John Birch
@fandw.bsky.social
Faith | folkie 🎵 | writer | birder | rambler | gardener | Wales | justice | peace | photos mine | www.faithandworship.com
This is a serious issue if kids are getting addicted aged 12, and damaging their bladder so badly!
Ketamine addiction making teenagers wet the bed, says UK’s first specialist clinic
Medics in Liverpool say intervention is needed to save children from ‘a miserable life’ of bladder problems
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2026 at 6:26 PM
This is a serious issue if kids are getting addicted aged 12, and damaging their bladder so badly!
Reposted by John Birch
"We are not a perfect people. Yet, we are called to a perfect mission. Our mission: to feed the hungry; to clothe the naked; to house the homeless; to teach the illiterate; to provide jobs for the jobless; and to choose the human race over the nuclear race (1984)." #JesseJackson #PrayForAmerica
February 18, 2026 at 12:46 PM
"We are not a perfect people. Yet, we are called to a perfect mission. Our mission: to feed the hungry; to clothe the naked; to house the homeless; to teach the illiterate; to provide jobs for the jobless; and to choose the human race over the nuclear race (1984)." #JesseJackson #PrayForAmerica
Well! Jenrick obviously knows how the tax system works, so should be a class choice for chancellor 🙄
#Reform
#Reform
🚨 BREAKING: Nigel Farage has announced that Robert Jenrick will be Reform UK's Shadow Chancellor
February 18, 2026 at 12:59 PM
Well! Jenrick obviously knows how the tax system works, so should be a class choice for chancellor 🙄
#Reform
#Reform
Child sex abuse is becoming increasingly complex to police and officers are arresting an average of 1,000 potential offenders each month, the National Crime Agency (NCA) says.
Child abuse on the rise and becoming more complex, crime agency says
Police cannot tackle the issue alone, the NCA says, and technology companies must do more.
buff.ly
February 18, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Child sex abuse is becoming increasingly complex to police and officers are arresting an average of 1,000 potential offenders each month, the National Crime Agency (NCA) says.
Litter pickers say they are "overwhelmed" by the amount of plastic they have found on the shoreline at Howar Sands in Sanday over the last few days
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'It's overwhelming': Plastic from 1960s Canada washes up on Orkney's Sanday
One litter picker says he has seen a huge increase in the amount of plastic washing up on Sanday this year.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 18, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Litter pickers say they are "overwhelmed" by the amount of plastic they have found on the shoreline at Howar Sands in Sanday over the last few days
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A prayer-poem for today on the spiritual journey of faith
February 18, 2026 at 10:15 AM
A prayer-poem for today on the spiritual journey of faith
Doesn’t like to answer the awkward questions……
Nigel Farage lashes out at a FT journalist and refuses to answer the question.
Is this how Reform UK would ignore media questions if they got into government?
Is this how Reform UK would ignore media questions if they got into government?
February 17, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Doesn’t like to answer the awkward questions……
Reposted by John Birch
"I am somebody. I am a somebody. I am a child of God. I may not be educated but I am somebody. I may not have any money but I am somebody. I may not eat steak every day but I am somebody. I may not look the way you look but I am somebody (1968)." #JesseJackson
February 17, 2026 at 1:58 PM
"I am somebody. I am a somebody. I am a child of God. I may not be educated but I am somebody. I may not have any money but I am somebody. I may not eat steak every day but I am somebody. I may not look the way you look but I am somebody (1968)." #JesseJackson
Bless our feet
that they might tread
the path prepared…
(If you like the Celtic-inspired prayers shared here you can find more via buff.ly/rVJSx8d )
that they might tread
the path prepared…
(If you like the Celtic-inspired prayers shared here you can find more via buff.ly/rVJSx8d )
February 17, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Bless our feet
that they might tread
the path prepared…
(If you like the Celtic-inspired prayers shared here you can find more via buff.ly/rVJSx8d )
that they might tread
the path prepared…
(If you like the Celtic-inspired prayers shared here you can find more via buff.ly/rVJSx8d )
London gangs recruit children on Snapchat to steal iPhones for £380!
London gangs recruit children on Snapchat to steal iPhones for £380
The Metropolitan police is deploying drones and ebikes to help catch adolescent phone thieves
buff.ly
February 17, 2026 at 1:54 PM
London gangs recruit children on Snapchat to steal iPhones for £380!
