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
Hong Kong has some thoughts about new seat belt laws on public buses… Harry Harrison’s cartoon
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
The right honourable @grogsgamut.bsky.social has far more patience than I - everything he says here I tend to scream briefly in much swearier shorthand watching the annual, seasonal struggle of Australia’s volunteer firefighters to defend & protect an actual threat to Australian life and property.
In which I have a look at AUKUS and tbh lose my shit at how dumb it is. @thepointau.bsky.social
thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...
thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...
All the money, none of the submarines: AUKUS deal paying upfront for hopes and dreams
When Kerry Packer bought Channel 9 back from Allan Bond for effectively half the price Bond had sold it to him, Packer famously said “You only get one Alan Bond in your lifetime, and I’ve had mine”.
thepoint.com.au
January 28, 2026 at 12:38 AM
The right honourable @grogsgamut.bsky.social has far more patience than I - everything he says here I tend to scream briefly in much swearier shorthand watching the annual, seasonal struggle of Australia’s volunteer firefighters to defend & protect an actual threat to Australian life and property.
You know what a proper “pub test” for Australian journos might be? Find out what kind of day at work people had on day one of a heatwave - instead of the binary FIRE FEAR versus Aussies have FUN in the heatwave SUN! Find some bakers, sparkies, any poor bastard with a shovel… I’ll click on it. Ta…
January 27, 2026 at 12:19 PM
You know what a proper “pub test” for Australian journos might be? Find out what kind of day at work people had on day one of a heatwave - instead of the binary FIRE FEAR versus Aussies have FUN in the heatwave SUN! Find some bakers, sparkies, any poor bastard with a shovel… I’ll click on it. Ta…
Surprised myself at how emotional it is to play this remade Warumpi Band classic from 1987 on Hong Kong radio to mark January 26 in Australia... today's segment all about the new 50 degree reality of summer down south in the Great Southern Land youtu.be/OSFGK9HlEto?...
Christine Anu My Island Home
YouTube video by muzicanoz
youtu.be
January 27, 2026 at 4:36 AM
Surprised myself at how emotional it is to play this remade Warumpi Band classic from 1987 on Hong Kong radio to mark January 26 in Australia... today's segment all about the new 50 degree reality of summer down south in the Great Southern Land youtu.be/OSFGK9HlEto?...
Hong Kong commuters have some feedback on new laws for seatbelts on public buses: Harry Harrison's cartoon
January 27, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Hong Kong commuters have some feedback on new laws for seatbelts on public buses: Harry Harrison's cartoon
For all the journalists who DM'd me about SCMP journalist Minnie Chan and went on to report exactly.... ZERO upon the two year anniversary of her disappearance, here's a link to a story probably worth following up. @tanganzhu.bsky.social she is not forgotten. chinadrew.substack.com/p/the-demise...
The demise of Zhang Youxia hits different
I was genuinely surprised by the announcement of Zhang Youxia's detention. I shouldn't have been. But this feels personal.
chinadrew.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM
For all the journalists who DM'd me about SCMP journalist Minnie Chan and went on to report exactly.... ZERO upon the two year anniversary of her disappearance, here's a link to a story probably worth following up. @tanganzhu.bsky.social she is not forgotten. chinadrew.substack.com/p/the-demise...
Turns out there's people who answer polls and there's people who get up offa that thang and get out on the streets for a march and a singalong on this date in Australia...
January 26, 2026 at 6:03 AM
Turns out there's people who answer polls and there's people who get up offa that thang and get out on the streets for a march and a singalong on this date in Australia...
January 26, 2026 at 5:31 AM
So this Jewish British bloke, an Australian woman and an Indian bloke walked into a podcast, one sunny January 26th:
marking the date as "one of the great days in Britain's history as the Pablo Escobar of the 19th century..." to get started. Gold was found!
podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/l...
marking the date as "one of the great days in Britain's history as the Pablo Escobar of the 19th century..." to get started. Gold was found!
podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/l...
London Crime on the Down, Party swapping and Trump trying to buy Greenland - it's THE BUGLE 4365!
