Pearlcasts
As we review 2025, the temptation is to look for neat summaries and settled conclusions.
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31 January 2026
Message from the Editor
Hello all – I hope you got some much-needed respite during what turned out to be a January full of grief and turmoil for so many.
31 January 2026
Historic trade deal rejects Trump’s chaotic protectionism – Asian Media Report
The mother of all trade deals to America’s new defence strategy, the dismissal of a PLA princeling, Prabowo’s Peace Board support, ASEAN’s rejection of Myanmar junta’s poll victory and the deadly serious business of marriage in China –we present the latest news and views from our region.
31 January 2026
The most important power station in the nation is no longer a coal plant – it’s on our rooftops
Australia’s electricity grid is increasingly being powered by rooftop solar, batteries and renewables, exposing the limits and rising costs of ageing coal-fired power stations.
31 January 2026
As Marmite Morrissey returns, let’s talk about the actual music
When news broke of a new Morrissey single and album (both titled Make-Up is a Lie), one thing was assured: it was going to get people talking.
31 January 2026
China’s swift ousting of Zhang Youxia is a sharp warning on party purity from Xi
Seemingly risky move to oust two generals ahead of Communist Party congress and PLA centenary sends a message about anti-corruption drive.
31 January 2026
Trolling for genocide
Debate over Gaza has increasingly shifted from mainstream media into online spaces. What was meant to democratise discussion has instead become a terrain shaped by abuse, intimidation, and growing attempts to silence dissenting voices.
30 January 2026
A declining empire – and how Australia should adapt
Trump’s volatility has exposed the fragility of the global order, but the deeper danger lies in Australia’s uncritical attachment to a declining US empire – and the refusal to rethink our place in a changing world.
30 January 2026
NATO is failing – and ANZUS is next
NATO is unravelling as shared interests and trust with the United States collapse. For Australia, this raises urgent questions about the future value of ANZUS and related security arrangements.
30 January 2026
Iran vows to ‘respond like never before’ as Trump ramps up war threats
Tehran’s admonition came after Trump said that a “massive armada” is heading to Iran – similar language he used before invading Venezuela and kidnapping its president.
30 January 2026
Why the Doomsday Clock still underestimates the risk of civilisational collapse
The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight than ever before, but its latest warning still leaves out many of the forces pushing civilisation towards collapse.
30 January 2026
Record demand, record renewables – and the lights stayed on
Extreme heat pushed electricity demand in South Australia and Victoria to record levels. Wind and solar did the heavy lifting, easing pressure on the grid and curbing price spikes.
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Latest on Palestine and Israel
29 January 2026
A war without headlines
The annihilation of Gaza has rendered the violence in the West Bank seemingly secondary in the global imagination.
26 January 2026
From international law to loyalty and deals: Trump’s Board of Peace play
The Trump-led Board of Peace points to a shift away from international law and multilateral institutions toward a system built on loyalty, coercion and financial leverage.
24 January 2026
Cultural “cohesion” becomes censorship, and a festival falls apart
Adelaide Writer’s Week was derailed after the withdrawal of an invited speaker, triggering mass author withdrawals and a board resignation. The episode raises hard questions about free speech, institutional courage, and the politics of Israel and Gaza in Australia’s cultural life.
23 January 2026
Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny – and this one ticks every box
A sweeping new bill to combat antisemitism, hate and extremism was rushed through federal parliament this week with minimal scrutiny and major rule-of-law flaws. Its vague definitions, retrospective reach and expanded executive powers risk undermining rights, due process and democratic accountability.
20 January 2026
The rules are breaking – and the world is watching
The abduction of Venezuela’s president signals a world where power is replacing law, and impunity is setting the pace.
18 January 2026
Best of 2025 - Gaza’s economy has collapsed beyond recognition
Gaza’s economy, society and basic infrastructure have been almost entirely wiped out. With 90 per cent of people displaced, food systems destroyed and schools and hospitals in ruins, reconstruction is becoming harder by the day.
16 January 2026
Banning slogans won’t build social cohesion
After Bondi, New South Wales politicians want to ban words and slogans. But rushed laws could punish political speech, not protect the public.
16 January 2026
Iran in the vortex: what's really happening
As protests unfold in Iran, Israeli and US figures openly talk of regime collapse. Foreign interference risks worsening violence and derailing change from within.
Israel's war against Gaza
Media coverage of the war in Gaza since October 2023 has spread a series of lies propagated by Israel and the United States. This publication presents information, analysis, clarification, views and perspectives largely unavailable in mainstream media in Australia and elsewhere.
Download the PDFLatest on China
31 January 2026
Historic trade deal rejects Trump’s chaotic protectionism – Asian Media Report
The mother of all trade deals to America’s new defence strategy, the dismissal of a PLA princeling, Prabowo’s Peace Board support, ASEAN’s rejection of Myanmar junta’s poll victory and the deadly serious business of marriage in China –we present the latest news and views from our region.
31 January 2026
China’s swift ousting of Zhang Youxia is a sharp warning on party purity from Xi
Seemingly risky move to oust two generals ahead of Communist Party congress and PLA centenary sends a message about anti-corruption drive.
30 January 2026
Australia’s China student pipeline is facing a credibility problem
Australian universities remain popular with Chinese students, but online chat reveals growing scepticism about academic rigour, employability and value for money. These perceptions raise hard questions about the long-term sustainability of Australia’s education export model.
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