Glass Wings Blog: December 2025
Is Australia in a youth crime crisis? Here’s what the numbers say
Mon, 1 Dec 2025 11:53:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/is-australia-in-a-youth-crime-crisis-heres-what-the-numbers-say-270375>
"Youth crime is never far from the public consciousness, but Victorian Premier
Jacinta Allan’s announcement of “adult time for violent crime” has brought the
issue back into sharp focus.
(More...)
Lies, Damned Lies, and Transgender Statistics
Mon, 1 Dec 2025 11:55:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://juliaserano.substack.com/p/lies-damned-lies-and-transgender
"A couple weeks ago, the
Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an op-ed
entitled
Evidence Backs the Transgender Social-Contagion Hypothesis. The
author, Colin Wright, has been affiliated with not one, but two Southern
(More...)
‘Make the platforms safer’: what young people really think about the social media ban
Mon, 1 Dec 2025 11:56:04 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/make-the-platforms-safer-what-young-people-really-think-about-the-social-media-ban-270159>
"From next Wednesday, thousands of young Australians under 16 will lose access
to their accounts across ten social media platforms, as the teen social media
ban takes effect.
(More...)
‘Cool and quirky is part of our brand’: how New Zealand became a hothouse for indie games
Mon, 1 Dec 2025 11:58:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/dec/01/new-zealand-indie-game-developers>
"Those not immersed in the world of gaming might not be familiar with Pax
Australia: the enormous gaming conference and exhibition that takes over the
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre every October. My favourite section
(More...)
Death toll passes 900 in Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka floods
Mon, 1 Dec 2025 19:15:01 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/30/indonesia-thailand-floods
"Authorities in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand are racing to clear debris
and find hundreds of missing people after more than 900 died in devastating
floods and landslides across the south of Asia.
(More...)
Germany agrees €3 billion support scheme to make EVs affordable for lower income groups
Mon, 1 Dec 2025 19:16:04 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2025/11/30/germany-agrees-e3-billion-support-scheme-to-make-evs-affordable-for-lower-income-groups/>
"The German government has agreed to spend three billion euros ($A5.3 billion)
on a new scheme to support electric mobility adoption among low- and
middle-income groups.
(More...)
56 million years ago, the Earth suddenly heated up – and many plants stopped working properly
Tue, 2 Dec 2025 19:19:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/56-million-years-ago-the-earth-suddenly-heated-up-and-many-plants-stopped-working-properly-270291>
"Around 56 million years ago, Earth suddenly got much hotter. Over about 5,000
years, the amount of carbon in the atmosphere drastically increased and global
temperatures shot up by some 6°C.
(More...)
Victoria could become first Australian state to ban unnecessary surgery on intersex children
Tue, 2 Dec 2025 19:20:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/01/victoria-may-ban-unnecessary-surgery-intersex-children>
"Victoria will become the first Australian state to ban unnecessary surgeries
on intersex children, with legislation to be introduced to parliament to ensure
procedures are deferred until patients are old enough to consent to them.
(More...)
Hypocrisy and folly: why Australia’s subservience to Trump’s America is past its use-by date
Tue, 2 Dec 2025 19:22:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Sunshot program backs “Sun King” to bring large-scale solar panel manufacturing back to Australia
Tue, 2 Dec 2025 19:23:48 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/sunshot-program-backs-sun-king-to-bring-large-scale-solar-panel-manufacturing-back-to-australia/>
"A company headed up by one of the legends of Australian solar research and
development has won more than $150 million in federal Solar Sunshot funding to
build a commercial-scale PV panel manufacturing plant in one of the nation’s
(More...)
News influencers are reshaping the media – insights from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa
Tue, 2 Dec 2025 19:25:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/news-influencers-are-reshaping-the-media-insights-from-kenya-nigeria-and-south-africa-270311>
"News creators and influencers have become increasingly important sources of
news as more people turn to social media and video networks like Facebook and
YouTube to inform themselves. By news creators, we mean individuals who create
(More...)
World’s largest CCS project hits new low on amount of carbon captured and stored
Tue, 2 Dec 2025 19:27:28 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/worlds-largest-ccs-project-hits-new-low-on-amount-of-carbon-captured-and-stored/>
"The latest data release from Chevron on its Gorgon carbon capture and storage
(CCS) project, the world’s largest, shows the lowest amount of carbon dioxide
(CO₂) captured and stored for a year since it started in August 2019.