Podcast Episode · The Bugle · 21/01/2026 · 47m
podcasts.apple.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:24 AM
So this Jewish British bloke, an Australian woman and an Indian bloke walked into a podcast, one sunny January 26th:
marking the date as "one of the great days in Britain's history as the Pablo Escobar of the 19th century..." to get started. Gold was found!
podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/l...
marking the date as "one of the great days in Britain's history as the Pablo Escobar of the 19th century..." to get started. Gold was found!
podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/l...
“Given the current geopolitical situation, it seems risky to store so much gold in the US...” Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately [US$194 billion] worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
‘Repatriate the gold’: German economists advise withdrawal from US vaults
Shift in relations and unpredictability of Donald Trump make it ‘risky to store so much gold in the US’, say experts
www.theguardian.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:02 AM
“Given the current geopolitical situation, it seems risky to store so much gold in the US...” Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately [US$194 billion] worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
January 26 pop quiz: what does it mark?
a) the day British troops planted a Union Jack in Hong Kong in 1841 (Queen Victoria was somewhat amused)
b) the day in 1950 when the Republic of India was proclaimed
c) the day where Australians have to confront facts versus feelings
Cartoon: Cathy Wilcox
a) the day British troops planted a Union Jack in Hong Kong in 1841 (Queen Victoria was somewhat amused)
b) the day in 1950 when the Republic of India was proclaimed
c) the day where Australians have to confront facts versus feelings
Cartoon: Cathy Wilcox
January 26, 2026 at 2:20 AM
January 26 pop quiz: what does it mark?
a) the day British troops planted a Union Jack in Hong Kong in 1841 (Queen Victoria was somewhat amused)
b) the day in 1950 when the Republic of India was proclaimed
c) the day where Australians have to confront facts versus feelings
Cartoon: Cathy Wilcox
a) the day British troops planted a Union Jack in Hong Kong in 1841 (Queen Victoria was somewhat amused)
b) the day in 1950 when the Republic of India was proclaimed
c) the day where Australians have to confront facts versus feelings
Cartoon: Cathy Wilcox
OpenAI "...proposes not to show ads “near sensitive or regulated topics like health, mental health or politics”, yet offers little clarity about what counts as “sensitive,” how broadly “health” will be defined, or who decides where the boundaries lie." Promise? theconversation.com/openai-will-...
OpenAI will put ads in ChatGPT. This opens a new door for dangerous influence
History shows voluntary safeguards fade as profits rise, risking a more persuasive new era of online advertising.
theconversation.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:47 AM
OpenAI "...proposes not to show ads “near sensitive or regulated topics like health, mental health or politics”, yet offers little clarity about what counts as “sensitive,” how broadly “health” will be defined, or who decides where the boundaries lie." Promise? theconversation.com/openai-will-...
The Otways are the last of the ancient Gondwana-era cool temperate rainforests on the south end of the Australian mainland, and it only burns one way: catastrophically. Last time it burned was 1939. Now... many more people live there & volunteers will try to save it. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
January 26, 2026 at 1:42 AM
The Otways are the last of the ancient Gondwana-era cool temperate rainforests on the south end of the Australian mainland, and it only burns one way: catastrophically. Last time it burned was 1939. Now... many more people live there & volunteers will try to save it. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Taking the good news where we can find it, thus far in the year 2026: John Cooper Clarke continues to walk the planet for his 77th birthday today. Long may the sunglasses glint upon us all. youtu.be/C0vAqxbyrSg?...
John Cooper Clarke reads his poem, Smooth Operetta
YouTube video by BBC Radio 6 Music
youtu.be
January 25, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Taking the good news where we can find it, thus far in the year 2026: John Cooper Clarke continues to walk the planet for his 77th birthday today. Long may the sunglasses glint upon us all. youtu.be/C0vAqxbyrSg?...
"A leading Chinese humanoid robot maker has said its latest machines are at most half as efficient as human workers, underlining the challenges in deploying them to solve labour shortages and increase productivity" - "labour shortages" needs its own terms & conditions www.ft.com/content/0f83...
January 25, 2026 at 3:07 PM
"A leading Chinese humanoid robot maker has said its latest machines are at most half as efficient as human workers, underlining the challenges in deploying them to solve labour shortages and increase productivity" - "labour shortages" needs its own terms & conditions www.ft.com/content/0f83...