Pearlcasts
As we review 2025, the temptation is to look for neat summaries and settled conclusions.
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4 April 2026
Does AI mean more uni students are plagiarising their work?
Long-term research suggests student plagiarism has declined over two decades, despite concerns about AI. But more than half of students still engage in it at some point.
4 April 2026
Allies are learning the cost of relying on the US
US alliances are exposing partner nations to conflict without giving them control over decisions. From the Gulf to Australia, the risks of strategic dependence are becoming clearer.
2 April 2026
School funding is undermining equality and cohesion
Australia’s school funding model is widening inequality and weakening public education. Without reform, it risks undermining social cohesion, productivity and democratic stability.
2 April 2026
Productivity, inequality and the rise of populism
The rise in populism in numerous advanced economies has been driven by cost-of-living pressures. To protect our democracy, we will need faster productivity growth and all wages to rise with productivity.
2 April 2026
What Good Friday and the Book of Job reveal about a world in crisis
Modern society assumes suffering can be solved through policy, technology and progress. But this belief leaves us unprepared for the reality that tragedy is an enduring part of human life.
2 April 2026
Australia’s under-16 social media ban is facing early limits
Australia’s under-16 social media ban has removed millions of accounts, but compliance gaps, loopholes and unanswered questions remain.
2 April 2026
Building beyond ‘No Kings’
Millions have taken to the streets in opposition to Trump. But without clearer demands, broader unity and more sustained action, the movement risks falling short of real change.
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2 April 2026
A ‘small’ nuclear war would still be global catastrophe
There is no such thing as a “small” nuclear war. Even limited use would trigger mass death, famine and global collapse.
1 April 2026
The fuel crisis won’t save the Coalition. It might finish them
Cost-of-living pressure will not automatically shift votes to the Coalition, as culturally aligned voters begin drifting toward alternatives that project conviction and stability.
1 April 2026
Catholics lag behind as the first woman appointed to lead the Anglican church
The installation of a female Archbishop of Canterbury highlights the Catholic Church’s continued hesitation on women’s leadership and the need to listen more closely to women’s voices.
1 April 2026
The three phases of Trump’s quagmire in Iran
Trump’s defenders argue that his contradictory actions are strategic. It’s more likely that panic has him flailing. His gut instinct led him to make a colossal mistake, and he has no idea what to do next.
1 April 2026
Fuel crisis exposes decades of policy failure
Australia’s fuel crisis may have been triggered by global conflict – but it reflects decades of political failure to reduce oil dependence and plan for transition.
1 April 2026
We dug up medics in Gaza. A year later, international law remains buried
Israeli attacks on healthcare workers and infrastructure in Gaza reflect a broader erosion of legal and moral constraints, with consequences extending beyond the conflict.
1 April 2026
The legal logic behind Israel and Iran’s nuclear divide
The difference between Israel and Iran on nuclear weapons is not a legal contradiction – but a result of how international law is structured around state consent.
1 April 2026
Climate misinformation inquiry stops short on reform
Australia’s first inquiry into climate misinformation finds a systemic problem distorting public debate – but its strongest solutions sit outside the main report.
Read our series
Latest on Palestine and Israel
1 April 2026
We dug up medics in Gaza. A year later, international law remains buried
Israeli attacks on healthcare workers and infrastructure in Gaza reflect a broader erosion of legal and moral constraints, with consequences extending beyond the conflict.
1 April 2026
The legal logic behind Israel and Iran’s nuclear divide
The difference between Israel and Iran on nuclear weapons is not a legal contradiction – but a result of how international law is structured around state consent.
29 March 2026
Why Israel wants a war with Iran
In a conversation with Chris Hedges, Gideon Levy says Israel’s deep-rooted militarism – reinforced by media silence – is driving an endless cycle of war.
28 March 2026
Israel faces a grim future of endless wars unless it comes to terms with Palestinians
Israeli influence has shaped US foreign policy for decades – with profound consequences for war and peace in the Middle East.
28 March 2026
Life in Iran illustrates shifting realities amid US-Israel war
From Tehran, the conflict is less about missiles and more about endurance – as daily life adjusts to disruption, uncertainty and economic strain.
28 March 2026
“Terrorism” may be the most powerful word in modern politics
The term “terrorism” simplifies complex conflicts, often obscuring history, perspective and the motivations behind violence.
27 March 2026
UN experts urge Israel to free Gaza doctor amid reports of ‘severe torture’
UN experts say a Palestinian doctor detained by Israel has been denied medical care and subjected to serious human rights abuses.
26 March 2026
Free speech and antisemitism: drawing the line
In this extract from his submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion Gareth Evans argues that it is crucial that protest language claimed to be inherently antisemitic be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account context and intent.
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
27 March 2026
Why delaying the Trump-Xi Summit could anchor global stability
The postponement of a US–China summit reflects domestic constraints and shifting global leverage – not just competing priorities – and may open space for recalibration with China.
17 March 2026
Sanctioned Rubio to take part in Trump’s China trip
The US secretary of state, previously sanctioned by Beijing, is expected to accompany Donald Trump on a visit to China as both sides prepare for high-level talks.
14 March 2026
China’s tech ambitions, Nepal’s political upheaval and the BTS comeback – Asian Media Report
Five-year-plan stresses AI, Xi-Trump summit still on track, K-pop sensation’s global comeback, landslide win in Nepal elections, security risks self-radicalise online, and Manila drops Nobel laureate charges.
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Bob Pearce — Adelaide SA
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Bob Pearce — Adelaide SA
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David Griffiths — Mordialloc VIC 3195
Who lost our weekend?
Fiona Colin — Melbourne