in distant galaxies to the packed centre of the Milky Way, the new Roman telescope will help us see and understand the ever-changing cosmos.

How Canada used the Indian Act to target Indigenous leaders
Section 141 of the act was used to surveil and intimidate Indigenous leaders and weaken Indigenous political organizing.

Originalism: What it is, what it isn’t and why it’s the most democratic option for the Supreme Court
A majority of Supreme Court justices follow originalism, the mode of constitutional interpretation championed by late Justice Antonin Scalia. A former Scalia law clerk explains what originalism means.

NZ’s next new MPs face a brutal learning curve. Does it have to be that way?
First-term MPs must learn a complex job under intense scrutiny. Our research suggests giving them more room to find their feet could benefit us all.

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.

Dirty Work – shining a light on the machinery of NZ’s conservative politics
The strength of Dirty Work is that it pulls back the curtain to reveal those who prefer to operate in the shadows. And now they’re scrambling to turn off the lights again. AGAINST THE CURRENT: By Steven Cowan The ferocity with which sections of the New Zealand right have moved to discredit Nicky Hager’s new

Stripped titles? Compensating rivals? How the Manchester City cheating scandal could play out
Manchester City could be facing enormous sanctions for cheating – and the fallout may spread to its 13 teams around the world, from New York to Melbourne.

Greenpeace seabed mining activists protest on board NZ research vessel Tangaroa
By Ellen O’Dwyer of RNZ and RNZ Digital reporters Police are considering charges against Greenpeace protesters who occupied a state-owned ship in protest at seabed mining. A group of activists boarded the Earth Sciences New Zealand owned-Tangaroa in Wellington Harbour on Saturday morning, Greenpeace said. One of the activists was dressed as US president Donald

Al Jazeera rejects Netanyahu’s attack on journalists in UN speech
Pacific Media Watch Al Jazeera has rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attack against the network during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, the news channel reports. In a statement on Friday, Al Jazeera Media Network said it “categorically rejects” Netanyahu’s remarks, regarding them as the latest example of Israel’s “sustained campaign against

Māori identity is not a political access pass: Why the recent delegation to Israel demands accountability
ANALYSIS: By Raewyn Kapa The recent trip by a group of Māori individuals to Israel — publicly framed as a “Māori delegation” — has raised significant contention across Aotearoa and rightfully so. At a time when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has found Israel’s actions in Gaza plausibly constitute genocide, and the United Nations…

‘Stop empty promises’ – Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands leaders demand climate action
RNZ Pacific reporters The leaders of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands have issued a strong call to action to industrial nations and the international community to act on the climate crisis. Speaking at the UN General Assembly High-Level Plenary Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-Level Rise, Papua New Guinea’s Prime

In ‘NAZA,’ Israeli whistleblowers’ revelations about civilian deaths in Gaza reflect a longer history of Palestinian isolation
Barriers, checkpoints and surveillance have made the plight of Palestinians easier to keep hidden. But thanks to films like ‘NAZA,’ that’s starting to change.

Trump has gotten rid of many of the checks and balances that could stop him from demolishing the Kennedy Center
A hierarchy of oversight for the iconic arts venue has essentially collapsed.

Trump frames unregulated AI as a way to keep ahead of China – but in fact, it harms US national security
An unregulated sector has risks in itself but will also aid the rapid advancement of AI in China.

BBC climate thriller The Rapture isn’t so far-fetched
We are not wired to deal with the complexity of climate change – but we can tune into relatable stories that emphasise common experiences and values.

Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta uses ‘desirable difficulties’ to prepare his players – is this a good coaching strategy?
Arteta’s tactics include delaying the players’ meals, unexpectedly changing their travel plans, and making dressing rooms hotter.

Why far-right protesters target non-political groups like lifeboat volunteers
It goes further than just briefly disrupting services.

What is trauma-informed care – and how do schools do it?
Trauma informed care shifts approaches from ‘what is wrong with this person’ to ‘what does this person need?’

The Uprising: the real medieval revolt that inspired Andrew Garfield’s new film
Government corruption and misspending inspired the medieval rebels depicted in The Uprising.

AI is creating jobs as well as erasing them – but how rewarding are they?
One area of burgeoning employment is in people cleaning up ‘workslop’.

