Our world. So unbearably messed up and so unbearably beautiful.

This is useful from @davidarobson.bsky.social (whom I was happy to meet IRL last night!)... I am on a real mission atm to remove hasslers from my life – so much of my discontent comes from people who pester and hassle me, usually unnecessarily, and I'm not surprised there is physiological impact.

A powerful investigation into the Certificate of Sponsorship scams targeting people desperately looking for care work in the UK, scams that have particularly affected Zimbabweans. From @bloomberg.com @mayarostowska.bsky.social and a crack team: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaYw...

Thursday On The River.

Incredible and challenging 6km swim yesterday down the River Avon in South Devon – swimming to fundraise for Level Water, which promotes access to swimming through lessons for children with disabilities. Very grateful to have had the opportunity to do this! www.justgiving.com/page/zoe-flo...

After attending the 3rd #MediaStrong event exploring journalism, mental health & the impact of trauma, I've come up with five reasons why I think it's essential that we talk about mental health in journalism a lot more, and more publicly. Not just for journalists! www.zoeflood.com/newsletter/2...

Journalist Faith Zaba, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, is spending a third night in jail after being arrested in the country on 1 July – she is facing charges of “undermining or insulting the authority of the president” in connection with a satirical column...

The indomitable Lindsey Hilsum on Desert Island Discs w/ @laurenlaverne.bsky.social – well worth a listen, so much ground covered, just as there always is so much ground covered in her reporting... happy to hear Joni in here too (and some Orchestra Super Mazembe!): www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Deeply reported journey into the manosphere, with those who feel forced to embrace, if temporarily, its various thralls. Extract from @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social upcoming book Lost Boys 👇

Bank holiday buttercups.

Peony explosion / timeline cleanse.

Another very insightful evening – in an unlikely, bucolic setting – guiding a conversation about reporting in challenging environments and contexts, and sharing some of my own experiences, with twenty brave and ballsy journalists from the BBC as a guest speaker on its high-risk training course.

Stunning double rainbow over @kebleoxford.bsky.social earlier this week.

Oxford. Always a joy. So lucky to have this as a continuing part of my life.

Watch the livestream online here: sirharrysummit.org/watch/

Powerful start to @sirharrysummit.bsky.social on investigative journalism this morning in London – @tinabrownlm.bsky.social @brianstelter.bsky.social @anandwrites.bsky.social @jonsopel1.bsky.social @reuters.com and more

Horrifying but important story. Good work from @nehawadekar.bsky.social and @zoeflood.bsky.social.

Amid conflict in Sudan, the RSF are using sexual violence to terrorise women and girls. In Chad last year, @nehawadekar.bsky.social and @zoeflood.bsky.social met Zahra Khamis, a Sudanese refugee helping others heal. I helped with the edit of this piece for PBS Newshour. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

In #Chad, @zoeflood.bsky.social & I met Zahra Khamis, a Sudanese refugee who has dedicated her life to helping rape survivors heal. Thanks to the courageous women who shared their stories. For @pbsnews.org, support from IWMF and MSF. TRIGGER WARNING: sexual violence www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

For 2 years since conflict broke out in South Sudan, hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled violence and starvation to neighbouring Chad. This is the first of two PBS reports by @zoeflood.bsky.social and @nehawadekar.bsky.social that I had the privilege of working on the post-production for.

The war in #Sudan has been raging for 2 years, creating the worst humanitarian crisis of this century. @zoeflood.bsky.social & I reported for @pbsnews.org from the Chad-Sudan border, w support from the IWMF. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

Last year, @nehawadekar.bsky.social & I reported from eastern Chad on atrocities committed in Darfur – particularly horrific sexual crimes against women and girls. We also met an extraordinary woman leading efforts to support her community – 📝Neha, 📸 by me: foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/10/t...

📢 Truth Tellers is back! On 7th May, the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit returns, hosted by @reuters.com @durhamuniversity.bsky.social & Tina Brown CBE. Honouring Sir Harry Evans, the Summit champions fearless investigative reporting. 📺Livestream: sirharrysummit.org

The blossom these days 🌸

Night at the Museum.

Western Australia's views with the sun setting over the sea have always captivated me. The breathtaking quality of the light is hard to explain. I took these images in 2022, but just decided to get them printed properly. A reminder to keep looking for the light, even in the darkest of times.

The always excellent @oneworldmedia.bsky.social are recruiting for a Head of Partnerships and Fundraising, closing date 21 April 2025: oneworldmedia.org.uk/vacancies/

Out of office on, will mostly be taking photos of spring flowers henceforth.