Medics in UK and US say they have been barred from Gaza after speaking out.
Medics in UK and US say they have been barred from Gaza after speaking out
Israel accused of denying doctors re-entry into territory after they gave first-hand testimony on conflict
www.theguardian.com
February 17, 2026 at 12:43 PM
Medics in UK and US say they have been barred from Gaza after speaking out.
February 16, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Couldn’t work out what went wrong, but it makes sense when you read this - one mistake can be all it needs to cause complete disaster
Anatomy of an upset: how Ilia Malinin lost Olympic figure skating gold
The Quad God entered the Olympic free skate in control. Seven minutes later, early errors and scoring reality produced one of skating’s most shocking finishes
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Couldn’t work out what went wrong, but it makes sense when you read this - one mistake can be all it needs to cause complete disaster
Rubio says US and Europe 'belong together' despite tensions. I get the impression that the EU distancing themselves from US re trade and tech wasn’t quite what the Trumpians had in mind
Marco Rubio says US and Europe 'belong together' despite tensions
The US secretary of state reassures European leaders that the Trump administration backs the transatlantic alliance.
buff.ly
February 15, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Rubio says US and Europe 'belong together' despite tensions. I get the impression that the EU distancing themselves from US re trade and tech wasn’t quite what the Trumpians had in mind
Reposted by John Birch
Obama: majority of American people find this behaviour deeply troubling. what's true is there doesn't seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum, a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
#Pinks
www.bbc.com/news/article...
#Pinks
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Obama addresses racist video shared by Trump depicting him as an ape
The former US president didn't name Trump, but lamented the lack of "shame" and "decorum" among public officials.
www.bbc.com
February 15, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Obama: majority of American people find this behaviour deeply troubling. what's true is there doesn't seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum, a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right?
#Pinks
www.bbc.com/news/article...
#Pinks
www.bbc.com/news/article...
'Serious climate breakdown' warning over filthy rivers and flooding
'Climate breakdown' warning over polluted rivers and flooding
From filthy rivers to flooding, Wales faces "mounting environmental crises on multiple fronts".
buff.ly
February 15, 2026 at 11:31 AM
'Serious climate breakdown' warning over filthy rivers and flooding
Nice bit of detective work to discover this!
Russia killed Alexei Navalny with frog toxin, UK and four European allies say
Intelligence agencies say deadly toxin in skin of Ecuador dart frogs found in Navalny’s body and highly likely resulted in his death
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Nice bit of detective work to discover this!
Red roses were found to be the worst, with one bunch containing traces of 26 different pesticides, half of which are banned for use in the EU.
‘Nothing says love like chemicals’: Valentine’s roses often covered in pesticides, testing finds
Bouquets imported to Europe found to be heavily contaminated, often with chemicals banned in EU and UK
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Red roses were found to be the worst, with one bunch containing traces of 26 different pesticides, half of which are banned for use in the EU.
Bitter dispute between Trump and EU over Gaza’s future breaks out into the open.
It would be wonderful to see even a glimmer of hope in this for the Palestinians…
It would be wonderful to see even a glimmer of hope in this for the Palestinians…
Bitter dispute between Trump and EU over Gaza’s future breaks out into the open
EU’s head of foreign policy claims ‘Board of Peace’ is vehicle for Trump with no accountability to Palestinians or UN
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 8:29 AM
Bitter dispute between Trump and EU over Gaza’s future breaks out into the open.
It would be wonderful to see even a glimmer of hope in this for the Palestinians…
It would be wonderful to see even a glimmer of hope in this for the Palestinians…
Reposted by John Birch
That exposed the heart of those with wealth and power: the suffering of their victims fades under the warm glow of more money and power.
February 13, 2026 at 1:04 PM
That exposed the heart of those with wealth and power: the suffering of their victims fades under the warm glow of more money and power.
Two jailed over plot to attack Jewish community in Manchester. Fantastic work by police to foil this one!
Two jailed over plot to attack Jewish community in Manchester
Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein planned to carry out an "Isis-inspired plot", a court hears.
buff.ly
February 13, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Two jailed over plot to attack Jewish community in Manchester. Fantastic work by police to foil this one!