Jarrod Watt
@jaywatt.bsky.social
Australian journo in Hong Kong; podcast editor/producer; Aus news correspondent RTHK3; journalism lecturer HKBU; ex SCMP, ABC, PBSFM, RRR; reformed music journo and bartender - https://jarrodwatt.com/
Pinned
On this last day of a most hectic January 2026, Harry Harrison updates the Doomsday clock for functionality: today’s cartoon (reposted without catastrophic typo/error)
Here’s a grey Saturday arvo chat topic over a cuppa: how would you explain the term “fascism with emojis” to Hannah Arendt?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
He's a journalist...
"The White House celebrated Lemon’s arrest with a post on X. “When life gives you Lemons,” the White House account’s official post said, accompanied by a chain emoji."
He's a journalist...
"The White House celebrated Lemon’s arrest with a post on X. “When life gives you Lemons,” the White House account’s official post said, accompanied by a chain emoji."
Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon released after arrest over Minnesota church protest
Lemon and three others charged with civil rights crimes, DoJ says, as White House celebrates arrest on social media
www.theguardian.com
January 31, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Here’s a grey Saturday arvo chat topic over a cuppa: how would you explain the term “fascism with emojis” to Hannah Arendt?
Reposted by Jarrod Watt
Interesting turn of events. After Trump complained the Panama Canal was controlled by China through Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, it will now be controlled by the parent country of Greenland.
Shipping giant Maersk to take over Panama Canal ports after court ruling https://aje.news/xsiern
January 31, 2026 at 7:35 AM
Interesting turn of events. After Trump complained the Panama Canal was controlled by China through Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, it will now be controlled by the parent country of Greenland.
“Danish company will replace Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchison, after Trump claimed strategic waterway was controlled by China.”
Shipping giant Maersk to take over Panama Canal ports after court ruling https://aje.news/xsiern
January 31, 2026 at 8:35 AM
“Danish company will replace Hong Kong-based firm, CK Hutchison, after Trump claimed strategic waterway was controlled by China.”
The fatalities of the Gaza “ceasefire” continue:
“…officials at hospitals that received the bodies said… casualties included two women and six children from two different families.”
“…officials at hospitals that received the bodies said… casualties included two women and six children from two different families.”
Hospitals in Gaza say Israeli strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians, one of the highest tolls since an October agreement aimed at stopping the fighting.
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 12
Hospitals in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians early Saturday, one of the highest tolls since an October agreement aimed at stopping the fighting.
bit.ly
January 31, 2026 at 7:05 AM
The fatalities of the Gaza “ceasefire” continue:
“…officials at hospitals that received the bodies said… casualties included two women and six children from two different families.”
“…officials at hospitals that received the bodies said… casualties included two women and six children from two different families.”
On this last day of a most hectic January 2026, Harry Harrison updates the Doomsday clock for functionality: today’s cartoon (reposted without catastrophic typo/error)
January 31, 2026 at 6:59 AM
On this last day of a most hectic January 2026, Harry Harrison updates the Doomsday clock for functionality: today’s cartoon (reposted without catastrophic typo/error)
Can you think of a better time in history to encourage non-white people to come to the USA for its freedoms? Multiply that now by “Chinese party apparatchik” and wonder what needed to be in this video… www.reuters.com/world/new-ci...
New CIA videos aim to lure Chinese officials
The CIA on Thursday rolled out two Chinese-language videos aimed at enticing officials in China to leak secrets to the U.S., the latest public effort by the intelligence agency to ramp up human intell...
www.reuters.com
January 31, 2026 at 5:41 AM
Can you think of a better time in history to encourage non-white people to come to the USA for its freedoms? Multiply that now by “Chinese party apparatchik” and wonder what needed to be in this video… www.reuters.com/world/new-ci...
Maybe it’s Maybelline?
No… it’s the Economist catching up with everyone else staring despondently out the Overton window
No… it’s the Economist catching up with everyone else staring despondently out the Overton window
January 31, 2026 at 5:38 AM
Maybe it’s Maybelline?
No… it’s the Economist catching up with everyone else staring despondently out the Overton window
No… it’s the Economist catching up with everyone else staring despondently out the Overton window
Why yes that *is* the fabulous Harry Harrison leading the crowd in a Reagan-era singalong by Blaze Foley downstairs at the Aftermath in Hong Kong…
January 30, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Why yes that *is* the fabulous Harry Harrison leading the crowd in a Reagan-era singalong by Blaze Foley downstairs at the Aftermath in Hong Kong…
Hong Kong man unable to undo seatbelt on bus:
“16 firefighters, 4 medics, 3 fire trucks, an ambulance and ambulance motorcycle were deployed to the scene. The passenger was freed and sent to Caritas Medical Centre.”
We presume the man is now in a stable condition.
hongkongfp.com/2026/01/30/h...
“16 firefighters, 4 medics, 3 fire trucks, an ambulance and ambulance motorcycle were deployed to the scene. The passenger was freed and sent to Caritas Medical Centre.”