(More...)
Racism never went away – it simply changed shape
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 03:20:14 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/racism-never-went-away-it-simply-changed-shape-270325>
"Prime Minister Keir Starmer thinks that racism is returning to British
society. He has accused Nigel Farage’s Reform UK of sowing “toxic division”
with its “racist rhetoric”.
(More...)
When Is It Time to Flee?
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 03:23:06 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://newrepublic.com/article/203699/trans-leave-united-states-portugal>
"As the plane prepared to depart from Newark International Airport, JD Goulet
felt like “the earth was going to collapse beneath us before we got in the
air.” Seated beside them was their wife, their son, and their son’s boyfriend,
(More...)
Are UN climate summits a waste of time? No, but they are in dire need of reform
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 03:24:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/are-un-climate-summits-a-waste-of-time-no-but-they-are-in-dire-need-of-reform-270457>
"The United Nations’ global climate summit has finished for another year. Some
progress was made in Brazil on climate finance and adaptation. But efforts to
end reliance on fossil fuels were stymied by – you guessed it – fossil fuel
(More...)
Death and devastation: why a rare equatorial cyclone and other storms have hit southern Asia so hard
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 03:25:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/death-and-devastation-why-a-rare-equatorial-cyclone-and-other-storms-have-hit-southern-asia-so-hard-270939>
"More than 900 people are dead, thousands more missing and millions affected by
a band of cyclones and extreme monsoonal weather across southern Asia.
Torrential rain has triggered the worst flooding in decades, accompanied by
(More...)
Immigration panic comes in waves. Data shows who worries most, and when
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:04:16 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/immigration-panic-comes-in-waves-data-shows-who-worries-most-and-when-270565>
"There are several predictable cycles in Australian public opinion, and one of
them is the moral panic surrounding immigration.
(More...)
Sara's partner, brother and father are Australian citizens. But she can never be one
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:06:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
One fire, two systems: Hong Kong's grief meets Beijing's red lines
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:08:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-02/tai-po-fire-hong-kong-mainland-grief-red-lines/106087732>
“Before the smoke had even cleared at Wang Fuk Court, Hongkongers were already
drawing their own conclusions.
(More...)
The fading of Japan’s Shōwa era – in pictures
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:09:06 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2025/dec/02/fading-japan-showa-era-in-pictures>
"Lee Chapman’s photographs document the scenes, signages and family businesses
of the postwar Shōwa era Japan. They focus on a unique aspect of Japanese life,
and one that in Tokyo in particular is rapidly disappearing: the buildings are
(More...)
German Developer Award: "Tiny Bookshop" is Game of the Year
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:11:55 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.heise.de/en/news/German-Developer-Award-Tiny-Bookshop-is-Game-of-the-Year-11099739.html>
“"Tiny Bookshop" was awarded Best German Video Game at the German Developer
Award 2025. The cozy management game with graphic novel elements also won in
the categories "Best Graphics" and "Best Indie Game".
(More...)
Solar Mamas: meet the grannies lighting up rural villages - BBC Africa
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:14:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VwuwxSoxHlI
"Solar Mamas is the affectionate name given to women from different countries
who have had hands-on training as technicians on the solar programme at the
Barefoot College based in India. These women, with little or no formal
(More...)
Iran’s president calls for moving its drought-stricken capital amid a worsening water crisis – how Tehran got into water bankruptcy
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 19:01:47 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/irans-president-calls-for-moving-its-drought-stricken-capital-amid-a-worsening-water-crisis-how-tehran-got-into-water-bankruptcy-270456>
"Fall marks the start of Iran’s rainy season, but large parts of the country
have barely seen a drop as the nation faces one of its worst droughts in
decades. Several key reservoirs are nearly dry, and Tehran, the nation’s
(More...)
Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 700 as 1 million evacuated
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 19:02:55 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/02/indonesia-floods-one-million-people-evacuated-death-toll-rises>
"The number of people killed by floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra
island rose to 708 on Tuesday, the country’s disaster agency said, with 504
people missing.
(More...)
New York’s wealthy warn of a tax exodus after Mamdani’s win – but the data says otherwise
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 19:03:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/new-yorks-wealthy-warn-of-a-tax-exodus-after-mamdanis-win-but-the-data-says-otherwise-270415>
"New York’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, campaigned on a promise to raise the
city’s income tax on its richest residents from 3.9% to 5.9%. Combined with the
state income tax, which is 10.9% for the top bracket, the increase would cement
(More...)
