Dear Colleagues,

We start this week’s intro with the Call for IHP correspondents 2026. If you fit the criteria, we hope you apply! Deadline: 15 January.

The global health week started with the UHC High-Level Forum in Tokyo (6 Dec),  featuring among others the launch of a UHC knowledge hub and a bunch of  national health compacts. The day before, however, all eyes had been on the 2026 World Cup Football draw ceremony in Washington DC, where FIFA’s Gianni Infantino handed the inaugural “FIFA peace prize”  to Trump. While some observers were slightly carried away, claiming “The world comes together and fútbol is a ‘bridge to peace’”, we reckon WHO staff must by now be “super proud” of the WHO-FIFA partnership.  

Also end of last week, the new US national security strategy  was launched, painting Europe as weak and facing ‘civilisational erasure’.  Brought back some memories of that cheerful Tiffany song  from the 80s, “I think we’re alone now…” : )  Anyway, I don’t want to...