We presume the man is now in a stable condition.
hongkongfp.com/2026/01/30/h...
16 firefighters, 4 medics, 3 fire trucks respond to man unable to take off bus seatbelt
Hong Kong bus operator Citybus has filed a police report after it found a piece of aluminium foil stuffed inside a seatbelt buckle, which reportedly left a passenger trapped for over 45 minutes.
hongkongfp.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Hong Kong man unable to undo seatbelt on bus:
“16 firefighters, 4 medics, 3 fire trucks, an ambulance and ambulance motorcycle were deployed to the scene. The passenger was freed and sent to Caritas Medical Centre.”
We presume the man is now in a stable condition.
hongkongfp.com/2026/01/30/h...
“16 firefighters, 4 medics, 3 fire trucks, an ambulance and ambulance motorcycle were deployed to the scene. The passenger was freed and sent to Caritas Medical Centre.”
We presume the man is now in a stable condition.
hongkongfp.com/2026/01/30/h...
What’s “yes, Minister” in Cantonese? “Hong Kong’s transport chief has said the govt will suspend a mandatory seat belt requirement for bus passengers & later revise the legislation, after the law was found to be only applicable to new buses registered from January 25.”
www.scmp.com/news/hong-ko...
www.scmp.com/news/hong-ko...
Breaking | Hong Kong to suspend bus seat belt rules over ‘deficiencies’ in law
Rules took effect last Sunday, but wording of law only applies to new buses registered from January 25 this year.
www.scmp.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:21 AM
What’s “yes, Minister” in Cantonese? “Hong Kong’s transport chief has said the govt will suspend a mandatory seat belt requirement for bus passengers & later revise the legislation, after the law was found to be only applicable to new buses registered from January 25.”
www.scmp.com/news/hong-ko...
www.scmp.com/news/hong-ko...
Reposted by Jarrod Watt
The Supreme Court of Panama ruled that terms granted to a Hong Kong company to operate ports at either end of the Panama Canal breach the country’s constitution, handing President Trump a victory and denting China’s influence in the region
www.wsj.com/business/log...
www.wsj.com/business/log...
Panama’s High Court Rules Against Hong Kong Firm Running Canal Ports
Supreme Court rules that terms granted to CK Hutchison to run two ports on the Panama Canal breach the constitution, dealing a blow to China’s influence in the region.
www.wsj.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:54 AM
The Supreme Court of Panama ruled that terms granted to a Hong Kong company to operate ports at either end of the Panama Canal breach the country’s constitution, handing President Trump a victory and denting China’s influence in the region
www.wsj.com/business/log...
www.wsj.com/business/log...
Gosh it’s almost as if reporters at the SCMP have been banned from speaking about this: “Minnie Chan, then a reporter for South China Morning Post who has disappeared since late 2023…” sinocism.com/p/zhang-youx...
Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli case; National Conference on Science and Technology; Slow bull market; UK PM to China; US NDS
We still have no more concrete information than we had Saturday about the Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli case. The Wall Street Journal reports that in the official internal briefing he was accused of lea...
sinocism.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:14 AM
Gosh it’s almost as if reporters at the SCMP have been banned from speaking about this: “Minnie Chan, then a reporter for South China Morning Post who has disappeared since late 2023…” sinocism.com/p/zhang-youx...
Plot lines for second series of the Trump Show are getting both darker and more Simpsonesque…
Trump sues IRS, Treasury Department for $10 billion over tax return leak reut.rs/4qVu2p4
Trump sues IRS, Treasury Department for $10 billion over tax return leak
U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his family on Thursday sued the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department for $10 billion for disclosing their tax returns, according to the lawsuit.
reut.rs
January 30, 2026 at 5:09 AM
Plot lines for second series of the Trump Show are getting both darker and more Simpsonesque…
Trump plotting a course or just sailing away from Epstein’s jetsam? Cartoon from @rowecartoon.bsky.social
January 30, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Trump plotting a course or just sailing away from Epstein’s jetsam? Cartoon from @rowecartoon.bsky.social
Reposted by Jarrod Watt
Cool, please send all the billionaires 🚀 www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
A potentially habitable new planet has been discovered 146 light-years away – but it may be -70C
The Earth-size planet HD 137010 b has a ‘50% chance of residing in the habitable zone’ of its sun-like star, scientists say
www.theguardian.com
January 29, 2026 at 5:51 AM
Cool, please send all the billionaires 🚀 www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Hong Kong has some thoughts about new seat belt laws on public buses… Harry Harrison’s cartoon
January 29, 2026 at 4:17 AM
Hong Kong has some thoughts about new seat belt laws on public buses… Harry Harrison’s cartoon
Correction #cartoon from the great @cathywilcox.bsky.social
January 28, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Correction #cartoon from the great @cathywilcox.bsky.social
One for media/opinion merchant news watchers in Hong Kong: Paul Krugman is calling for a "colour revolution" in the USA... put the kettle on, pull out some old 2019 pics, let's see if this takes off as topic du jour from Toronto to the South China Sea... paulkrugman.substack.com/p/minnesota-...