Pete Hegseth told US soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagement
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 19:04:45 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/hegseth-us-soldiers-iraq-rules-engagement>
"Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, told soldiers under his command in
Iraq to ignore legal advice about when they were permitted to kill enemy
combatants under their rules of engagement.
(More...)
Copper theft is hitting building sites, street lights – and now phones. How do we stop it?
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 19:05:30 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/copper-theft-is-hitting-building-sites-street-lights-and-now-phones-how-do-we-stop-it-270781>
"From causing a major phone outage to shutting down street lights across parks,
suburbs and roads, copper theft has become a clear public safety risk.
(More...)
The labour of love breathing life back into palawa kani – the lost language of Lutruwita
Wed, 3 Dec 2025 19:07:27 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/dec/02/the-labour-of-love-breathing-life-back-into-palawa-kani-the-lost-language-of-lutruwita>
"The photograph on the wall of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre in Launceston
was taken 167 years ago. It shows a group of people including the most famous
Palawa woman, Trukanini, at a barracks at
Putalina/Oyster Cove. They are
(More...)
In 1939, a Royal Commission found burning forests leads to more bushfires. But this cycle of destruction can be stopped
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 04:40:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/in-1939-a-royal-commission-found-burning-forests-leads-to-more-bushfires-but-this-cycle-of-destruction-can-be-stopped-269099>
"Every year, government workers around Australia start fires in the bush. The
idea behind these prescribed burning programs is that removing dry leaves and
branches reduces the chance of bigger, more dangerous fires. Over many decades,
(More...)
Trump administration removes the word renewables from world-famous NREL
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 04:41:03 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/trump-administration-removes-the-word-renewables-from-world-famous-nrel/>
"In a move that is only surprising for the length of time it took them to make
it, the Trump administration has announced that it is renaming the famed
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to excise any mention of the
(More...)
Australia’s national AI plan has just been released. Who exactly will benefit?
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 04:43:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/australias-national-ai-plan-has-just-been-released-who-exactly-will-benefit-270981>
"Today, the Albanese Labor government released the long-awaited National AI
Plan, “a whole-of-government framework that ensures technology works for
people, not the other way around”.
(More...)
First community-designed, culture-led home from new outback housing initiative arrives in Tennant Creek
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 04:44:58 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-03/tennant-creek-first-wilya-janta-culture-led-homes-arrives/106090624>
“Five trucks rumble up the Stuart Highway, each carrying a slice of home.
Warumungu traditional owner Norman Frank and his partner, designer Serina
(More...)
Euphemisms and false balance: how the media is helping to normalise far-right views
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 04:46:31 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/euphemisms-and-false-balance-how-the-media-is-helping-to-normalise-far-right-views-267418>
"This year, a series of rallies organised by neo-Nazi groups in Australian
cities sparked public outrage and concern about the extreme right.
(More...)
People Are Painting Crosswalks Across L.A. to Protect Pedestrians
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 04:47:39 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/los-angeles-guerilla-urbanism-crosswalks-safer-streets/>
"Painting a crosswalk is cheap and easy. A group of neighbors can paint an
entire intersection in one morning for $100 or less. Getting the city of Los
Angeles to paint a crosswalk, on the other hand, might take 14 years and the
(More...)
The tiny clue that reveals if an animal has been illegally smuggled
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 11:08:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/the-tiny-clue-that-reveals-if-an-animal-has-been-illegally-smuggled-269818>
"If someone mentions criminal gangs, you might think of drug trafficking or
financial crime. But one of the most persistent illegal trades in the world
flies largely under the radar: wildlife smuggling.
(More...)
The City That Turns Human Waste into Clean Fuel
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 11:09:14 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/city-turning-human-waste-to-clean-fuel-germany/>
"Every time somebody flushes a toilet in Mannheim, they contribute to
ecological shipping. Since March 2025, the German city’s wastewater treatment
plant has been feeding an experiment of global relevance: Transforming sewage
(More...)
Coral reefs have orchestrated Earth’s climate for 250 million years
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 11:10:22 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/coral-reefs-have-orchestrated-earths-climate-for-250-million-years-270459>
"When we think of coral reefs, we picture bright fish, clear water and
colourful corals. But reefs have also shaped the planet in deeper ways.
