CoveragePost
May 21, 2026
By Niva Chittock, RNZ WorldWatch presenter/producer New Zealand has joined international condemnation of Israel’s far-right national security minister, even summoning the Israeli ambassador to convey that message. A video posted by Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, showing him taunting detained flotilla activists, drew international condemnation on Thursday. The video showed kneeling activists, with their ... <a title="Peters condemns Israeli minister over flotilla video as 3 Kiwis detained" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/21/peters-condemns-israeli-minister-over-flotilla-video-as-3-kiwis-detained/" aria-label="Read more about Peters condemns Israeli minister over flotilla video as 3 Kiwis detained">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 21, 2026
Asia Pacific Report Irish President Catherine Connolly’s sister is among the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces, reports Middle East Monitor. Dr Margaret Connolly was among at least six Irish citizens aboard the aid flotilla detained by Israel, the Irish Independent reported, citing activists. At least two New Zealanders — Hāhona Ormsby ... <a title="Irish president’s sister, 2 Kiwis among Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/21/irish-presidents-sister-2-kiwis-among-gaza-flotilla-activists-detained-by-israel/" aria-label="Read more about Irish president’s sister, 2 Kiwis among Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 21, 2026
Asia Pacific Report Greenpeace International has condemned Israeli armed forces for illegally attacking a peaceful Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters for the second time. The flobal environmental movement said in a statement it echoed the Global Sumud Flotilla’s urgent demand for safe passage for their peaceful humanitarian mission. “Governments must act now to ... <a title="Greenpeace calls on global govts to ensure safety of Gaza flotilla stormed by Israeli military" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/21/greenpeace-calls-on-global-govts-to-ensure-safety-of-gaza-flotilla-stormed-by-israeli-military/" aria-label="Read more about Greenpeace calls on global govts to ensure safety of Gaza flotilla stormed by Israeli military">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 21, 2026
Asia Pacific Report New Zealand needs to summon Israeli ambassador to protest over the illegal and brutal treatment of Global Sumud Flotilla humanitarian aid activists — including three New Zealanders — kidnapped in international waters this week. Peace activists are demanding this in the response to Israel ambassadors being summoned by several host governments over ... <a title="Peace Action demands NZ summon Israeli ambassador over brutal action against activists" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/21/peace-action-demands-nz-summon-israeli-ambassador-over-brutal-action-against-activists/" aria-label="Read more about Peace Action demands NZ summon Israeli ambassador over brutal action against activists">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 21, 2026
Asia Pacific Report At least 87 people kidnapped by Israeli forces from a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza have begun a hunger strike, say organisers, after Israeli forces intercepted the last remaining vessel in international waters. The group is striking “in protest of their illegal abduction and in solidarity with the over 9500 Palestinian ... <a title="87+ Gaza aid flotilla activists abducted by Israel now on hunger strike" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/21/87-gaza-aid-flotilla-activists-abducted-by-israel-now-on-hunger-strike/" aria-label="Read more about 87+ Gaza aid flotilla activists abducted by Israel now on hunger strike">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 21, 2026
Asia Pacific Report Celebrated Italian war reporter Francesca Mannocchi has condemned the double standard over Israel’s war mongering. “What Israel is doing in southern Lebanon is, quite simply, no different from what Russian troops have been doing in Ukraine,” she said in an interview. “It’s the same thing… “Since 2022, have we ever read a ... <a title="Israel is ‘doing a Ukraine’ in Lebanon but world stays silent, says war reporter" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/21/israel-is-doing-a-ukraine-in-lebanon-but-world-stays-silent-says-war-reporter/" aria-label="Read more about Israel is ‘doing a Ukraine’ in Lebanon but world stays silent, says war reporter">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 20, 2026
Asia Pacific Report The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) has called on the New Zealand government to resolve a tenancy controversy over the Israeli embassy — by expelling the ambassador and staff. Noting the world pariah status of the country after the International Criminal Court (ICC) has reportedly sought arrest warrants for war crimes against ... <a title="Solve ‘genocide embassy’ issue – expel Israeli ambassador, says PSNA" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/20/solve-genocide-embassy-issue-expel-israeli-ambassador-says-psna/" aria-label="Read more about Solve ‘genocide embassy’ issue – expel Israeli ambassador, says PSNA">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 20, 2026
ANALYSIS: By Robert Reich On Saturday, Trump took revenge on Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy for Cassidy’s vote five years ago to convict Trump, in his second impeachment, for instigating an attack on the US Capitol. Cassidy thereby became the first GOP senator defeated by a Trump-endorsed candidate in a Republican primary. (Other Republican senators who ... <a title="Robert Reich: Has Trump’s Republican Party become a criminal enterprise?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/20/robert-reich-has-trumps-republican-party-become-a-criminal-enterprise/" aria-label="Read more about Robert Reich: Has Trump’s Republican Party become a criminal enterprise?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 19, 2026
Tehran believes Trump will attack in the next 48 hours — and is ready to counter-escalate, writes US-Iran affairs analyst Trita Parsi. ANALYSIS: By Trita Parsi The Middle East is once again teetering on the brink as Trump appears poised to reignite war with Iran. Press reports indicate he will convene military advisers on Tuesday, ... <a title="Trita Parsi: Is Trump poised to restart the Iran war?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/19/trita-parsi-is-trump-poised-to-restart-the-iran-war/" aria-label="Read more about Trita Parsi: Is Trump poised to restart the Iran war?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 18, 2026
Middle East Monitor Israel is now perceived more negatively than any other country in the world, according to new global polling published by Nira Data as part of its 2026 democracy and country perception research. The five most positively perceived countries were Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Sweden and Italy. The findings place Israel at the bottom ... <a title="Israel becomes world’s most disliked country, global survey finds" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/18/israel-becomes-worlds-most-disliked-country-global-survey-finds/" aria-label="Read more about Israel becomes world’s most disliked country, global survey finds">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 18, 2026
ANALYSIS: By Laurens Ikinia in Jakarta The eighth floor of the Tempo building in Jakarta became the setting for a gathering rich with meaning. What brought together community leaders, politicians, academics, religious figures, journalists, and the family of the late Thom Beanal was not merely a book launch. It was an earnest attempt to revisit ... <a title="Thom Beanal – saluting a human rights legacy for Papua’s ‘father’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/18/thom-beanal-saluting-a-human-rights-legacy-for-papuas-father/" aria-label="Read more about Thom Beanal – saluting a human rights legacy for Papua’s ‘father’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 17, 2026
ANALYSIS: By David Robie, Pacific Media Watch When the Paris-based global watchdog Reporters Without Borders released their annual World Press Freedom Index dossier online three days before World Press Freedom Day, journalists in the Asia-Pacific region were quick to check out their ranking. Overall the prognosis wasn’t very flattering. No country in the region was ... <a title="Improvements in Pacific media freedom, but a shameful silence on Gaza ‘death trap’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/05/17/improvements-in-pacific-media-freedom-but-a-shameful-silence-on-gaza-death-trap/" aria-label="Read more about Improvements in Pacific media freedom, but a shameful silence on Gaza ‘death trap’">Read more</a>
