Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Ha ha!
BBC China Correspondent based in Beijing. Previously ABC Australia China Correspondent.
7,516 followers 159 following 966 posts
view profile on Bluesky Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Ha ha!
chasbuduo (@chasbuduo.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
What a great dream! Hope he played a standard-issue 3hr long Cure set!
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
True story: I had a dream this week that Robert Smith from the Cure was living at the bottom of my block of flats. He was downstairs on the road one night with his acoustic guitar and called out to the building, "Anyone mind if I sing some songs?" What a dream!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WtS...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Another day another purge in #China… www.scmp.com/business/art...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
No worries!
sue jones (@tomorro24.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Thankyou Stephen - found acoustic album, love them!
KateAL (@katieal.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Cool. They were good live in 1995
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Ha ha!
Paul French (@chinarhyming.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
He does look bloody terrifying these days
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
He would’ve needed a street busking xylophonist to accompany him for this one… m.youtube.com/watch?v=PNXg...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
He was actually singing this song in my dream when I woke up... Wild! www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNF4...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
This one is especially cool and weird in acoustic mode. It also works well for Robert Smith sitting in the street and singing with cats meandering about nearby knocking over bottles etc. Ripper version! www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7zL...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
So, following my dream, I had a look for acoustic Cure songs. How damn good are these?! Robert if you ever wanna pop over to our building in #Beijing, #China feel free! ;-) www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ikk...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
True story: I had a dream this week that Robert Smith from the Cure was living at the bottom of my block of flats. He was downstairs on the road one night with his acoustic guitar and called out to the building, "Anyone mind if I sing some songs?" What a dream!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WtS...
Jeremy Goldkorn (@goldkorn.bsky.social) reposted
Trump-induced brain drain continues to be China's gain:
citizenfra.bsky.social (@citizenfra.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Hope they are roaming nicer pastures than those on earth.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
My personal favourite of his (alongside Val Kilmer) was Thunderheart.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
This is sad news. Graham Green was a brilliant actor. #Canada www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
My personal favourite of his (alongside Val Kilmer) was Thunderheart.
Finbarr Bermingham (@fbermingham.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Slovakia's Moscow-friendly prime minister Tuesday for the country's "independent" position, and suggested Bratislava cuts off gas supplies to Ukraine during a meeting in China. www.france24.com/en/live-news...
Finbarr Bermingham (@fbermingham.bsky.social) reposted
Slovakia’s opposition party has urged PM Fico to scrap his planned trip to China for WWII victory celebrations, where he is to meet Putin for the third time in less than a year. "Fico has met Putin and Xi twice this year, but not once with Merz, Macron or Starmer" www.euractiv.com/section/poli...
Herel Hughes (@herelhughes.bsky.social) reposted
China spent $21 billion on military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, the East and South China Sea and the Western Pacific last year, nearly 40% higher than 2023, according to Taiwan government estimates. www.reuters.com/world/china/...
Bloomberg News (@bloomberg.com) reposted
Glaciers in Central Asia have long managed to withstand rising temperatures and changing weather patterns. But now, that isn't the case
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
This is sad news. Graham Green was a brilliant actor. #Canada www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Kim Jong-un’s train has arrived in #Beijing according to Reuters. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Well given how crappy relations have been between Russia and China over the years it's probably not such high bar to reach an "unprecedentedly high level" for them.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Some pretty funny images of the #Australia for white people protestors who went to China Town for lunch after their anti-immigration rally…
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Call for charges to be laid against neo Nazis who attacked aboriginal people in Melbourne last weekend after a series of relatively small, not very powerful, “white power” rallies in #Australia. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Cruising down the Hai He at night 2. #Tianjin #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Cruising down the Hai He at night 1. #Tianjin #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
More #Tianjin night fishing spots along the Hai He. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Fishing in #Tianjin #China tonight…
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Cruising down the Hai He at night 2. #Tianjin #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Cruising down the Hai He at night 1. #Tianjin #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
More #Tianjin night fishing spots along the Hai He. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
After they let us out check out the crowds pouring down to the #Tianjin river front to get a look at the end of the light show. Just rammed… #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
Stuck inside a restaurant in #Tianjin. Nobody is allowed to leave until the visiting leader motorcades go past after their banquet. The guard at the door also said that no photos were allowed. Presumably he meant no motorcade photos. #China
Lenore Taylor (@lenoret.bsky.social) reposted
www.theguardian.com/environment/... Grim
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
After they let us out check out the crowds pouring down to the #Tianjin river front to get a look at the end of the light show. Just rammed… #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Stuck inside a restaurant in #Tianjin. Nobody is allowed to leave until the visiting leader motorcades go past after their banquet. The guard at the door also said that no photos were allowed. Presumably he meant no motorcade photos. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
The streets of #Tianjin are packed down by the river as people come out to see the light show to coincide with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here. #China.