(More...)
Global group accused of attacking gay rights backs South Australian woman over school presentation
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 11:11:32 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/03/alliance-defending-freedom-backs-south-australian-woman-legal-action-school-ntwnfb>
"A powerful global organisation accused of peddling anti-gay hate has thrown
its support behind a South Australian woman who says her daughter was exposed
to inappropriate sexual content at school.
(More...)
As music festival season ramps up, artists can help shine a light on an ‘invisible’ workforce
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:49:32 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/as-music-festival-season-ramps-up-artists-can-help-shine-a-light-on-an-invisible-workforce-270967>
"Around Australia, music festival season is once again kicking into high gear.
Yet behind every headline act is a vast and often invisible workforce of stage
crew, sound engineers, lighting techs, riggers, truck drivers, backup singers,
(More...)
A Housing Complex Designed to Tackle Loneliness Wins Britain’s Best Building
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:50:54 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-11-06/london-senior-housing-project-to-combat-loneliness-wins-riba-s-stirling-prize>
"Britain’s best new building is more than just a senior living center. The
Appleby Blue Almshouse, which won this year’s prestigious Royal Institute of
British Architects Stirling Prize, brings one of the UK’s oldest forms of
(More...)
How the internet became enshittified – and how we might be able to deshittify it
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:52:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
The Frozen Zoo: 50 Years in the Making
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:53:59 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/story-hub/frozen-zoo-50-years-making>
"The Frozen Zoo® is nothing short of a treasury of life on Earth. This
indispensable resource, part of our Wildlife Biodiversity Bank, holds frozen
living cells from more than 11,500 individual animals of 1,300 species or
(More...)
Eugene Lazowski and the Truth Behind the Fake Epidemic That Saved a Polish Town
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:55:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.utterlyinteresting.com/post/how-to-scare-the-germans-eugene-lazowski>
"It began with a rumour. Years after the war ended, stories started circulating
about a Polish doctor who had supposedly saved thousands of Jews from the gas
chambers by inventing a false epidemic. Newspapers repeated it. A documentary
(More...)
Memo to LNP: AEMC says slowing renewables, sweating coal, a recipe for 20 pct power price hike
Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:56:49 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/memo-to-lnp-aemc-says-slowing-renewables-sweating-coal-a-recipe-for-20-pct-power-price-hike/>
"There’s good news and bad news in the latest electricity price trends report
from the Australia Energy Market Commission (AEMC). The good news: Electricity
prices are on track to fall by 5 per cent over the next five years thanks the
(More...)
Gupta company tests scrap steel for Australian wind towers to cut emissions and materials
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 04:03:33 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/gupta-company-tests-scrap-steel-for-australian-wind-towers-to-cut-emissions-and-materials/>
"A Sydney based steel company is testing a “sustainable” steel product made
from 100 per cent scrap that it hopes can deliver major savings in materials
and embodied emissions for wind turbines installed in Australia.
(More...)
Can an Imperiled Frog Stop Oil Drilling Near Denver Suburbs? Residents Hope So.
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 04:04:47 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://capitalandmain.com/can-an-imperiled-frog-stop-oil-drilling-near-denver-suburbs-residents-hope-so>
"A raccoon’s long-toed footprint adorned the muddy lakeshore. A killdeer
screeched overhead and a fluffy-tailed coyote loped through nearby grasslands.
Yet the animal that wildlife biologist Wendy Hanophy sought on a hot October
(More...)
New grants scheme backs “trusted sources” to help households cut electricity bills
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 04:07:39 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/state-grants-scheme-targets-trusted-sources/>
"The New South Wales government has launched a new $5 million grant program
designed to support community energy groups and not-for-profit organisations to
help the state’s households get off gas, go solar and cut energy use.
(More...)
Western climate litigants keep fighting
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 04:08:59 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.hcn.org/articles/western-climate-litigants-keep-fighting/
"Mario Atencio (Diné) always looked forward to visiting his grandmother in
Counselor, New Mexico. She lived what he describes as a “simple Navajo
lifestyle” in the small rural town, raising dozens of animals on her lush green
(More...)
We Need to Talk About the Billion-Dollar Industry Holding Science Hostage
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 04:10:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/we-need-to-talk-about-the-billion-dollar-industry-holding-science-hostage/>
"The business model of most scientific publishers is so audacious it’s hard to
believe it works. Here’s the pitch: You get some of the smartest people on
Earth to create your product for free. Then, you get other experts, people to
(More...)
