Stephen McDonell
@stephenmcdonell.bsky.social
BBC China Correspondent based in Beijing. Previously ABC Australia China Correspondent.
Why do so many ships in the Sydney to Hobart have such terrible names? Is it sponsorship naming rights which has led to such crap names?
December 28, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Why do so many ships in the Sydney to Hobart have such terrible names? Is it sponsorship naming rights which has led to such crap names?
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Continued… thread with messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others and someone bought him a beer. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
December 23, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Continued… thread with messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others and someone bought him a beer. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
December 23, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
December 23, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
December 23, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
December 23, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Continued… a thread with the messages of goodwill towards Ahmed outside his closed shop in Sutherland in #Sydney’s south. I was struck by how many kids have done drawings for the man who ran towards danger to save others. Seasons greetings #Australia! Look after one another!
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
In Sutho, I walked past the currently-closed shop of Ahmed who ran towards one of the Bondi gunmen, disarmed him, got shot himself and saved others, especially the Jewish community being targeted in the nearby park. There are flowers, messages of goodwill and pictures drawn by children. A thread…
December 23, 2025 at 10:33 PM
In Sutho, I walked past the currently-closed shop of Ahmed who ran towards one of the Bondi gunmen, disarmed him, got shot himself and saved others, especially the Jewish community being targeted in the nearby park. There are flowers, messages of goodwill and pictures drawn by children. A thread…
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Lovely and I love the pictures
In Sutho, I walked past the currently-closed shop of Ahmed who ran towards one of the Bondi gunmen, disarmed him, got shot himself and saved others, especially the Jewish community being targeted in the nearby park. There are flowers, messages of goodwill and pictures drawn by children. A thread…
December 24, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Lovely and I love the pictures
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
A beautiful thread
In Sutho, I walked past the currently-closed shop of Ahmed who ran towards one of the Bondi gunmen, disarmed him, got shot himself and saved others, especially the Jewish community being targeted in the nearby park. There are flowers, messages of goodwill and pictures drawn by children. A thread…
December 24, 2025 at 1:36 AM
A beautiful thread
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
The VB might be inappropriate given his faith but oh so Australian. Ahmed deserves it all. He saved lives and substantially reduced the scope for divisive rhetoric to take hold.
December 24, 2025 at 12:37 AM
The VB might be inappropriate given his faith but oh so Australian. Ahmed deserves it all. He saved lives and substantially reduced the scope for divisive rhetoric to take hold.
In Sutho, I walked past the currently-closed shop of Ahmed who ran towards one of the Bondi gunmen, disarmed him, got shot himself and saved others, especially the Jewish community being targeted in the nearby park. There are flowers, messages of goodwill and pictures drawn by children. A thread…
December 23, 2025 at 10:33 PM
In Sutho, I walked past the currently-closed shop of Ahmed who ran towards one of the Bondi gunmen, disarmed him, got shot himself and saved others, especially the Jewish community being targeted in the nearby park. There are flowers, messages of goodwill and pictures drawn by children. A thread…
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
"Indeed, Trump's National Security 'Strategy' is entirely consistent with the goals of both Putin’s Russia and China’s authoritarian regime, both of which have long viewed the weakening of the Western alliance as a key part of their effort to displace the US as the leading power in the world."
Make America Weak
Trump is systematically undermining America's interests at home and abroad.
www.publicnotice.co
December 23, 2025 at 10:08 PM
"Indeed, Trump's National Security 'Strategy' is entirely consistent with the goals of both Putin’s Russia and China’s authoritarian regime, both of which have long viewed the weakening of the Western alliance as a key part of their effort to displace the US as the leading power in the world."
All journalists in #Australia should be asking these questions of politicians: what does protesting have to do with these killings? Where is the link?
Gun crackdown and controversial protest laws to be passed in NSW despite Coalition split over firearms
Gun crackdown and controversial protest laws to be passed in NSW despite Coalition split over firearms
NSW Nationals to oppose gun law reforms introduced in wake of Bondi attack, as Greens say protest laws are ‘draconian’ and may be unconstitutional
Gun laws will be significantly tightened and protests restricted for up to three months in New South Wales at the behest of the police commissioner, under an emergency set of laws introduced to the state parliament in the wake of the Bondi shooting.
The bill is being debated in the lower house on Monday and is expected to pass the lower house on Monday afternoon with the support of the NSW Liberal party, and pass the upper house on Tuesday. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:12 AM
All journalists in #Australia should be asking these questions of politicians: what does protesting have to do with these killings? Where is the link?
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
China’s government has long sought to silence dissent abroad, but recently there’s been a disturbing escalation: harassment through sexually explicit letters targeting activists outside the country www.hrw.org/news/2025/12...
Sexual Harassment of Chinese Critics Abroad
China’s government has long sought to silence dissent abroad, but recently there’s been a disturbing escalation: harassment through sexually explicit letters targeting activists outside the country.
www.hrw.org
December 16, 2025 at 7:45 PM
China’s government has long sought to silence dissent abroad, but recently there’s been a disturbing escalation: harassment through sexually explicit letters targeting activists outside the country www.hrw.org/news/2025/12...
The Shire has produced none better! Muslim fruit shop owning legend, 43 yr old Ahmed al Ahmed, ran at one of the gunmen, disarmed him, drew bullets away from the Jewish community under fire and is in hospital after being shot twice + he is from Sutho! #Australia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Bystander records incredible moment 'hero' in T-shirt tackles Bondi gunman
Dramatic video shows a man, wearing a light-coloured shirt and black pants, crouching behind a parked vehicle near one of the Bondi Beach gunmen before disarming him during the terror attack.
www.abc.net.au
December 15, 2025 at 1:07 AM
The Shire has produced none better! Muslim fruit shop owning legend, 43 yr old Ahmed al Ahmed, ran at one of the gunmen, disarmed him, drew bullets away from the Jewish community under fire and is in hospital after being shot twice + he is from Sutho! #Australia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
This is fucking grim. Somebody invented a white guy, an "IT professional" named Edward Crabtree, who stopped the Bondi shooting and spread it all over the internet, which was picked up by AI agents and slop aggregation sites.