Once rejected as ‘too outlandish’, Zandra Rhodes’ archive is helping to shape fashion’s future
Rhodes donated her archive to De Monfort University, where it is being used to engage and inspire upcoming fashion designers.

How scapegoating happens – and what we can do to stop it
The tragic case of Jason Arday shows what scapegoating a person can look like.

Data centers’ neighbors weigh in on how to manage them
The people of northern Virginia have been living with data centers for many years. But even they are resisting new developments. And they have specific wishes for how to regulate them.

What civil rights enforcement cuts mean for students with disabilities – fewer staff, closed offices, longer waits
Filing a civil rights complaint with the Office of Civil Rights can be parents’ last stop. Following cuts and restructuring, this federal office is no longer serving that same resource.

Gen Z communicates differently in the workplace, but older colleagues can still decode them
Gen Z workers don’t communicate better or worse than previous generations, but they learned to do so under very different circumstances.

Russia’s new jet-powered drones mark latest evolution in air war above Ukraine
Ukraine is struggling to defend its cities against aerial attack as Russia introduces a new, long-range drone to the war.

An overlooked era of cosmology is stealing the show in the quest to understand the cosmos
The early universe was kind of like a big game of musical chairs – scientists are figuring out how many particles were able to find ‘seats’ to understand the cosmos.

What does it mean to ‘control’ for variables in a scientific study? A statistician explains
Understanding what a ‘control’ is can help you decide for yourself how insightful new studies are.

Could an ‘Australian AI’ protect us from being hacked? Cybersecurity isn’t that simple
News that an OpenAI agent hacked Medicare has prompted calls for Australia to develop its own AI system.

Trump’s US ratings drop to new record low as Democrats become clear favourites in both chambers of Congress
Trump’s net approval is below what any past president since Harry Truman had at this point in their term.

Curious Kids: does music affect how plants grow?
Some people may think it’s nice to listen to music with their plants. But is there any truth to the idea that certain music boosts plant growth?

September’s ozone hole was the biggest in 20 years. The warning signs appeared months ago
This spring’s ozone hole is likely to be among the top ten most severe of all time, bringing weather changes to New Zealand and Australia.

Seasonal weather chaos just part of picture of Pacific maritime tragedies, says climatologist
By Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific As the Pacific Islands region reels from a series of recent maritime tragedies, a regional climatologist says it is imperative that boat operators take extra caution in a time of turbulent weather. There have been dozens of fatalities from incidents at sea in recent months in Papua New Guinea,

Pacific media must bring remote communities into the conversation, says Rabuka
By Prishanta Sharma in Savusavu Reaching communities beyond Pacific capitals must remain at the heart of journalism as technology creates new ways for the region to share its stories, says Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. Opening the 8th Pacific Media Summit in Savusavu, Rabuka said the vast distances separating Pacific communities should not prevent people

The English paid off the Vikings for almost a century. But was the Danegeld such a bad idea?
It’s easy to say now that paying the Vikings to go away ‘didn’t work’. But this obscures the fact paying off one Viking band didn’t ensure another would stop coming.

Canada’s $1-trillion investment push promises growth — but raises questions about who benefits
The federal government is betting on tax incentives and private capital to drive growth, but questions remain over costs, oversight and who benefits.

Canada must consider even unlikely threats — including an American invasion
Preparation is rarely wasted. Even when the scenario never materializes, the process strengthens institutions, sharpens strategic thinking, and improves readiness.

Card surcharges are banned from October 1. What’s changing at the checkout?
Australians use debit and credit cards to pay for almost three out of four payments. Here’s what will soon change for shoppers and businesses.

Are AFL grand finals really the hardest game of the year? We checked the data
The old cliché about the Grand Final being the toughest test was true – for a while.

Trump wants a diesel export ban. Australia would be uniquely exposed
It’s a bid to alleviate cost-of-living pressures in the US and claw back Trump’s voter base.

Are Australians really overeducated? It depends what education is for
According to a new survey, almost 50% of Australian workers say they are overeducated. But there are more reasons to study than getting a job.

Heroin used more often, cocaine use up. What new data says about drug use today
Established drugs – such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine – continue to demand attention. Here’s what else the latest drug trends tell us.

Swan Song: Diana’s brother flips the royal family the bird in his scathing new book
Charles Spencer’s book is as much about him as about the sister he claims to speak for. Beneath the score-settling, it’s a story of a brother still grieving.