‘Deeply demoralizing’: how Trump derailed coal country’s clean-energy revival
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 04:11:26 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/29/trump-coal-country
"For a moment, Jacob Hannah saw an unprecedented opportunity to make Appalachia
great again.
(More...)
T1 Energy is betting big on all-American solar, even under Trump
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 11:07:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/t1-energy-texas-factory
"DALLAS — The automated machinery and bright, clean factory floor wouldn’t look
out of place in the solar manufacturing hub of Changzhou, China. But every so
often, the pristine industrial order was punctuated by, of all things, carrier
(More...)
New Data Shows COVID-19 Infection Much Worse For Children Than the Vaccine
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 11:08:15 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/new-data-shows-covid-19-infection-much-worse-for-children-than-the-vaccine/>
"We’ve all heard variations of this conversation: “The virus isn’t that bad for
children, and the vaccine has its own risks. Isn’t it better to just skip it?”
It is a fair question, and one born of love and protection. Thanks to a
(More...)
State Department to deny visas to fact checkers and others, citing 'censorship'
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 11:10:04 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/04/nx-s1-5633444/trump-content-moderation-visas-censorship>
“The State Department is instructing its staff to reject visa applications from
people who worked on fact-checking, content moderation or other activities the
Trump administration considers "censorship" of Americans' speech.
(More...)
Chinese Sources Push Territorial Claims With Mistranslations
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 11:13:34 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/chinese-sources-push-territorial?r=60itk4>
"
What happened: Pro-China sources are spreading manipulated videos
purportedly showing residents of the Japanese Ryukyu Islands saying they’re
Chinese, not Japanese, in an apparent effort to bolster Beijing’s territorial
(More...)
K'gari’s unique ancient lakes once dried out. Could this happen again?
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 19:34:55 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/kgaris-unique-ancient-lakes-once-dried-out-could-this-happen-again-270371>
"The lakes on the world’s biggest sand island, K'gari, are famous. Pivotal to
the World Heritage listing of the Queensland island formerly known as Fraser
Island, their turquoise waters feature in international tourism campaigns and
(More...)
Thirsty work: how the rise of massive datacentres strains Australia’s drinking water supply
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 19:35:49 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/04/thirsty-work-how-the-rise-of-massive-datacentres-strains-australias-drinking-water-supply>
"As Australia rides the AI boom with dozens of new investments in datacentres
in Sydney and Melbourne, experts are warning about the impact these massive
projects will have on already strained water resources.
(More...)
Cassette tapes are making a comeback. Yes, really
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 19:36:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/cassette-tapes-are-making-a-comeback-yes-really-268108>
"For a supposedly obsolete music format, audio cassette sales seem to be set on
fast forward at the moment.
(More...)
‘Day by day I lose weight’: asylum seekers on Nauru get $115 a week, but a bag of grapes costs $20
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 19:43:31 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/04/nauru-australia-offshore-processing-asylum-seekers-conditions-hunger-declining-health>
"Asylum seekers sent to Nauru by Australia say they are going hungry on the
island, prohibited from working to support themselves and given insufficient
money to buy enough food.
(More...)
What is Taiwan and why is it important? A new study shows Australians struggle to answer these questions
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 19:44:16 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/what-is-taiwan-and-why-is-it-important-a-new-study-shows-australians-struggle-to-answer-these-questions-269809>
"Recently, a new documentary was screened across Australia about the late
Taiwanese Australian professor Chwei-Liang Chiou, who dedicated his life to
improving relations between Taiwan and Australia.
(More...)
Remembering Toni Lamond: the Australian stage legend who made me fall in love with theatre
Fri, 5 Dec 2025 19:46:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
‘We gotta act white’: how voice recognition tech fails for Aboriginal English speakers
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 04:21:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Sydney records highest temperature in nearly two years amid heatwave as Tasmanian bushfires threaten homes
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 04:22:27 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/05/parts-of-australia-hit-by-severe-heatwave-as-temperature-surges-past-40c-in-nsw-and-tasmanian-bushfires-threaten-properties>
"Sydney’s CBD has recorded its highest temperature in nearly two years as the
east coast of NSW experiences its first heatwave of the summer, while fire
authorities in Tasmania and NSW battled bushfires.
