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The Conversation

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Chinese companies are increasingly taking on foreign governments. It’s not just the Port of Darwin

May 5, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Colin Hawes, Associate professor of law, University of Technology Sydney The Chinese-owned firm that operates the Port of Darwin isn’t happy about the federal government’s push to return it to an Australian owner. Now, the situation is escalating, with the stage set for an international legal showdown. ... <a title="Chinese companies are increasingly taking on foreign governments. It’s not just the Port of Darwin" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/05/chinese-companies-are-increasingly-taking-on-foreign-governments-its-not-just-the-port-of-darwin-282045/" aria-label="Read more about Chinese companies are increasingly taking on foreign governments. It’s not just the Port of Darwin">Read more</a>

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How a sense of awe can be good for your mental health

May 5, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nikki-Anne Wilson, Lecturer, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney; Neuroscience Research Australia Words escape you. Your skin tingles. You are overwhelmed by how small and insignificant you really are, bursting with a feeling that is hard to define. This is awe. Awe is a complex emotional state we ... <a title="How a sense of awe can be good for your mental health" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/05/how-a-sense-of-awe-can-be-good-for-your-mental-health-280272/" aria-label="Read more about How a sense of awe can be good for your mental health">Read more</a>

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From Taylor Swift to Bollywood, stars turn to the civil courts to fight deepfakes

May 5, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Austin, Professor of Law, University of Melbourne; Chair of Private Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Music superstar Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and image to head off the threat of AI-generated impersonations. But the problem extends much further than ... <a title="From Taylor Swift to Bollywood, stars turn to the civil courts to fight deepfakes" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/05/from-taylor-swift-to-bollywood-stars-turn-to-the-civil-courts-to-fight-deepfakes-281745/" aria-label="Read more about From Taylor Swift to Bollywood, stars turn to the civil courts to fight deepfakes">Read more</a>

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Red button or blue button? What a viral question tells us about game theory and the state of the world

May 5, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Conway, Senior Lecturer – Games and Interactivity, Swinburne University of Technology Everyone on earth takes a private vote by pressing a red or blue button. If more than 50% of people press the blue button, everyone survives. If less than 50% of people press the blue ... <a title="Red button or blue button? What a viral question tells us about game theory and the state of the world" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/05/red-button-or-blue-button-what-a-viral-question-tells-us-about-game-theory-and-the-state-of-the-world-281993/" aria-label="Read more about Red button or blue button? What a viral question tells us about game theory and the state of the world">Read more</a>

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Next week’s budget to reduce electric vehicle FBT concession

May 5, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week’s budget will contain cutbacks to the concessional treatment of electric vehicles (EVs) that will save the government $1.7 billion over the budget period. Announcing the changes to the Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption for EVs, Treasurer Jim Chalmers ... <a title="Next week’s budget to reduce electric vehicle FBT concession" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/05/next-weeks-budget-to-reduce-electric-vehicle-fbt-concession-282062/" aria-label="Read more about Next week’s budget to reduce electric vehicle FBT concession">Read more</a>

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What is hantavirus, the disease that has killed 3 cruise ship passengers?

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Three people have died after a suspected outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. At least one other passenger is in intensive care in South Africa. The World Health Organization announced ... <a title="What is hantavirus, the disease that has killed 3 cruise ship passengers?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/what-is-hantavirus-the-disease-that-has-killed-3-cruise-ship-passengers-282044/" aria-label="Read more about What is hantavirus, the disease that has killed 3 cruise ship passengers?">Read more</a>

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The Venice Biennale jury has resigned, proving art institutions cannot remain separate from politics

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrizia Biondi, Academic, Visual Arts, University of Sydney The Venice Biennale is the most prestigious recurring event in contemporary art, often described as the Olympics of the art world. The most prestigious prize of the sprawling international exhibition is the Golden Lion for best national participation. The ... <a title="The Venice Biennale jury has resigned, proving art institutions cannot remain separate from politics" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/the-venice-biennale-jury-has-resigned-proving-art-institutions-cannot-remain-separate-from-politics-282040/" aria-label="Read more about The Venice Biennale jury has resigned, proving art institutions cannot remain separate from politics">Read more</a>

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Oil refineries are catching fire in war or by accident. How does this worsen the energy crunch?

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meredith Primrose Jones, Researcher, Oceania Cyber Security Centre, RMIT University Over the last two months, refineries and fuel storage facilities around the world have caught fire due to war (Russia) or accident (Australia, the United States, India and Mexico), adding more pressure to stressed oil and gas ... <a title="Oil refineries are catching fire in war or by accident. How does this worsen the energy crunch?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/oil-refineries-are-catching-fire-in-war-or-by-accident-how-does-this-worsen-the-energy-crunch-281855/" aria-label="Read more about Oil refineries are catching fire in war or by accident. How does this worsen the energy crunch?">Read more</a>

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Lake mud reveals 7,000 years of Kangaroo Island’s complex fire history

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Haidee Cadd, Research Fellow, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong During the summer of 2019–2020, half of Australia’s third largest island was on fire. Kangaroo Island, also known as Karta Pintingga or Karti in local mainland Aboriginal languages, was one of the worst-hit places ... <a title="Lake mud reveals 7,000 years of Kangaroo Island’s complex fire history" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/lake-mud-reveals-7-000-years-of-kangaroo-islands-complex-fire-history-279567/" aria-label="Read more about Lake mud reveals 7,000 years of Kangaroo Island’s complex fire history">Read more</a>

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Police equipment can be tracked via Bluetooth. What about your phone, watch and headphones?

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University The ABC has revealed a major cybersecurity flaw in Bluetooth-enabled police tasers and body-worn cameras that means officers can be tracked. The exposé shows how anyone can use simple software tools to detect the presence of a ... <a title="Police equipment can be tracked via Bluetooth. What about your phone, watch and headphones?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/police-equipment-can-be-tracked-via-bluetooth-what-about-your-phone-watch-and-headphones-282039/" aria-label="Read more about Police equipment can be tracked via Bluetooth. What about your phone, watch and headphones?">Read more</a>

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View from The Hill: the art of political spin – defending a broken promise as ‘building trust’

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In his first term, Anthony Albanese was highly reluctant to break promises. He resisted for a long time recalibrating the Coalition’s tax cuts, because he had undertaken to deliver them intact. This term, it seems to be a different story. ... <a title="View from The Hill: the art of political spin – defending a broken promise as ‘building trust’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/view-from-the-hill-the-art-of-political-spin-defending-a-broken-promise-as-building-trust-281145/" aria-label="Read more about View from The Hill: the art of political spin – defending a broken promise as ‘building trust’">Read more</a>

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The federal government is considering capping specialists’ fees. Is that constitutional?

May 4, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Beck, Professor of Constitutional Law, Monash University Health Minister Mark Butler has said the government is considering capping specialists’ fees to reduce the gap between what Medicare covers and what specialists charge patients. The Australian Medical Association strongly opposes the idea and is threatening legal action. ... <a title="The federal government is considering capping specialists’ fees. Is that constitutional?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/04/the-federal-government-is-considering-capping-specialists-fees-is-that-constitutional-281985/" aria-label="Read more about The federal government is considering capping specialists’ fees. Is that constitutional?">Read more</a>