LannaMick (@lanna-mick.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
He obviously uses them as a bargaining tool to benefit himself. Like when he phoned Norway's finance minister in July 'to discuss tariffs' - "He wanted the Nobel Prize - and to discuss tariffs." www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
The streets of #Tianjin are packed down by the river as people come out to see the light show to coincide with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
The streets of #Tianjin are packed down by the river as people come out to see the light show to coincide with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here. #China.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
The streets of #Tianjin are packed down by the river as people come out to see the light show to coincide with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Sorry stupid typo from me (banging it out too fast). Should read #Slovakia participating not Slovenia.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Damn typo from me! Sorry should be Slovakia. You’re right!
Finbarr Bermingham (@fbermingham.bsky.social) reposted
Wow The EU Delegation to Ukraine in Kyiv was hit by Russian airstrikes on Thursday www.euractiv.com/section/poli...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Yeah we’ll all be smashing baijiu together and playing dice supported drinking games. I’m thinking that might not happen until the parade is over though. ;-)
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
#NorthKorea's Kim JongUn will be at the big military parade in #Beijing next Wednesday along with #Russia's Putin, Probowo from #Indonesia, Anwar Ibrahim #Malaysia, Sharif #Pakistan, Lukashenko #Belarus, Vucic #Serbia, Fico #Slovenia, Diaz-Canel #Cuba + #Myanmar #Congo #Zimbabwe #Iran #Armenia etc
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Yeah it was pretty cool, as you can imagine. ;-)
Forbestonow (@forbestonow.bsky.social) reposted
Each of these small wins for nature give me a tiny spark of hope in the flood of disastrous environmental news.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Cheers! No worries!
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
In case you missed our story on BBC TV yesterday, check out these incredible looking animals pulled back from the brink of extinction in the mountains of central #China… CLICK ON LINK TO WATCH m.youtube.com/watch?v=s3nC...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
I asked Yang Jingyuan if it was true that he understood some monkey language? "Yes. Yeeee is telling others the area is safe. Wu-ka means it's dangerous." And there he was making various noises as the monkeys came down out of the trees. #China CLICK LINK www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Bachelor males form their own groups. Females have "affairs" behind their husband's backs. Six-year-old females know when to leave their family to prevent inbreeding and the animals also know when it is time for them to go away and die. #China CLICK LINK: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
I asked Yang Jingyuan if it was true that he understood some monkey language? "Yes. Yeeee is telling others the area is safe. Wu-ka means it's dangerous." And there he was making various noises as the monkeys came down out of the trees. #China CLICK LINK www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
"Even after the logging ban there were people illegally felling timber. If they didn't cut down trees, how'd they have money? People were also secretly hunting them to survive. Only after a long period did the consciousness of farmers change." CLICK LINK TO SEE #China www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
We were taken into the mountains of Shennongjia in central #China to meet the golden snubbed nosed monkeys which have - for the moment - been saved from extinction... CLICK ON LINK TOO SEE. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Bachelor males form their own groups. Females have "affairs" behind their husband's backs. Six-year-old females know when to leave their family to prevent inbreeding and the animals also know when it is time for them to go away and die. #China CLICK LINK: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Cheers Robyn! You're too kind!
robynbowen.bsky.social (@robynbowen.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
This is an incredible story. Thank you Stephen for your wonderful reporting.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
"Even after the logging ban there were people illegally felling timber. If they didn't cut down trees, how'd they have money? People were also secretly hunting them to survive. Only after a long period did the consciousness of farmers change." CLICK LINK TO SEE #China www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
We were taken into the mountains of Shennongjia in central #China to meet the golden snubbed nosed monkeys which have - for the moment - been saved from extinction... CLICK ON LINK TOO SEE. www.bbc.com/news/article...
MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) reposted
Another successful cabinet meeting with Dear Leader
Tim Lyons (@picketer.bsky.social) reposted
Accidentally putting your SS Grandad's *art collection* up on real estate dot com, could happen to anyone. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Robert Reich (@rbreich.bsky.social) reposted
Cost of Trump's D.C. Occupation: $1.1M per day. Cost to operate public housing for D.C.'s entire homeless population: $169,226 per day. It's not about what this country can or can’t afford. It’s about priorities.