(More...)
Space debris: will it take a catastrophe for nations to take the issue seriously?
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 04:23:39 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/space-debris-will-it-take-a-catastrophe-for-nations-to-take-the-issue-seriously-271141>
"China routinely sends astronauts to and from its space station Tiangong. A
crew capsule is about to undock from the station and return to Earth, but
there’s nothing routine about its journey home.
(More...)
Fix The News 322: Shinga. Ray of Hope. Alphafold/Miura-ori fold 🧬 💠. Measles ↓.
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 04:24:37 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://fixthenews.com/p/322-shinga-ray-of-hope-measles-alphafoldmiura
"A new report from the WHO reveals that annual measles deaths fell by 88%
between 2000 and 2024, from 777,000 to 95,000 a year. Vaccinations have
prevented an estimated 58 million deaths over this period, one of our species’
(More...)
Meet the weird, wonderful creatures that live in Australia’s desert water holes. They might not be there much longer
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 04:27:59 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/meet-the-weird-wonderful-creatures-that-live-in-australias-desert-water-holes-they-might-not-be-there-much-longer-269814>
"You might think of Australia’s arid centre as a dry desert landscape devoid of
aquatic life. But it’s actually dotted with thousands of rock holes – natural
rainwater reservoirs that act as little oases for tiny freshwater animals and
(More...)
“120 pigs a year, per car:” European oil lobby’s biofuels loophole likely unsustainable
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 04:29:01 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2025/12/04/120-pigs-a-year-per-car-european-oil-lobbys-biofuels-loophole-likely-unsustainable/>
"A rule change proposed by European fuels and cars industries to allow new
combustion engines running on biofuels to be sold after its 2035 deadline for
zero-emission cars could result in an unsustainable spike in demand for
(More...)
The Real Way Schools are Failing Boys
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 13:10:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://time.com/7335723/auto-draft-25-2/
"Many have raised concerns about a crisis among boys and men, ushering in a
“manosphere” cultural wave. After decades of dominance, boys have begun to fall
behind girls in school. Today, girls are better readers, earn better grades,
(More...)
Vital Cat Update
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 13:11:58 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://terribleminds.com/ramble/2025/12/04/vital-cat-update/
"It’s time to talk about my cat. To which you might be saying, “Chuck, I didn’t
know you had a cat!” and I’d respond with, “I didn’t know I had a cat either.”
But Google — the preeminent search engine! — knows otherwise, courtesy of its
(More...)
South Australian bus ads misled public by claiming gas is ‘clean and green’, regulator finds
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 13:13:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/06/south-australia-bus-advertising-natural-gas-clean-green>
"South Australia’s transport department misled the public by running ads on
buses claiming “natural gas” was “clean and green”, the advertising regulator
has found.
(More...)
The Resonant Computing Manifesto
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 13:14:35 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://resonantcomputing.org/
"There's a feeling you get in the presence of beautiful buildings and bustling
courtyards. A sense that these spaces are inviting you to slow down, deepen
your attention, and be a bit more human.
(More...)
Vaccine committee votes to scrap universal hepatitis B shots for newborns despite outcry from children’s health experts
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:09:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/vaccine-committee-votes-to-scrap-universal-hepatitis-b-shots-for-newborns-despite-outcry-from-childrens-health-experts-271202>
"The committee advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on
vaccine policy voted on Dec. 5, 2025, to stop recommending that all newborns be
routinely vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus – undoing a 34-year
(More...)
Ecuador’s Otavalo Indigenous people use anime to inspire pride in their ancient culture and language
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:10:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-anime-indigenous-quichua-257babd7c4057b7b989e391e39e752bb>
"JATUN RUMI, Ecuador (
AP) — High in the mountains of the Ecuadorian Andes, a
group of young Otavalo Indigenous people is using anime to inspire pride in
their ancient culture and language, especially among Otavalo children.
(More...)
AI Has A Serious Skill Problem
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:12:41 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://freedium.cfd/https://wlockett.medium.com/ai-has-a-serious-skill-problem-929c1f05954c>
“A research charity recently found that up to three million low-skilled jobs
could be lost to AI in the UK by 2035. There are a plethora of studies like
this floating around at the moment, claiming huge swathes of the global job
(More...)
