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Els Torreele

Els Torreele

@elstorreele.bsky.social

570 followers 620 following 100 posts

Interested in Shifting Powers towards Health Equity, Economic Justice, post-Finance Capitalism, Climate Justice, Equitable Access to Medicines and Vaccines, and a better future for all of us. Founding Director of æqua.

Environmental science 28%

Economics 20%

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Els Torreele @elstorreele.bsky.social · Jul 4

👇 Podcast: Reflecting on the deadly impact of US global health funding cuts incl stopping people's #AccessToMedicines, I talk about the root causes of #access dependency and why pharmaceutical self-reliance for public health purpose is a strategic priority.

open.spotify.com/episode/64o8...

Rethinking Global Health, Aid Funding and HIV Response

Make Medicines Affordable · Episode

open.spotify.com

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 22h

A reminder that seven years ago almost to the day, the CIA determined that Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of @washingtonpost.com journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.

www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...

CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination

Audio recordings, intercepted phone calls and other intelligence link Mohammed bin Salman to killing that Saudis say was conducted by rogue elements.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Els Torreele

Oliver Classen @oliclassen.bsky.social · 22h

50 years after the baby formula scandal, @publiceye.ch shows that, regarding sugar, a similar malpractice continues.

In an open letter, 19 civil society organisations in 13 countries are calling on Nestlé to put an end to inacceptable double standard.

www.publiceye.ch/en/topics/cr...

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Meredith Broussard, Ian Hall , and 10 more Joanna Bryson, Meredith Broussard, Ian Hall, Paul E. Smaldino, Cathy N. Davidson, Melanie C. Green, Alan Richardson, Els Torreele, Michael H. Whitworth, David Murakami Wood, Gary Sheffield, Frederik Dhondt, Elisa Freschi

Felipe Gaona @felipegaonar.bsky.social · 5d

Open AI loses copyright case in Germany.

Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."

Blow for OpenAI in Germany as court rules song lyrics used illegally

A German court ruled on Tuesday that OpenAI violated copyright on nine popular songs in a lawsuit that marked another attempt to prevent the free use of artists' content online. The Munich Regional Co...

Reposted by Els Torreele

Health Policy Watch - Global health news reporting @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social · 5d

🌍 Brazil launches the Belém Health Action Plan at #COP30 — a roadmap to protect 3.3B people from climate-driven health threats.

But nations offered zero new finance. Only a $300M philanthropic pledge vs >$11B/yr needed for a basic plan.

@cleanairfund.bsky.social @wellcometrust.bsky.social
📖⬇️ & 🙏🔁

Brazil Wins Limited Backing For COP30 Climate-Health Plan, But Nations Commit No Finance - Health Policy Watch

Brazil launched a sweeping climate-health action plan on Thursday, named after the COP30 host city in the Amazon, winning initial endorsements from roughly

healthpolicy-watch.news

Reposted by Els Torreele

euobserver — EU news that matters @euobserver.com · 6d

The European Parliament’s biggest political group, the centre-right European People’s Party, has teamed up with the far right to roll back major parts of the EU’s green corporate rulebook.

EU conservatives join far-right to gut green rules

The European Parliament’s biggest political group, the centre-right European People’s Party, has teamed up with the far right to roll back major parts of the EU’s green corporate rulebook.

Reposted by Beatriz Gallardo Paúls, Els Torreele, Clean Clothes Campaign

European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) @eccjorg.bsky.social · 6d

🚨For the first time, @europarl.europa.eu has adopted a legislative mandate thanks to an alliance between conservatives & the far right

This vote marks a dangerous turning point for EU democracy. When anti-EU forces & lobbies write the rules, accountability dies
corporatejustice.org/news/press-r...

PRESS RELEASE European Parliament’s far-right alliance adopts position on Omnibus I: Corporate capture on full display, written for the few not for people or planet - ECCJ

corporatejustice.org

Reposted by Els Torreele

Frances Ryan @francesryan.bsky.social · 6d

“Policies that favour the interests of the working class are disregarded as a fantasy, whereas those that push wealth and power towards the rich are seen as a realistic status quo.”

My col. on a politics and media that normalises Reform and dismisses the Greens. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Labour’s rebuttal to the Green party this week sums up the double standard that dogs our politics | Frances Ryan

Why is it that the politics of hope offered up by the left is dismissed as naive, while the policies of the centre and right are portrayed as all that is possible? asks Guardian columnist Frances Ryan

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Raffaella Ravinetto, Richard Larouche, Els Torreele

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 6d

The fact that children in 2025 are suffering from diseases that should have been consigned to history is not just a public health failure. It is a moral failure.

www.statnews.com/2025/11/12/c...

Kids have a right to vaccinations. Let's bring in the lawyers

Children suffering from diseases that should have been consigned to history is a moral failure. Access to vaccines is a human right.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Colin F. Camerer, Els Torreele, Brian Keegan

Brooke Harrington @ebharrington.bsky.social · 6d

What the Epstein files show is the *solidarity* of many men-across class, race, religion, profession & party affiliation-in the global political project of keeping the boot on women's necks.