What the U.S. Supreme Court’s pesticide ruling means for gardeners and farm workers
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on glyphosate relieves the sellers of hundreds of pesticides from obligations to warn customers about potential dangers.

Does fandom for the rock duo ‘Angine de Poitrine’ signal a prog rock renaissance?
Angine de Poitrine occupies a different part of the prog rock musical spectrum than Rush, who emerged from the classic prog rock era.

NZ’s supply chains are highly exposed. Could new AI agents make them more resilient?
AI agents are starting to transform procurement overseas. For isolated, trade-dependent New Zealand, they could offer a powerful tool against disruption.

Government hacks, rogue agents and no transparency: can we ever fully trust AI?
AI expert Nick Jennings speaks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about calls for an slowdown in the development of frontier AI models.

This 18th-century Gospel has reignited a fierce battle over Ethiopia’s looted heritage
The controversy highlights a broader, escalating global movement demanding the return of African antiquities.

What does the OpenAI Medicare hack reveal about Australia’s cyber security?
We need to ask how ready Australian government systems are for increasingly capable AI agents.

The space race should not endanger Australian wildlife
The future of a proposed rocket-launch facility in South Australia is uncertain. But tensions between space exploration and conservation remain.

An OpenAI agent hacked Medicare. Will anyone be held responsible?
This is unlikely to be the last time an AI agent hacks a government system.

Looking for #womenshealth information on Instagram? 4 out of 10 posts are ads
If you’re looking for #womenshealth on Instagram, a new study shows you’d better be prepared for lots of adverts dressed up as health advice.

Are older Australians really safer from crime? The evidence says the harms are just harder to see
Following the deaths of two older women in alleged family violence incidents, it’s time to examine how crime affects older Australians – and what we can do about it.

Sharks often swim across national borders. Our conservation efforts must travel with them
Sharks and rays have been swimming through the oceans for millions of years – but we still don’t really know where.

‘Not set a date’ – Rabuka says Fiji election timing depends on constitutional reform
RNZ Pacific reporters Fiji’s prime minister is not giving any hints about when exactly the country will head to the polls. The island nation is expected to hold its fourth general election under the 2013 Constitution by 6 February 2027 at the latest. Under Fiji’s current electoral system, the entire country forms a single national

83,000 New Zealanders live with dementia. Here’s how simple design changes can help
New dementia-friendly design guidance shows how simple changes can make homes safer and easier to navigate for people living with the condition.

Wenda calls on ‘brave’ Pacific to raise West Papua at UNGA after six killed in new Indonesian massacre
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan advocacy movement has praised the “Pacific family’s bravery” in standing up for human rights in West Papua and has appealed to the region’s leaders to protest over the latest massacre at this week’s UN General Assembly in New York. “Justice and peace in West Papua can only come through

Elections in Brazil: A subdued, digital campaign heightens uncertainty about the results
A political scientist analyzes the uncertain outlook for this year’s elections and the risks their results pose to governability and democracy in Brazil.

CMV infection can pass from mother to baby during pregnancy. Here’s how to prevent it
Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, can pass from mother to baby in pregnancy and cause hearing loss, cerebral palsy or other lifelong disabilities. But it can be prevented.

Mosque attack highlights evolving extremism landscape that has brought Pakistan-Afghanistan ties to crisis point
Convergence and competition between militant groups has spurred violence. Meanwhile, Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring terrorists.

Many Australians are overqualified for their jobs – which comes at a price, new data shows
Almost 50% of workers in the latest HILDA survey feel overeducated – which can make people more likely to feel bored at work, underpaid or more likely to quit.

Housing stress is on the rise: 7 essential charts from this year’s HILDA survey
The high cost of housing is also keeping half of young adults up to age 29 living with their parents.

The UN is facing a crisis of trust and possible bankruptcy. Its new leader will have an enormous challenge
Rules of war are being shredded by combatants with virtually no accountability. It’s one of several key issues for the UN’s new leader to tackle.

Unis and schools are moving away from AI-detection software. They should stop using it altogether
Artificial Intelligence detection tools can sometimes create more problems for teachers and students than they fix.

Personal locator beacons save lives. But they can’t make hiking safe
Personal locator beacons can save lives – but they must be coupled with education.

Earth’s tides are shaped by more than the Moon. And they’re changing as the planet warms
For coastal communities, understanding how tides are changing is increasingly important.

