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This is it -- the first edition of Ekō News. We're going to send you the first few editions just like we send other emails -- but if you want to keep receiving them, sign up for our new (and free) Substack, here! (For more information see our original introduction email below.) If you're also already receiving it via Substack, we apologize for the short-term inconvenience. In the meantime, enjoy the first edition -- and since we're just developing it, please send along any feedback about what you'd like to see more or less of (just reply to this email)! Away we go... Hello and welcome to the first edition of the Ekō newsletter. Today we’re covering the Gaza flotilla, a global sea treaty, and a Thai law against smog. No stunt
Activist Greta Thunberg is pushing back against claims that the Gaza flotilla, which aims to bring aid relief to the territory as Israel’s genocidal war continues, is a publicity stunt. During an interview with the BBC, Thunberg said: “First of all I don’t think anyone would risk their lives for a publicity stunt. Second of all, if you think it’s a publicity stunt, have you asked people in Gaza if they consider this a publicity stunt?” The flotilla is approaching Gaza and is now being supported with vessels from the Italian and Spanish militaries. It is expected to reach the region by Tuesday or Wednesday, barring stop and seizure by the Israeli Navy. (BBC) (The Independent) (Reuters)
In other newsThe Global High Seas Treaty was codified into international law, protecting biodiversity in two thirds of the planet’s oceans. “The high seas don’t belong to anyone. What exists there is everyone’s.”—Julio Cordano, Chilean diplomat who helped negotiate the agreement. Corporate interests, unsurprisingly, pushed back against the agreement, with deep-sea mining and fishing interests most opposed. (New York Times) (Inside Climate News) (Climate Change News)
A Thai law that would address the levels of smog in the country is in limbo due to political instability in the country. The law, which was announced September 22, primarily addresses crop burning and will begin implementation next January 1.
A federal grant to help rural healthcare was canceled, part of the Trump administration’s war on Harvard. “At a time when the U.S. health system is straining to reach all the people who need help, when hospitals are going bankrupt, when more and more of our paychecks are going to cover the rising costs of health care, this is a moment for mobile health clinics to shine. Just a small investment makes a huge difference.”—Mary-Kathryn Fallon, associate director of finance and operations for The Family Van and Mobile Health Map.
Here’s your campaign of the day.
Israel’s ongoing campaign of genocide against Gaza is hitting against public opinion as the world increasingly objects to the slaughter—and advocates are targeting the UEFA as the next pressure point. World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy are this week, but the UEFA vote on whether to suspend Israel could also come in the next few days. The US and Israel are lobbying hard to prevent the vote at all, but UEFA members can force a vote if a dozen countries agree to make the organization hold an emergency meeting. We need your signature to show support for UEFA countries to take a stand:  Thanks for reading! PS: In case you missed it earlier, here's the original email about this new project: John, Ekō is starting something new. For more than a decade, we’ve kept you informed about ways we can use our collective power to push back against corporate abuse and corruption. And we’ve had a massive impact, filing shareholder resolutions, changing policies, buying and protecting forests, and more. Now, we’re offering a different way to keep up to date on Ekō’s campaigns and mission. It’s called Ekō News, and it’s a new project on the newsletter platform Substack. To launch it, we’re working with Eoin Higgins, a US-based journalist whose work has focused on corporate corruption and power. His book, Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left, delves into how Silicon Valley’s conservative lean has led to a takeover of alternative media—and offers a history of characters like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and others. Ekō News will publish twice a week, giving a digest of stories we’re following about corporate (mis)behaviour, and taking a deeper dive into one story or character from the news. We’ll also interview people making change and show you the impact of our work together. Please sign up today—we hope to see you there. (It’s free, but we’d love support for the new initiative and there will be an option for a paid subscription, too.) |
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