The real hero is a fruit stand owner named Ahmed el Ahmed.
The real hero is a fruit stand owner named Ahmed el Ahmed.
December 14, 2025 at 8:02 PM
This is fucking grim. Somebody invented a white guy, an "IT professional" named Edward Crabtree, who stopped the Bondi shooting and spread it all over the internet, which was picked up by AI agents and slop aggregation sites.
The real hero is a fruit stand owner named Ahmed el Ahmed.
The real hero is a fruit stand owner named Ahmed el Ahmed.
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Thinking about all the paramedics, and all the nurses and doctors in the ED's, operating theatres and ICUs (and the support staff) - we are enormously lucky to have them.
December 14, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Thinking about all the paramedics, and all the nurses and doctors in the ED's, operating theatres and ICUs (and the support staff) - we are enormously lucky to have them.
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
One reason “only” 16 people died is that the terrorists used singe shot bolt action rifles, thanks to Australia’s strict gun control laws. If they had access to semiautomatic rifles it likely would’ve been much worse.
December 14, 2025 at 8:56 PM
One reason “only” 16 people died is that the terrorists used singe shot bolt action rifles, thanks to Australia’s strict gun control laws. If they had access to semiautomatic rifles it likely would’ve been much worse.
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Drawing for the Bondi Beach hero who risked his life to disarm one of antisemitic terrorist shooters in Australia.
According to 7NEWS Australia, the hero has been identified as Ahmad Al Ahmed, 43 year old father of 2 and Sydney resident.
According to 7NEWS Australia, the hero has been identified as Ahmad Al Ahmed, 43 year old father of 2 and Sydney resident.
December 14, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Drawing for the Bondi Beach hero who risked his life to disarm one of antisemitic terrorist shooters in Australia.
According to 7NEWS Australia, the hero has been identified as Ahmad Al Ahmed, 43 year old father of 2 and Sydney resident.
According to 7NEWS Australia, the hero has been identified as Ahmad Al Ahmed, 43 year old father of 2 and Sydney resident.
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
A Citroen 2CV outside the old Bank of China building in Hong Kong, which was at the time a stronghold of the PRC in the Britsh colony…c.1968
December 13, 2025 at 9:22 PM
A Citroen 2CV outside the old Bank of China building in Hong Kong, which was at the time a stronghold of the PRC in the Britsh colony…c.1968
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
Tyson is shutting down its Lexington, Nebraska plant in January 2026. That’s 3,200 workers gone in one shot, the largest plant shutdown in company history.
Blame Trump’s tariff chaos and the lowest cattle inventories in decades. Tariffs jack up costs. Supply shrinks. Plants close. Towns hollow out.
Blame Trump’s tariff chaos and the lowest cattle inventories in decades. Tariffs jack up costs. Supply shrinks. Plants close. Towns hollow out.
December 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Tyson is shutting down its Lexington, Nebraska plant in January 2026. That’s 3,200 workers gone in one shot, the largest plant shutdown in company history.
Blame Trump’s tariff chaos and the lowest cattle inventories in decades. Tariffs jack up costs. Supply shrinks. Plants close. Towns hollow out.
Blame Trump’s tariff chaos and the lowest cattle inventories in decades. Tariffs jack up costs. Supply shrinks. Plants close. Towns hollow out.
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
This is why people, especially a president, shouldn’t rush to post unverified claims during an active shooting. The suspect was not in custody, and misinformation in moments like this can get people killed.
December 13, 2025 at 11:46 PM
This is why people, especially a president, shouldn’t rush to post unverified claims during an active shooting. The suspect was not in custody, and misinformation in moments like this can get people killed.
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
About 60 kilometres off the southern coast of Western Australia they’ve discovered a wave breaking in the middle of nowhere dubbed “The Thing”… wild looking! #Australia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
'Magic wave' found off WA coast after surfer's decade-long search
A natural phenomenon leaves surfers in awe of the "earthquake" wave.
www.abc.net.au
December 12, 2025 at 8:25 AM
About 60 kilometres off the southern coast of Western Australia they’ve discovered a wave breaking in the middle of nowhere dubbed “The Thing”… wild looking! #Australia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
About 60 kilometres off the southern coast of Western Australia they’ve discovered a wave breaking in the middle of nowhere dubbed “The Thing”… wild looking! #Australia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
'Magic wave' found off WA coast after surfer's decade-long search
A natural phenomenon leaves surfers in awe of the "earthquake" wave.
www.abc.net.au
December 12, 2025 at 8:25 AM
About 60 kilometres off the southern coast of Western Australia they’ve discovered a wave breaking in the middle of nowhere dubbed “The Thing”… wild looking! #Australia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Reposted by Stephen McDonell
“From Beijing’s point of view, there is only one measure that will determine whether Lee will keep his job: will he be able to prevent any protests and snuff out any signs of dissent? By that measure, his performance so far has been faultless.” @antd.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
Silenced by China, Hong Kong struggles to voice its grief over the Tai Po fire disaster | Antony Dapiran
The pain is visceral, but civil society, media and the creative community have been in retreat since the 2019 pro-democracy protests, says author Antony Dapiran
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:44 PM
“From Beijing’s point of view, there is only one measure that will determine whether Lee will keep his job: will he be able to prevent any protests and snuff out any signs of dissent? By that measure, his performance so far has been faultless.” @antd.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...