Where should NZ stand on global AI risk? 3 principles to guide a stronger strategy
New Zealand has so far not joined other countries calling for tougher control of potentially dangerous AI development.

Snack names influence how filling we imagine they will be — new research
Most people are likely unaware of how the sounds of brand names affect them.

Worried about your car being hacked? You should be – no matter where it was made
Connected vehicles can be hacked, posing risks for safety and privacy.

Keith Rankin Analysis – Surviving Nuclear War
Keith Rankin writes; What's the chance that an elite rugby player will drop the ball in a high stakes' game? One in ten maybe? Would anyone choose to play elite sport if they had a one-in-ten chance of (literally) eliminating themselves and their opponent? I guess the Roman gladiators took those kinds of chances; but they typically did not have the option to choose.

We asked people with dementia about voluntary assisted dying. Here’s what they said
New research shares the stories of Australians with dementia who want a choice in how they live and die.

WA Police’s facial recognition trial delivered strong results. But was it an ethical success?
WA’s live facial recognition technology was deemed successful. But what happens when it fails, and who bears the burden when it does?

Rape myths shape how we respond to sexual violence. What are they and what impact do they have?
The NSW government is moving to curb rape myths in trials to reduce the impact on victim-survivors and increase the likelihood of justice being done.

Fit, thin, curvy and toned: the contradictory body ideals young NZ women face online
We asked 200 young New Zealand women about the body ideals they encountered online. Here’s what they said.

In a culture obsessed with staying young, we ignore the many benefits of ageing
Ageing isn’t all downhill – science shows we gain more than wrinkles.

Australia is responding to domestic violence after the event, not preventing it from happening
Unfortunately, it is apparent federal and state governments are too often responding to men’s violence after the fact.

Governments across Australia know how to stop violence against Indigenous women, they just don’t do it
In inquiries and reviews, governments endlessly ask Indigenous communities what should be done, but rarely act on it. It’s time that changed.

New rules finally put a ceiling on money in politics – but the cap is double what it should be
Incoming electoral reforms will cap the amounts parties can spend on election campaigning, but it’s still far too high. Here’s what the rules should be instead.

The stories we tell ourselves shape who we are
There is a persistent gap between institutional commitments to equity and diversity and the realities students encounter in Canadian higher education.

What Canada could gain from joining the EU’s Erasmus+ program, and what’s unresolved
As Mark Carney raises the possibility of Canada joining the European Union’s Erasmus+ education program, it’s important to figure out what form Canadian participation would take.

How would AI actually kill all humans? Here are the top 5 scenarios
The most probable scenario is likely not what you think.

The Coalition plans to halve the fuel excise when global prices spike. How will Australians respond?
Households might get relief on fuel they would have bought anyway, but cheaper petrol could encourage them to use more.

Will investors be better or worse off under new housing tax changes? See what 18 years of data reveals
New research suggests upcoming housing investor taxes will have a less dramatic impact than many fear. But some, especially retired investors, will be worse off.

Should you get a PSA test for prostate cancer?
Here’s who’s eligible and what to consider before deciding.

Year 12 students can feel lonely after graduating. Here’s how to stay connected
After graduating, young people enter an often enjoyable, but also challenging, period of new experiences.

Women’s work – and office fashion – has changed radically over the last 60 years. Cue couldn’t keep up
For nearly 60 years, Cue dressed Australian women for changing working lives. Its troubles reveal how work, fashion and professional dress have changed.

Psilocybin may help the brain recover from concussion, new study shows
Psilocybin could be an unexpected avenue for treating an injury that currently has few options beyond rest and symptom management.

Grand Theft Auto: players are voting, debating, protesting and making political decisions
It can become a way for gamers who haven’t previously shunned politics to engage.

What kind of a person am I? How fear and rejection can underpin OCD
Some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have experienced traumatic events as children, and develop a deeply held fear of who they are or might become.

Two native turtles are vying to survive in a coastal Australian river. One doesn’t belong there
Not all conservation threats come from overseas. Some are our own native animals.

Mandate domestic mobile roaming and strip telcos of Triple Zero, inquiry recommends
A Senate inquiry report into last year’s Optus outage provides the government with a blueprint to modernise the telco industry.

