December 12, 2025
Headlines

World

Sodium-ion steps up: CATL’s Naxtra brand, mass production from Dec 2025

Sodium-ion steps up: CATL’s Naxtra brand, mass production from Dec 2025, and what segments it could replace vs LFP

Tubelight Talks04 mins

Sodium-ion steps up: CATL has introduced Naxtra, its new sodium-ion battery line, with mass production set to begin in December 2025, positioning the launch alongside its next-generation fast-charging technologies. Early company briefings indicate an energy density of around 175 Wh/kg—comparable to LFP—combined with fast-charge performance and reliable operation across extreme temperatures, from –40°C to 70°C. …

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Malaria Vaccine at Scale: R21/Matrix-M & SII Supply

Malaria Vaccine at Scale: R21/Matrix-M & SII Supply

Tubelight Talks06 mins

The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine—developed by the University of Oxford with Matrix-M adjuvant from Novavax and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII)—was recommended by WHO in October 2023 and prequalified in December 2023, unlocking UN procurement and Gavi financing. By October 27, 2025, 24 African countries had introduced a malaria vaccine (RTS,S and/or R21)…

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Helion’s “Orion” Fusion Plant: From PPA to Pouring Concrete—What Must Go Right by 2028

Helion’s “Orion” Fusion Plant: From PPA to Pouring Concrete—What Must Go Right by 2028

Tubelight Talks04 mins

Helion’s “Orion” Fusion Plant: Helion has begun site work on its first grid-connected fusion plant, Project Orion, in Washington state. The company says it remains on track to honor its power purchase agreement (PPA) with Microsoft for first electricity by end-2028, with Constellation Energy as power marketer and transmission manager. Orion targets ≥50 MWe after…

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​Climate Change and Indigenous Rights: Guardians of the Forest are the Real Heroes

​Climate Change and Indigenous Rights: Guardians of the Forest are the Real Heroes

Tubelight Talks04 mins

​Climate Change and Indigenous Rights: The world talks about climate change, but the real battle is being fought by Indigenous people in the forests. The assault of deforestation and mining is increasing on tropical forests. Amazon, Congo, Indonesia – everywhere Indigenous communities are standing up to save their home. They are forming alliances like the…

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Green Technology: How Innovation Is Saving Our Planet

Green Technology: How Innovation Is Saving Our Planet

Tubelight Talks04 mins

The Earth is at a turning point. Rising temperatures, melting glaciers, deforestation, and pollution are threatening life on our planet. But amid these challenges, green technology — or eco-innovation — is offering hope. Green technology focuses on creating solutions that reduce environmental damage, conserve energy, and promote sustainability. From solar panels and electric vehicles to…

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Gaganyaan G1 Launching in Early December: Last-Mile Tests, Vyommitra on Board, and the Milestones to India’s First Crewed Flight

Gaganyaan G1 Launching in Early December: Last-Mile Tests, Vyommitra on Board, and the Milestones to India’s First Crewed Flight

Tubelight Talks07 mins

Gaganyaan G1 Launching: ISRO says the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (G1) is on track for early December 2025, with ~90% of work complete and Vyommitra—the agency’s half-humanoid—flying to help validate crew-system performance. Over the past few months, teams have closed out “last-mile” tasks: a full-stack parachute deceleration demonstration (IADT-01), human-rating of the CE-20 cryogenic engine,…

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Jaishankar-Rubio Meeting at G7 FMM: Trade, Security, and the Signals for India–US Ties

Jaishankar-Rubio Meeting at G7 FMM: Trade, Security, and the Signals for India–US Ties

Tubelight Talks07 mins

Jaishankar-Rubio Meeting at G7: On the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) in Niagara, Ontario, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a focused conversation on trade, supply chains, and current global flashpoints. In his official post, Jaishankar recorded thanks for Rubio’s condolences on the Delhi…

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Amazon Rainforest Warning: When a Carbon Sink Starts to Leak

Amazon Rainforest Warning: When a Carbon Sink Starts to Leak

Tubelight Talks08 mins

Amazon Rainforest Warning: The Amazon Rainforest has long buffered the planet by soaking up carbon dioxide. But research shows that balance is breaking in parts of the forest—especially its deforested and degraded south-eastern stretches. Landmark aircraft observations first demonstrated in 2021 that southeastern Amazonia acts as a net carbon source, with fires and warming drying…

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Russia’s Draft Law on Counting All Child-Care Leave Toward Pensions: What’s Proposed

Russia’s Draft Law on Counting All Child-Care Leave Toward Pensions: What’s Proposed, What’s Real, and What to Watch

Tubelight Talks09 mins

Russia’s Draft Law: A widely discussed family-policy change is taking shape in Russia authorities have prepared a draft law to count all periods of child-care leave toward a parent’s insurance work record (used to qualify for and calculate state pensions), removing the long-standing 6-year cap. If enacted, the shift could materially improve future pension outcomes…

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“Italy is disappearing”: What the Viral Claim Reveals—and What the Numbers Actually Say

“Italy is disappearing”: What the Viral Claim Reveals—and What the Numbers Actually Say

Tubelight Talks09 mins

A short social-media post—“Italy is disappearing”—has jumped back into the spotlight of an already heated debate on Italy’s demographic future. Behind the rhetoric are stubborn facts: births at all-time lows, fertility falling further below replacement, and a population that is older each year. New figures from ISTAT confirm 369,944 births in 2024 (-2.6% year on…

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