Minnesota is the Beginning of an American Color Revolution
Ordinary people are ready to save democracy
paulkrugman.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 12:34 PM
One for media/opinion merchant news watchers in Hong Kong: Paul Krugman is calling for a "colour revolution" in the USA... put the kettle on, pull out some old 2019 pics, let's see if this takes off as topic du jour from Toronto to the South China Sea... paulkrugman.substack.com/p/minnesota-...
Fascinated by the timing of this speech.
- Conducting a press conference on Wednesday, Xiao said Canberra & Beijing, as well as the company’s owners, had discussed the port in the months since the 2025 election. “Suddenly we hear the government of Australia wants to take it back."
Suddenly? Wow
- Conducting a press conference on Wednesday, Xiao said Canberra & Beijing, as well as the company’s owners, had discussed the port in the months since the 2025 election. “Suddenly we hear the government of Australia wants to take it back."
Suddenly? Wow
China’s ambassador warns Albanese reclaiming Port of Darwin will force Beijing to intervene
China’s ambassador warns Albanese reclaiming Port of Darwin will force Beijing to intervene
Xiao Qian hits out at Labor’s policy to force the Chinese-owned company Landbridge to sell its 99-year lease on the port
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China’s ambassador to Australia says plans by the Albanese government to remove the Port of Darwin from Chinese ownership will put at risk future trade growth and force an intervention by Beijing.
Ambassador Xiao Qian hit out at Labor’s policy to force the Chinese-owned company Landbridge to sell its 99-year lease on the port, sparked by pre-election national security concerns from both Labor and the Coalition. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 28, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Fascinated by the timing of this speech.
- Conducting a press conference on Wednesday, Xiao said Canberra & Beijing, as well as the company’s owners, had discussed the port in the months since the 2025 election. “Suddenly we hear the government of Australia wants to take it back."
Suddenly? Wow
- Conducting a press conference on Wednesday, Xiao said Canberra & Beijing, as well as the company’s owners, had discussed the port in the months since the 2025 election. “Suddenly we hear the government of Australia wants to take it back."
Suddenly? Wow
* Singapore: Taxis have had electronic payment capabilities for over a decade, allowing card payments via terminals
* Mainland China: Digital payments have dominated taxi fares for over 5–10 years via Alipay and WeChat
* Hong Kong: See you on April 1st, 2026
Whoever's scripting this is hilarious.
* Mainland China: Digital payments have dominated taxi fares for over 5–10 years via Alipay and WeChat
* Hong Kong: See you on April 1st, 2026
Whoever's scripting this is hilarious.
January 28, 2026 at 11:43 AM
* Singapore: Taxis have had electronic payment capabilities for over a decade, allowing card payments via terminals
* Mainland China: Digital payments have dominated taxi fares for over 5–10 years via Alipay and WeChat
* Hong Kong: See you on April 1st, 2026
Whoever's scripting this is hilarious.
* Mainland China: Digital payments have dominated taxi fares for over 5–10 years via Alipay and WeChat
* Hong Kong: See you on April 1st, 2026
Whoever's scripting this is hilarious.
Reposted by Jarrod Watt
The government said on Wednesday that the support fund for Wang Fuk Court residents has reached HK$4.5 billion, around HK$1.2 billion of which is earmarked for financial measures supporting those affected by the blaze.
Wang Fuk Court blaze fund reaches HK$4.5bn - RTHK
The government said on Wednesday that the support fund for Wang Fuk Court residents has reached HK$4.5 billion, around H...
news.rthk.hk
January 28, 2026 at 6:54 AM
The government said on Wednesday that the support fund for Wang Fuk Court residents has reached HK$4.5 billion, around HK$1.2 billion of which is earmarked for financial measures supporting those affected by the blaze.
Yep, world peace getting absolutely disrupted in the goolies right but… seven years wait and Hong Kong intellectual nihilist electro punks David Boring have landed their sophomore vinyl… alert the Melbournese at @3rrrfm.bsky.social and #PBSFM it’s red hot davidboring.bandcamp.com/track/earth-...
January 28, 2026 at 7:54 AM
Yep, world peace getting absolutely disrupted in the goolies right but… seven years wait and Hong Kong intellectual nihilist electro punks David Boring have landed their sophomore vinyl… alert the Melbournese at @3rrrfm.bsky.social and #PBSFM it’s red hot davidboring.bandcamp.com/track/earth-...
I don’t see any climate scientists taking “Told you so” victory laps but it sure would be nice if they got some credit for “as predicted” abnormal temperatures recorded during climate crisis summer in the mid 2020s
January 28, 2026 at 5:18 AM
I don’t see any climate scientists taking “Told you so” victory laps but it sure would be nice if they got some credit for “as predicted” abnormal temperatures recorded during climate crisis summer in the mid 2020s
Reposted by Jarrod Watt