‘Spring queening’ time will be crucial for finding any surviving yellow-legged hornets
DNA analysis shows almost a third of what the invasive pests have been feeding their larvae consists of honey bees, making eradication vital.

Apple’s new watches are always listening
Apple’s vision of constant recording that still ‘protects your privacy’ may help usher in a world where ambient surveillance is the norm.

Fijian chief calls for scrutiny of Fiji-Australia security treaties
RNZ Pacific reporters One of Fiji’s most prominent traditional and political figures is warning the country’s lawmakers “not to approve” two major bilateral agreements with Australia. In early July, the Fijian and Australian prime ministers signed the Vuvale Union and the Ocean of Peace Alliance (Veitacini Treaty), marking a major upgrade to relations between the

Canada says proposed labour rules will reduce strike interventions. History suggests a more complicated picture
The federal government says new labour rules will reduce intervention in strikes, but they could weaken workers’ bargaining power.

Calls for global regulation of AI are growing. What exactly could it look like?
AI is a global technology. A global approach to regulating it is urgently needed.

No, you’re not imagining it. Flu season is late and cases are up
There’s been a late rise of influenza A, mostly due to the ‘super K’ strain.

‘Rohan called me an idiot!’ How can parents handle squabbles between kids?
When you’re pulled into a dispute with your kids, resist running a court case. We want to build our children’s conflict resolution skills instead.

Netflix is remaking the Stanford Prison Experiment as a reality series. Let’s hope it’s more ethical than the original
Netflix is billing its new series as a ‘modern reimagining’ of the 1971 experiment. But over the past 55 years, the original has become much criticised.

‘I want a visa, so I have to do farm work’: how new visa rules will hit regional Australia
Expecting backpackers to work in tough conditions for months, only to be entered into an uncertain visa ballot, is a gamble for farmers and regional communities.

Brazil has made gains against Amazon deforestation, but lasting protection is a challenge
Sustaining Brazil’s recent deforestation gains will require stronger environmental enforcement beyond the rainforest and resistance to political efforts that could weaken it.

5 ways teachers can respond to residential school denialism in the classroom
When deciding whether and how to respond to residential schools denialism, teachers should consider the type of denialism, the students involved and their school and community context.

Every party has pitched its own supermarket fix. What if we combined the best ideas?
The election has produced competing prescriptions for NZ’s grocery market – each targets a different barrier to genuine competition.

When presidents ban journalists from the White House, the First Amendment is not the only constitutional right at stake
When President Trump barred three news organizations from the White House, a lawsuit followed. In it, the news outlets invoked their Fifth and First amendments rights.

The challenge ahead for Andy Burnham if he wants a codified UK constitution
Public understanding of the constitution is crucial.

Two more election defeats pile pressure on German chancellor Friedrich Merz
Fresh from its loss in Saxony-Anhalt, Friedrich Merz’s CDU party has fallen to heavy defeats in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Making mental health chatbots more culturally sensitive won’t necessarily make them safer
Canadians are turning to AI mental health chatbots for support. But what if the bot agrees with the beliefs that are keeping you unwell?

Climate change also poses a threat to cultural heritage
Nearly 43% of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe are now highly vulnerable to climate-related risks.

Fiji civil society warns about govt rushing constitutional change
RNZ Pacific Concern is mounting among Fiji civil society over signs the government may extend the length of Parliament in order to push through constitutional changes. Fiji’s government has hinted that a new constitution could be in place by Christmas Eve. Cabinet has endorsed the Constitution Review Commission’s report to be presented in Parliament and

Australia in the 2060s: an optimistic outlook dominates budget forecasts in the Intergenerational Report
The report counts on a lot of factors turning out for the best: AI boosting economic growth and global warming meeting the Paris goals for a start.

Intergenerational Report says AI will be ‘a defining influence’ on Australia’s economy over next 40 years
The report has a more political streak than these long-term documents usually do.

Labor and Albanese slump to new lows in Newspoll, but Labor improves in a DemosAU poll
This is Labor’s second lowest ever primary vote in Newspoll, which they had last equalled in April 2012 when Julia Gillard was prime minister.

Keith Rankin Analysis – Tone Deaf KiwiSaver and the Circular Flow of Income
Keith Rankin writes; The present New Zealand government is arguably the most hawkish that this country has ever had; and the economists who influence policymaking are also unusually hawkish at present… The only contenders for a more hawkish previous government would be the National Government of 1990 to 1993, and the Reform-United Coalition Government in 1931 and 1932.

