Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · 9d

Congratulations Madhu! This is so, so exciting.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 13d

The world is hot — and only getting hotter. Here's what places around the globe are doing to keep cool, from repainting surfaces and installing outdoor showers to planting trees and going underground. nyti.ms/46CXyqn

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European Greens @europeangreens.eu · 17d

😢 How are flights so much cheaper than trains?
Indeed, why are we forced to pick between cheap & polluting and expensive & sustainable?

Well @greenpeace.eu has the answer: subsidies and MASSIVE tax breaks.

A bright green poster with bold white and pink text at the top: “TRAINS ARE TOO OFTEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN FLIGHTS.” Below it reads: “Sustainable travel shouldn’t be a luxury.” A color-coded map of Europe shows the proportion of cross-border train routes that are more expensive than flights for the same journey. Colors: green (0–20%), yellow (20–40%), orange (40–60%), red (60–80%), purple (80–100%). For example, Spain, Portugal, and the UK are shaded purple (80–100%), while countries like Poland and Czechia are shaded green (0–20%). At the bottom, source text reads: “Greenpeace, Ticket Prices Of Planes Vs Trains, 2025. Only countries for which at least 4 cross-border routes met the methodological criteria are included in the Scorecard.”

Green background with bold text: “WHY ARE TRAINS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PLANES?” Below is a comparison table with icons of a plane and a train at the top. Two rows:
VAT on international travel: Plane = “NO” (pink), Train = “YES” (yellow).
Kerosene/energy tax: Plane = “NO” (pink), Train = “YES” (yellow).
The chart highlights that flights avoid taxes trains must pay. Source: Greenpeace, Ticket Prices Of Planes Vs Trains, 2025.

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · 17d

Important new @thelancet.com paper on Benchmarking progress in non-communicable diseases: a global analysis of cause-specific mortality from 2001 to 2019 www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Benchmarking progress in non-communicable diseases: a global analysis of cause-specific mortality from 2001 to 2019

From 2010 to 2019, NCD mortality declined in four of every five countries in the world. These improvements were not as large as the preceding decade for most countries, driven by smaller declines in m...

www.thelancet.com

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Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · 17d

Nigeria is reimagining the future of health financing 🇳🇬

At a national dialogue in Abuja, leaders committed to strengthening UHC through evidence-informed reform.

@robertmarten.bsky.social represented the Alliance at the meeting, sharing global experiences.

🔗 ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/new...

ahpsr.who.int

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · 21d

Of course they do! www.reuters.com/business/hea...

www.reuters.com

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 21d

There’s no upside to air pollution.

Air pollution can affect how well we sleep, scientists discover

Global metastudy finds long-term exposure to pollutants is linked to shorter or lower-quality rest

www.theguardian.com

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @drtedros.who.int · Sep 7

Clean air should not be a luxury. It’s a right.

Where you live shouldn't determine your health. But it does.

On #WorldCleanAirDay, @who.int calls on leaders to take action & tackle this unfairness.

Reducing air pollution helps prevent heart disease, asthma & lung cancer — saving millions of lives

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · Sep 6

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Drugs, diet and AI: the ‘gamechanger’ new findings on tackling heart conditions

Five areas of focus at world’s largest heart conference said to mark ‘turning point’ in cardiology and patient care

www.theguardian.com

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Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Sep 4

I really wish Global North folk had the reflexivity and humility to stop lecturing Global South folk on corruption, lack of governance and accountability

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Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · Aug 25

The responses to our #HS2050 survey far have been thought-provoking and diverse, so far.

To make sure no one misses out, we’re extending the deadline for response to 2 September.

Share your insights today: www.ahpsr.org/health-syste...

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · Aug 15

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/w...

U.S. Drinking Drops to New Low, Poll Finds

www.nytimes.com

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Reuters @reuters.com · Nov 27

The FBI has been investigating whether a Washington consultant working for Exxon Mobil was involved in a sprawling hack-and-leak operation that targeted hundreds of high-profile environmentalists, sources told Reuters reut.rs/41qeO1t

Exclusive: Exxon lobbyist investigated over hack-and-leak of environmentalist emails, sources say

The FBI has been investigating a longtime Exxon Mobil consultant over the contractor's alleged role in a hack-and-leak operation that targeted hundreds of the oil company’s biggest critics, according to three people familiar with the matter.

reut.rs

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lumberjack wharfie @lumberjackwharfie.bsky.social · May 23

It doesn't get reiterated enough that "human on a bicycle" is not only the most efficient way that a person can move, it's the most efficient form of motion ***ever observed in land animals***.

exp-log scale chart showing various animals and forms of human motion with the X-axis being kilograms on an exponential scale and the Y-axis being cost of transport in calories per gram per kilometer on a logarithmic scale

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · Jul 18

Glad to see this in #Ethiopia: www.afro.who.int/countries/et...

Ethiopia Takes Bold Strides on Health Taxes to Drive Universal Health Coverage

WHO applauds Parliament and Ministry of Health for championing legislative reforms on health taxes Adama, Ethiopia | June 2025

www.afro.who.int

WHO @who.int · Jul 3

Tax harmful products, not people.

Alcohol consumption can impact your mental health & lead to higher risks of heart disease & cancers.

WHO calls on countries to raise taxes on tobacco, alcohol & sugary drinks to save lives & invest in health. 🔗 bit.ly/40A3T3N #Tax4Health

Infographic with the headline: 'Alcohol consumption is rising among young people, leading to higher risks of'. Below the text are three boxes labeled: 'Heart diseases', 'Liver inflammation', and 'Certain types of cancer'.