People have no problem understanding class solidarity among the rich. Why can't they see gender solidarity?

Molly McKew @mollymckew.bsky.social · 6d

Like I dunno, maybe the reason it took a lady to break open the story of all the men protecting the dude trafficking underage girls is because the male journos were all emailing him making jokes about it?

Reposted by Els Torreele

just2crazy.bsky.social @just2crazy.bsky.social · 6d

For all is MAGA fans.

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Alan Richardson, Els Torreele , and 2 more Rosemary A. Joyce, Alan Richardson, Els Torreele, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Lorna Hughes

maura quint @mauraquint.bsky.social · 6d

One of my earliest moments of radicalization was in 2005 when Larry Summers said that women biologically have less aptitude for science than men. Following that, scores of equally unimpressive people wrote pieces trying to explain or justify his remarks, when they should have called for his removal.

Reposted by Els Torreele

Dr Oddman - Fighting Fascism @droddman.bsky.social · 7d

The EU has let US tech giants run riot. Diluting our data law will only entrench their power

The GDPR is Europe’s defence against digital oligarchy, child harm and foreign political interference. Deregulation plans are misguided
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The EU has let US tech giants run riot. Diluting our data law will only entrench their power | Johnny Ryan and Georg Riekeles

The GDPR is Europe’s defence against digital oligarchy and child harm. Deregulation plans are misguided, say Johnny Ryan and Georg Riekeles

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Els Torreele

Wemos @wemos.org · 9d

💊💰🔎 What is needed to improve pharma market transparency?

Some answers from our event with @hai-org.bsky.social at the European Parliament, co-hosted by MEPs Romana Jerković and @tillymetz.bsky.social:

🤝 More international collaboration
💪 Political will
📜 Binding obligations

Let's make it happen!

Reposted by Els Torreele

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 9d

Every personal attack.

Every attempt to distract or to divide.

It energises, strengthens and empowers our movement.

Lower bills. Tax billionaires. Join us.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The right can mock my teeth all it wants – it shows the Greens have struck a nerve | Zack Polanski

As a politician, I expect opposition and debate. But when it centres on personal insults, not policies, something else is going on, says the leader of the Green party, Zack Polanski

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Els Torreele

RichardJR @electricbluesfan.bsky.social · 11d

10/10 Usrof: "without reform this process will not save the world, and instead, will just help bury it.”

The UN responded that "national governments have sole authority to decide who is in their delegations."

By Nina Lakhani, The Guardian www.theguardian.com/environment/...

How thousands of fossil fuel lobbyists got access to UN climate talks – and then kept drilling

Exclusive: Research shows oil, gas and coal firms’ unprecedented access to Cop26-29, blocking urgent climate action

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Axel Bruns, Kelly R. Zamudio , and 9 more Jonathan A. Eisen, Axel Bruns, Kelly R. Zamudio, John McLaren, Smith, Jérôme Denis, Rebecca Tushnet, Carlos Nunes Silva, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Els Torreele, Pieter Vantieghem, Anne Hilborn

Terry McGlynn @hormiga.bsky.social · 11d

Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...

DNA scientist James Watson has a remarkably long history of sexist, racist public comments

“People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty,” he said in 2003. “I think it would be great.”

Reposted by Els Torreele

Nina Schwalbe, MPH, PhD @nschwalbe.bsky.social · 11d

🔥In related news, leaked docs show US plans to tie HIV, TB & malaria support to pathogen sharing with no obligation of the US to share medical countermeasures in return.

🤚Stakeholders were firm: no bilateral deals.

healthpolicy-watch.news/exclusive-us...

EXCLUSIVE: US Ties Global Health Aid To Data Sharing On Pathogens – Undermining WHO Talks - Health Policy Watch

The United States (US) aims to compel countries that receive its aid to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria to share all information about “pathogens with

healthpolicy-watch.news

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12d

Trump to the Novo Nordisk CEO: "Maybe you should give us a piece of the company like I've been asking for."

Reposted by Benjamin Braun, Robin Celikates, William A. Allen , and 2 more Benjamin Braun, Robin Celikates, William A. Allen, Els Torreele, Sylvain Genevois

Isabella M. Weber @isabellamweber.bsky.social · 13d

If guaranteeing essentials sounds radical in 2025, it speaks to how far we’ve drifted from democracy’s core promise. Markets will not save democracy.

My new piece for @theguardian.com:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Zohran Mamdani shows how Democrats can defeat authoritarians like Trump | Isabella Weber

Democrats have two choices: fight to make life affordable again for ordinary people or watch voters embrace authoritarians

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Els Torreele

Bylines Network @bylinesnetwork.co.uk · 17d

Wealth taxes are back on the agenda – and Prof Richard Murphy shows why the data demands them.

200 years of evidence: capitalism funnels wealth upward unless govts intervene. So what's stopping them?