Pacific Media Summit to set direction for next decade of Pacific media
By Pita Ligaiula in Savusavu Pacific media leaders and journalists from across the region will tackle press freedom, newsroom survival, artificial intelligence, anti-corruption, climate change and the future of journalism when the Pacific Media Summit gets underway in Savusavu today. Fijian Media Association (FMA) general secretary Stanley Simpson told PACNEWS the summit comes at a

Gaza genocide: We made machines that think – then corrupted them for industrialised slaughter
COMMENTARY: By Tracy Campbell There is something grotesque about taking one of the greatest intellectual achievements in human history — a technology capable of translating languages, modelling proteins, accelerating scientific discovery, assisting doctors, educating children and placing an astonishing repository of human knowledge at an ordinary person’s fingertips — and harnessing it to the ancient

Opportunity’s ‘tax reset’ could benefit many households – but does little for the poorest
Opportunity’s ‘citizens income’ policy would do the least for the worst off, and retains many of the current system’s targeting complexities.

School holidays are coming. Here’s how families can keep some sort of routine
There is no single ‘best’ family routine. But a good routine should be predictable for children and sustainable for the whole family.

Are girls getting their periods earlier? And can parents do anything about it?
Some parents, who are concerned about their daughters ‘growing up too early’, are trying to delay their child’s first period.

Personality tests, dodgy reward programs, AI bots: how rent tech platforms make renting a ‘dehumanising’ experience
Rent tech is an unavoidable part of modern renting – and renters have little control over what data they have to give up and what happens to it afterwards.

Canada is managing migration without taking a sledgehammer approach. Here’s how Australia can, too
As the debate over migration policy continues, it’s not too late for the government to address the pitfalls of its plan by looking to its Canadian counterparts.

After the EU’s offer to Canada, could Australia also embrace a ‘Eurovision’?
In a hostile trading world, mid-sized nations are forging new relationships. Canada has the right idea.

Nepal could show the world how to recover sustainably from a major disaster
Development in known hazard zones is creating untenable risks for communities around the world. Here’s how Nepal and the global community can build back differently.

How to tackle persistent drought: Lessons from British Columbia
Playing out year over year, the chaotic cycle of drought crises has become a familiar experience for British Columbians.

Living with chronic pain at work: Supportive managers can help, but they can’t solve everything
New research shows supportive supervisors may help protect employees’ psychological well-being, but meaningful support requires workplaces that can adapt to changing needs.

Alberta’s education reforms tell students public life is safest when differences are hidden
By amending its Education Act to remove the language of ‘diversity’ and ‘belonging’ and restricting flags that can fly, Alberta is enacting a quiet curriculum of silence.

Australia set for 39 million people by mid-2060s – but slower population growth
The Intergenerational Report projects population growth slowing from an average of 1.4% a year over the last 40 years to 0.9% a year over the coming four decades.

‘We’re one people’ – a young Tongan man’s te reo Māori journey
By Coco Lance of RNZ Pacific Over the years, 21-year-old Siaosi (George) Lavelua (Kolomotu’a, Makave) has often made the trip north to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds with freshly made ‘otai in tow. His whānau business, Lav’s ‘otai — dealing in the much loved Polynesian drink that typically mixes coconut and fruit — is the longest-serving

Trump declares victory in Greenland, but the deal exposes a deeper crisis of trust
When a loyal ally can be squeezed over land inside its own territory, collective defence starts to look like an open protection racket.

Gallery: ‘Save our land – sell Luxon instead’ message at NZ Greenpeace nature rally
Asia Pacific Report Thousands took part in today’s Greenpeace-led March for Nature in the heart of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Tāmaki Makaurau. Critics of the coalition government’s controversial proposed Conservation Amendment Bill say this would allow selling off of conservation land, weaken environmental protections, and put short-term profit ahead of people and endanger the future of

Greenpeace protests Conservation Amendment Bill in downtown Auckland
RNZ Thousands of people have marched in central Auckland to protest against the government’s proposed Conservation Amendment Bill. The bill is intended to modernise the management of conservation land, enabling more development, but Greenpeace executive director Dr Russel Norman said it would allow the government to sell off conservation land, weaken environmental protections and put