It was a real pleasure to film this recent, candid talk by my close relative Judge Theodor Meron, who was interviewed by Baroness Helena Kennedy at Trinity College, Oxford. With thanks to @acaciaredding.bsky.social & Linda Brusasco for wo-manning the extra cameras! www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzHq...

Any #lufc fans down in London for QPR at the weekend, the Peter Mitchell exhibition at the Photographers Gallery (Oxford Circus) makes a very nice cultural detour. Pictures of old Leeds from the 70s/80s including Quarry Hill and a certain pub on Elland Road …

Only my gorgeous mum in a starring role in the trailer for the new Peter Mitchell exhibition 'Nothing Lasts Forever' – now open at The Photographers' Gallery right by Oxford Circus! One of the thrill seekers! Leaning against the "clapped out Porsche" 💙💙💙 www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Lc...

Magical nature.

New fire.

🇿🇼

I never had the chance to meet Itai but I did meet his brother Patson, who campaigned tirelessly to find out what happened to Itai. But now it's nearly five years since Patson passed away, painfully young, and still no answers. I wrote this obituary for Patson in 2020: mg.co.za/africa/2020-...

Ten years without answers since the enforced disappearance of Zimbabwean journalist and activist Itai Dzamara. Dzamara, a leader of the pro-democracy protest group Occupy Africa Unity Square, was abducted in Harare following "months of persecution" – @amnesty.org www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...

“It is absolutely shameful that Blessed Mhlanga has been thrown behind bars simply because he gave voice to a war veteran’s criticism of Zimbabwe’s government." @pressfreedom.bsky.social Zimbabwe at it again, pay attention, Blessed Mhlanga has been denied bail: cpj.org/2025/02/zimb...

On Holocaust Memorial Day this year – the 15th anniversary of my beloved grandmother's death – I spent the afternoon filming my close relative Judge Theodor Meron giving the HMD lecture at Trinity in Oxford. The recording of his powerful speech is now online now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIr3...

Oxford looking as glorious as ever. My heart will never not melt at these impossibly picturesque views.

Thanks for sharing Jim. Glad to see the rules about donating when you've travelled widely – esp in Africa – have been relaxed a bit and are now more realistic and appropriate. Since the last time I checked, which was some time ago. It was always frustrating, esp as I have a useful type!

Proof of life after nasty marine sting. A sharp spine (?) came off my hair into my hand in the beach shower – serious pain/inflammation followed! What I pulled out looked a bit like the tiniest spines on this fearsome fish – anyone know if spines can break off and stay a bit venomous?

Candy floss skies last night.

West Australia is usually an escape from the news for me – but double whammy of a horrific small plane crash on Tuesday (a plane that I think Robyn Kriel and I spotted on Sat) and yesterday a shark inside the shark net where I swim most mornings 😲 www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Two helpful/painful dating lessons I've been forced to learn: 1) Don't date someone's potential, decide if you want to date them based on who they are *right now*. 2) Don't date someone if you find yourself making excuses for them to friends, family and above all in your own head.

On it goes and goes – seven years after the fall of Mugabe, Zimbabweans are still crossing the border into an increasingly hostile South Africa, from one unliveable situation to what is often another. Report by Yousra Elbagir Zikhona Tshona Garwen McLuckie: news.sky.com/story/as-ant...

“Everyone deserves to have the power of music in their lives, no matter where they are born..." Wonderful piece from @khoureld.bsky.social about Ghetto Classics, which introduces children from some of Nairobi's poorest neighbourhoods to classical music: www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/1...

'The Long Wave', curated by @jaseokundaye.bsky.social and @nesrinemalik.bsky.social for @theguardian.com, is such a joyful shot of interesting information, cultural excitement and beautiful storytelling. Here's the first one of 2025, with lots to look forward: www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...

"You can't clean up humans" – Tim Minchin is always full of so many interesting ideas, with an offbeat twist that seems to come from living in places like my also-home of Western Australia, here interviewed thoughtfully by @krishgm.bsky.social: www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9wR...

'"It's about entrepreneurship. And I think, unfortunately, we are going to see a period of survival of the fittest."' Or survival of the most ruthless? With such a crisis in the UK's screen industries, I can only fear for the working conditions also: www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....

A spectacular sky-show from West Australia to end 2024 – the afterglow and are those faint pink crepuscular rays? First star too, as seen from Cottesloe Beach...