Dave Jones (@cleanpowerdave.bsky.social) reposted
NEW: The first evidence of a solar take-off in Africa☀️✈️ x33 rise in Algeria solar panel imports in the 12 mths to June 2025, compared to previous 12 mths. x8 in Zambia x7 in Botswana x6 in Sudan x3 in each of Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia 🧵
Andreas Landwehr (@andreaslandwehr.bsky.social) reposted
Trump says China must ensure rare earth magnets or face 200% tariffs www.scmp.com/news/us/dipl...
Timmons Roberts (@timmonsroberts.bsky.social) reposted
My lab's been attacked by an anti-wind group and their lawyers. They threatened the science funding of my whole university, to shut me and my undergraduate research assistants up. NYT just covered it. 1/n www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/c...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
How did the journalist not pull him up on it?
Mother Jones (@motherjones.com) reposted
Starting in September, Gov. Greg Abbott and GOP lawmakers will make it even harder in Texas to prevent school shootings, suicides, and murders by domestic abusers www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
WW2 ended with… “negotiation”???
Sense Hofstede (@sensehofstede.nl) reposted
Bloomberg journalist Rebecca Choong Wilkins latest to be denied Hong Kong work visa ‘without reason’, as press groups raise concerns – HKFP
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
And here’s the Chinese version, 中文版的。。。 #China CLICK ON LINK TO READ www.bbc.com/zhongwen/art...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
And here’s the Chinese version, 中文版的。。。 #China CLICK ON LINK TO READ www.bbc.com/zhongwen/art...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
"Ships are very dangerous for animal's brains because they are noisy". This is said to produce a form of underwater noise pollution which distresses them. Ship sound may have contributed to the demise of the Yangtze's dolphins, which used sonar. CLICK LINK www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
In case you missed this yesterday from me on saving the last big animal surviving by itself wild in the Yangtze River. #China CLICK ON LINK to read www.bbc.com/news/article...
Barb McQuade (@barbmcquade.bsky.social) reposted
The purge continues. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/u...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
"Ships are very dangerous for animal's brains because they are noisy". This is said to produce a form of underwater noise pollution which distresses them. Ship sound may have contributed to the demise of the Yangtze's dolphins, which used sonar. CLICK LINK www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
In case you missed this yesterday from me on saving the last big animal surviving by itself wild in the Yangtze River. #China CLICK ON LINK to read www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
For the paddle fish or Chinese sturgeon, the Three Gorges Dam has been catastrophic, blocking access to spawning grounds. Despite over a million captive-bred sturgeon being released into the Yangtze last year, they’re not reproducing naturally. CLICK LINK www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
The ban carries potential prison time for those caught fishing right along the Yangtze + tributaries. It's put 220,000 fishermen out of work. Yet the finless porpoise, which belongs to the oldest living branch of the porpoise family tree, remains critically endangered. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
No worries!
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Hmmm just trying to recall. It was really deep. In terms of length and breadth maybe the size of a pool for the diving at the Olympics.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
Cheers!
Ed Dugan (@edugan.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Thanks for doing a Douglas. Important stuff that needs to be spread far ‘n wide.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
For the paddle fish or Chinese sturgeon, the Three Gorges Dam has been catastrophic, blocking access to spawning grounds. Despite over a million captive-bred sturgeon being released into the Yangtze last year, they’re not reproducing naturally. CLICK LINK www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
Saving #China’s finless porpoise from extinction, a piece from me. Click on link below… www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
The ban carries potential prison time for those caught fishing right along the Yangtze + tributaries. It's put 220,000 fishermen out of work. Yet the finless porpoise, which belongs to the oldest living branch of the porpoise family tree, remains critically endangered. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reply parent
At the big event today in Lhasa, marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the “Tibet Autonomous Region”, Xi Jinping attended but didn’t speak.
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Saving #China’s finless porpoise from extinction, a piece from me. Click on link below… www.bbc.com/news/article...
kat (@kgt.bsky.social) reposted
Sadly “AI is the future” is true in the same way as “gas is a transition fuel”; not because of any science-fictive ability to predict the future, but it can be made true by the billions spent on marketing and the capture of governments.
Bloomberg News (@bloomberg.com) reposted
A surge of renewable power led to declining emissions in China over the first half of the year even as a growing chemicals sector becomes a major new source of heat-trapping gases, according to new research
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social)
Don’t know if the high altitude is not agreeing with him but Xi Jinping didn’t look great on the tele tonight appearing in #Tibet. #China
Stephen McDonell (@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social) reposted
The BBC has put our robot games piece up on the YouTube site… m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y-t...
Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser.bsky.social) reposted
huge if true