His must-read analysis👇

@eastangliabylines.co.uk @richardjmurphy.bsky.social with thanks

How capitalism drives inequality: and how to stop it

Wealth taxes are on Rachel Reeves’ agenda. Thomas Piketty has shown why it matters, and how we could stop the growth of inequality

eastangliabylines.co.uk

Reposted by Els Torreele

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 17d

“The more proximate you are to people’s lived realities, and the more embedded you are, the less distanced by class you are, the more you see. The higher you go…the higher your propensity to not be very useful.”

@seyeabimbola.bsky.social

www.ontheory.com/interviews/s...

Seye Abimbola | On Theory

Seye Abimbola wants us to stop mistaking prestige for insight – and inclusion for equity. At a bustling restaurant tucked into a leafy corner of the University of Sydney, Associate Professor Seye Abim...

www.ontheory.com

Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Tuomas Mattila, Robin Celikates , and 2 more Rebecca Solnit, Tuomas Mattila, Robin Celikates, Els Torreele, Florian Keller

Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social · 18d

"You can’t reboot the planet if you crash it" | My commentary on Bill Gates' flawed new climate missive for @thebulletin.org: thebulletin.org/2025/10/you-...

You can’t reboot the planet if you crash it

What Gates is putting forward aren’t legitimate arguments that can be made in good faith. They are shopworn fossil fuel industry talking points.

thebulletin.org

Reposted by Els Torreele

The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 19d

Reminder: Here's what Nigel Farage tried to take away from you this week...

SOME OF THE THINGS THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS GIVES US
Protection from torture
Right to a fair trial Right to privacy & family life
Freedom of expression
Freedom of religion & belief
Freedom of assembly
Protection from discrimination
Right to free & fair elections
Accountability for the state
Prohibition of slavery & forced labour
Green Party
Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Partv, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Rebecca Solnit, Jonathan A. Eisen , and 23 more Anna O. Law, Rebecca Solnit, Jonathan A. Eisen, Erich Fromm, Euan G. Ritchie, Peter Murphy, Scott L. Greer, Steven French, Leigh Sparks, Cathy N. Davidson, Alan Clarke, David S. Cohen, Alan Richardson, R. M. Wilson, Laura Huenneke, Gerald Friedman, Robert B. Reich, Kate A. Ratliff, Els Torreele, Michael H. Whitworth, Anne Norton, Henry Jones, Sue Timmis, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Colin Woodard, Peter Bergman

Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 20d

Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.

Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.

They are not the same.

Reposted by Els Torreele

Jason Hickel @jasonhickel.bsky.social · 20d

You honestly cannot make this up. The level of impunity, the total disregard for international norms, is just staggering.

Reposted by Els Torreele

mattherder.bsky.social @mattherder.bsky.social · 21d

For those attending the #BuildingBridges conference in #Amsterdam, I’m re-upping this recent paper documenting the challenges with conditional approval mechanisms. It’s US-focused but insights relevant abroad.

academic.oup.com/healthaffair...

Cc @elstorreele.bsky.social @fatimahassan.bsky.social

Flexibility Over Rigor: Stakeholder Acceptance of the Limitations of Confirmatory Studies Following Accelerated Approval

Despite the importance of postmarketing requirements (PMRs) following accelerated approval and well-recognized shortcomings in their rigor and timeliness,

academic.oup.com

Reposted by Els Torreele

The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 21d

A new report shows the US’s super-rich are burning through carbon emissions at 4,000 times the speed of the world’s poorest 10%.

Some would have you believe climate action has to cost you money. They're lying.

Tax the polluters. Tax the super-rich.

Visual representation of the richest 0.1%'s carbon emissions being 4000x larger than the poorest 10%'s

Source: Oxfam

Green Party
Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Gerald Friedman, Els Torreele , and 2 more Joe R. Feagin, Gerald Friedman, Els Torreele, Daryl Adair, Christina Pagel

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 22d

Fentanyl and coke are the new “weapons of mass destruction” lie. It’s Iraq all over again, folks. It’s always about controlling the oil.

A tweet from Morgan J. Freeman states:
“FACT: Venezuela is NOT a major producer of cocaine.
They do not have large cocaine factories.
They do not produce fentanyl either.
What Venezuela does have is the world’s largest oil reserves.”

Reposted by Els Torreele

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 22d

Last week:

-Trump pardoned Binance's founder after a $2B deal with his crypto firm
-Hegseth awards a DoD contract to a Don Jr.-backed firm
-Trump orders his DOJ cronies pay him $230M in "compensation"

We must not become numb to this. https://popular.info/p/3-scandals-in-4-days-that-would-define

3 Scandals in 4 Days That Would Define Any Other Presidency

During the second Trump administration, corruption scandals that would typically define a presidency receive a day or tw

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Rosemary A. Joyce, Juan Cole , and 5 more Shannon Vallor, Rosemary A. Joyce, Juan Cole, Alan Richardson, Ben Worthy, Will Lowe, Bessma Momani, Els Torreele

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.bsky.social · 26d

dear US friends, when a sitting president (re)builds the seat of government, it almost always means the president has no intention of leaving at the end of term. your African friends with decades of experience