Christine Gorman

The Survival of “Global Health” - Part One: WHO's Margaret Chan Sets the Stage

lauriegarrett.com — This week the nations of the world are gathered in Geneva for the sixty-sixth session of the World Health Assembly (WHA). The eight-day gathering can be thought of as the legislative proceedings of the World Health Organization (WHO), during which Ministries of Health, donors and NGOs haggle over individual words located within barely penetrable documents, often arguing through all-night sessions fueled by Swiss pizzas.

Wild poliovirus in the Horn of Africa

who.int — The Horn of Africa is currently experiencing an outbreak of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). A four-month-old girl near Dadaab, Kenya, developed symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) on 30 April 2013. Two healthy contacts of the child tested positive for WPV1. They are the first laboratory confirmed cases in Kenya since July 2011.

Moving to open-plan offices makes employees less productive, less happy and more likely to get sick

qz.com — A well-designed office is a happy office. As facilities managers strive to save space and cash, they're reshuffling desks and fiddling with temperature gauges. All of which has an impact on workers' performance. Open-plan offices may make some kinds of collaboration easier, but are they more conducive to productivity?

Tornado emergency: live updates

washingtonpost.com — Overview: A large, violent tornado has carved a long, destructive path on the south side of Oklahoma City. Doppler radar estimates suggest that twister has the potential to produce 200 mph, the equivalent of an EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

WHO warns Saudi coronavirus may be spreading; calls for urgent search for source

ottawacitizen.com — The World Health Organization has issued a blunt assessment of the coronavirus outbreak in Saudi Arabia, acknowledging for the first time that there are concerns the virus may be spreading from person to person, at least in a limited way. The statement called for urgent investigations to find the source of the virus and learn how it is infecting people.

La loi sur le mariage homosexuel validée par le Conseil constitutionnel

franceinfo.fr — Le Conseil constitutionnel a validé totalement vendredi la loi ouvrant le mariage et l'adoption à deux personnes de même sexe. Le Conseil constitutionnel avait été saisi par les députés et sénateurs UMP à la suite de l'adoption définitive du texte par le Parlement le 23 avril dernier.

Fracking Can Be Done Safely, but Will It Be?

scientificamerican.com — Fracking for natural gas doesn't have to be an environmental disaster, says a new report Out of sight (and smell), natural gas slowly bubbled up into Norma Fiorentino's private water well near the town of Dimock in northeastern Pennsylvania-in the heart of the new fracking boom in the U.S.