Dear Colleagues,

The week started with “diplomatic smartass” Dr. Tedros (or his speechwriter) finding once again the right words after the World Cup Football,while studiously avoiding mentioning WHO’s collaboration with FIFA for  reasons now  clear to almost everybody:  “Congratulations to #Spain, 2026 FIFA World Cup champions! The magic of football isn’t only on the pitch in a final. It’s in every game played in a park, a street or a schoolyard. Physical activity, at any level, protects your heart, mind and body. Keep moving.”      Well, you know I don’t need much convincing on the magic of football : )

This week’s IHP issue won’t delve into the Belgian National Day (21 July), as unlike in MAGA-land the link with global health isn’t that obvious in my country. In the PABS Odyssey, we cover analysis of the latest (7^th) round in Geneva – with two models on offer now (‘federated’ & ‘hybrid’). In New York, a UN High-level meeting on improving global road safety (20-21 July...