Offshore wind farms could be used as charging hubs for electric and hybrid ships
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:14:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/offshore-wind-farms-could-be-used-as-charging-hubs-for-electric-and-hybrid-ships/>
"Two Danish companies are exploring the possibility of integrating offshore
wind with marine electrification – essentially positing the deployment of
charging infrastructure for battery powered vessels at offshore wind farms.
(More...)
Letters from an American: December 5, 2025
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:18:56 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-5-2025
"Late last night, the Trump administration released the
2025 National Security
Strategy (NSS) of the United States of America. It did so quietly, although as
foreign affairs journalist at
Politico Nahal Toosi noted, the release of the
(More...)
US airstrike survivors clung to boat wreckage for an hour before second deadly attack, video shows
Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:20:22 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/05/us-airstrike-survivors-clung-to-boat-wreckage-for-an-hour-before-second-deadly-attack-video-shows>
"Two men who survived a US airstrike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the
Caribbean clung to the wreckage for an hour before they were killed in a second
attack, according to a video of the episode shown to senators in Washington.
(More...)
‘I have watched politicians failing yet and yet again’: lessons from a life as an environment writer
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:32:03 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/28/after-a-career-as-an-environment-writer-heres-what-i-have-learned>
"Paul Brown was the
Guardian’s environment correspondent from 1989 until 2005
and has written many columns since. He submitted his last column last week
after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. From his hospital bed in
(More...)
No ‘go away, weirdo’: Handwritten notes helping B.C. residents connect
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:39:15 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://vancouverislandfreedaily.com/2025/11/23/no-go-away-weirdo-handwritten-notes-helping-b-c-residents-connect/>
"Carrie Parsons didn’t expect a personal writing project to turn into one of
Victoria’s fastest-growing connection engines, but the signs were there,
literally.
(More...)
How cyclones and monsoon rains converged to devastate parts of Asia – visual guide
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:40:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/01/asia-floods-visual-guide-flooding-extreme-weather-cyclones-monsoon>
"Tropical cyclones have combined with heavy monsoon rains to lay waste to
swathes of Asia, killing more than 1,100 people as of Monday, with the death
toll expected to rise, and leaving many more homeless.
(More...)
Long COVID patients face more than double the healthcare costs after diagnosis
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:42:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251201/Long-COVID-patients-face-more-than-double-the-healthcare-costs-after-diagnosis.aspx>
"People with Long COVID use the health service significantly more than they did
before their diagnosis. These patients need to use GP, outpatient, inpatient
and emergency department services more than people in other control groups -
(More...)
Age of the ‘scam state’: how an illicit, multibillion-dollar industry has taken root in south-east Asia
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:43:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/02/scam-state-multi-billion-dollar-industry-south-east-asia>
"For days before the explosions began, the business park had been emptying out.
When the bombs went off, they took down empty office blocks and demolished
echoing, multi-cuisine food halls. Dynamite toppled a four-storey hospital,
(More...)
You know someone with Long COVID. They need you to ask about it genuinely.
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:45:39 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Families on rooftops, homes buried by mud: Asia floods show water is overtaking wind as main threat
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:05:00 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/02/global-heating-and-other-human-activity-are-making-asias-floods-more-lethal>
"Families stranded on their rooftops. Homes buried by fast-flowing mud. Jagged
brown craters scarring lush green hillsides.
(More...)
Expert view: Will Australia have another Christmas COVID wave this year?
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:06:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:10:40 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://thelocal.to/investigating-scam-journalism-ai/
"In late September, I put out a call for pitches from freelance journalists. As
an editor at
The Local, an online magazine in Toronto that wins awards for
its long-form journalism, I have a stable of dependable writers I like to work
(More...)
Bombed Chornobyl shelter no longer blocks radiation and needs major repair – IAEA
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:12:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/06/chornobyl-disaster-shelter-no-longer-blocks-radiation-and-needs-major-repair-iaea>
"The protective shield over the Chornobyl disaster nuclear reactor in Ukraine,
which was hit by a drone in February, can no longer perform its main function
of blocking radiation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has
(More...)
How rolling sand dunes are creeping up on last remaining oases on edge of Sahara
Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:14:27 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/nov/24/chad-desert-oases-wadi-water-gold-climate-crisis>
"On the ochre sands of Kanem, the neat vegetable gardens and silver-green palm
trees of Kaou oasis stand out, incongruous in this desert province of 70,000 sq
km in western Chad.
(More...)
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