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Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · Jul 3

The Alliance proudly supports @who.int new #3by35 Initiative – raising taxes on tobacco, alcohol & sugary drinks to save lives and fund stronger health systems.

Research we have supported shows health taxes work. Time to turn evidence into action.

🔗 www.who.int/initiatives/...

Health Taxes 3 by 35 Initiative

The 3 by 35 Initiative aims to revitalize health taxes as a powerful tool to reduce harmful consumption, save lives, and generate vital public revenue.

www.who.int

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Nina Lakhani @ninalakhani.bsky.social · Jun 30

By me: leading UN climate special rapporteur, Elisa Morgera, urges criminalizing fossil fuel disinformation, banning lobbying, advertising, fracking, subsidies

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

UN expert urges criminalizing fossil fuel disinformation, banning lobbying

Rapporteur calls for defossilization of economies and urgent reparations to avert ‘catastrophic’ rights and climate harms

www.theguardian.com

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @drtedros.who.int · Jun 16

Many countries are facing a severe health financing crunch. Health budgets have been under pressure and dramatic cuts in official development assistance have turned the screw even tighter. Now is the time to accelerate the transition to sustainable health financing: bit.ly/g7Canada #G7

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · May 22

Happy to share this exciting new work we are doing with fantastic teams in eight countries to improve #NCD service delivery ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/new...

Inception meeting sets the stage for new implementation research to improve noncommunicable disease service delivery across eight countries

The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research convened an inception workshop at the beginning of May to launch a new portfolio of implementation research projects focused on strengthening noncom...

ahpsr.who.int

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The Global Climate And Health Alliance @gchalliance.bsky.social · May 21

🛑 Banning #fossilfuels ads is an essential #publichealth intervention. "Like with tobacco, it's about removing the industry's platform to mislead the public" write @jenimiller.bsky.social &
Jemilah Mahmood @sustaincosm.bsky.social
www.context.news/just-transit...

Fossil fuel adverts are today’s tobacco. Cities must ban them | Context by TRF

The promotion of oil, coal and gas is poisoning our environment, driving climate change and slowing the clean energy transition

www.context.news

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @drtedros.who.int · May 21

$2.1 billion is the equivalent of 🌍 military expenditure every 8h

$2.1 billion is the price of 1 stealth bomber

$2.1 billion is 1/4 of what the tobacco industry spends on advertising & promotion every year.

It seems somebody switched the price tags on what is truly valuable in our world.

#WHA78

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Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · May 20

At a #WHA78 side event, countries shared how #HealthTaxes can fund systems & save lives.

Read highlights from Tonga, Thailand, Ghana & the Philippines, plus reflections from @HelenClarkNZ, WHO & partners: ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/new...

Panellists gather at the lunchtime side event called Health taxes for a healthy future in Geneva.

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @drtedros.who.int · May 19

We are here to serve not our own interests, but the eight billion people of our world;

To leave a heritage for those who come after us;

And to work together for a healthier, more peaceful and more equitable world.

#WHA78

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · May 15

Hope to see you on Monday in Geneva to talk about #healthtaxes with @helenclarknz.bsky.social @alliancehpsr.bsky.social over lunch ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/eve...

Health taxes for a healthy future: realizing fiscal opportunities for health and health care financing

Every year, more than 10 million people die unnecessarily from consuming tobacco, alcohol and sugary beverages. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises constraining fiscal space, financi...

ahpsr.who.int

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Katie Surma @katiesurma.bsky.social · May 14

Fossil fuel companies spent decades misleading the public about what they knew about climate change and the dangers of the products they were selling.

A new report details how those companies did it—and how their efforts are evolving today

insideclimatenews.org/news/1405202...

How the World’s Most Powerful Corporations Have Fought Accountability for Climate Change - Inside Climate News

A new report draws on internal company documents and other public records to comprehensively outline the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long campaign to mislead the public and avoid paying for their p...

insideclimatenews.org

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · May 12

drilled.media/news/drilled...

Reuters, New York Times Top List of Fossil Fuel Industry’s Favorite Media Partners

Taking a hard look at the media industry’s relationship with the fossil fuel industry.

drilled.media

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · May 12

Please join us next Monday to talk about health taxes 👇

Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · May 8

💸 Health taxes save lives and raise revenue – so why aren’t more countries using them?

Join us 19 May, 12:00–14:00 in Geneva during #WHA78 to explore barriers & opps for #HealthTaxes w/ leaders incl. @HelenClarkNZ, Ana Akauola & @AlisonDDCox.

Register > ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/eve...

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Robert Marten @robertmarten.bsky.social · May 9

👇👇👇

Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · May 8

💸 Health taxes save lives and raise revenue – so why aren’t more countries using them?

Join us 19 May, 12:00–14:00 in Geneva during #WHA78 to explore barriers & opps for #HealthTaxes w/ leaders incl. @HelenClarkNZ, Ana Akauola & @AlisonDDCox.

Register > ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/eve...

Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research @alliancehpsr.bsky.social · May 8

💸 Health taxes save lives and raise revenue – so why aren’t more countries using them?

Join us 19 May, 12:00–14:00 in Geneva during #WHA78 to explore barriers & opps for #HealthTaxes w/ leaders incl. @HelenClarkNZ, Ana Akauola & @AlisonDDCox.

Register > ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/eve...

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