“Out of a clear sky you send broken heart emojis” A brilliant, confronting new poem by Zaffar Kunial, written into the scarred, scoured, “jagged blooded” heart of this moment.

River update; what will the long term effects be of sewage releases? For paddlers etc I’d recommend washing your hands before eating. Use the Thames Water storm discharge map especially after heavy rains. RiverActionUK

Raja Shehadeh––the great Palestinian writer, lawyer & human rights activist; & my friend, with whom I walked the hills around Ramallah in 2010––on the ICJ's recent ruling that West Bank settlements are illegal, & ordering evacuation & reparation. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

"It all comes down to the government’s appetite––or not––to back regulatory reform & fund an effective enforcement regime." Nils Pratley on Labour's inadequate response thus far to the water crisis. We need a regulator that strikes fear into boardrooms. theguardian.com/business/nils-…

A host of wide-winged wooden angels, taking flight on the light that fills the white-washed space of the glorious Holy Trinity church at Blythburgh, Suffolk. And outside, a marsh harrier lofting over the reed-beds.

“He”, the new single from Hayden Thorpe’s imminent album Ness is just out—& it’s a hell of a track. Listen here: haydenthorpe.ffm.to/he We’ll be performing on Orford Ness on 28/29 Sept: come & join us on that eerie island. Tickets: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/…

“Worldwide more than 21 of Earth’s 37 major aquifer systems are on the verge of collapse due to depletion. For their and our well-being, it is urgent we begin to imagine them differently.” Sunaura Taylor excellent on the vital, undersung work of aquifers. orionmagazine.org/article/aquife…

When the Oxford children's dictionary discarded dozens of nature-words—"dandelion," "fern," "starling"—as irrelevant to children's imagination and replaced them with words like "broadband" and "cut-and-paste," this inspired act of resistance was born: themarginalian.org/2019/06/17/the…

“A place where all the broken rules of the universe spill out…” Traversing the Kefahuchi Tract for the second time in mike harrison’s masterpiece trilogy (2002-12). The bone dice, “neither ivory nor bone”, the Shrander (*shudders*)…all of it just so, so rare & strange & good.

Anyone who thinks all of this environmental devastation only applies to England & Wales think again. Here's the current condition of Scotland's rivers, anything coloured Red or Orange is ecological dead or dying. There are many. (1/2) sepa.org.uk/data-visualisa…

7 days straight of raw sewage discharge into Windermere, but United Utilities refuse to be interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Today. Contempt for accountability & us. Two actions you can take: 1. Follow MattStaniek, indefatigable Windermere campaigner. 2. Join marchforcleanwater.org on 26/10

Calder Valley running: tors & breeze & stepping stones & pine, wind flipping the leaves of the birches so they shine, cockerel & lark & bright-berried rowan; a path you wish could just go over & on.

Important research from BBC News - Extremist settlers with links to government rapidly seizing West Bank land bbc.com/news/articles/…

A s flake is to blizzard, as C urve is to sphere, as knot is to net, as O ne is to many, as coin is to money, as R ock is to mountain, as drop is to fountain, as spring is to river, as N ear is to far, as light is to star, as kindness is to good –– so acorn is to wood.

Instead of "canaries in the coalmine" we should speak of "seabirds on the skerries": today sees 5 seabirds added to the UK Red List of "Most Concern", inc. Arctic Tern, Great Skua, Great Black-Backed Gull. Miraculous creatures all, sounding their warnings. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

A *fabulous* resource: the Coilltean Caillte/Forgotten Woodlands project has mapped 15,000 Scottish place-names indicating presence of trees/forest in the land. Gaelic as ecological memory-trove. Map, pronunciation guide, stories etc. here: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9b790d… 👏Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba

Hello—this is the glowing jacket of The World To Come, a children’s book by me & Johnny Flynn that’s grown out of a song of the same name we wrote together. The book’s art is by the brilliant Emily Sutton, a genius of colour & pattern. Out 3 Oct in UK/US waterstones.com/win/the-world-…

New research showing that sewage in Scotland’s rivers & beaches is far more widespread than generally realised—and monitoring is scant (only 8% of sewage outflows are monitored vs nearly 100% in England). As in England, regulation is weak. theguardian.com/environment/ar…

Congratulations to ⁦William Dalrymple⁩ whose magnificent The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed The World is published today. The depth & range of knowledge is extraordinary; the story told is revelatory. An immense achievement by a truly brilliant historian.

The Salween in eastern Myanmar is among Asia's last major undammed major rivers. It's the lifeblood of the ethnic Karen people, who are fighting to save it from mining & dams. Ivan Ogilvie's photo-essay gives glimpses of that unseen struggle: ivanogilvie.com/the-salween-ri… h/t Jeff Wasserstrom