Nocturnal travel is going to be a thing?
The experts and I disagree on the future of travel.
Your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday briefing on global affairs, human rights, environment, social innovation, business, culture, and design—offering fresh insights through the lenses of sustainable development, women-centered perspectives, and emerging global trends. The aim? To keep you informed, curious, and always ready with a compelling conversation starter at the dinner table.
In today’s letter: The US Supreme Court delivers another blow to women’s rights, Colombia has adopted a feminist foreign policy, Lithuania plans to increase women in the military, African countries are adding tourism taxes for sustainable development, women artists bring in the money at Sotheby’s, updates on the Grand Egyptian Musuem, Ayo in WSJ mag, and much more.
Happy Friday!
We’re going to continue with 'This Week’s Treasures' at the top on a Friday, but I’m thinking of alternating each week with another interesting and interested woman. If you would like to take part in sharing five treasures, leave me a comment or send an email response to this letter!
Finally, new suitcases: My old Samsonites had been with me through thick and thin—eight years, 20+ countries—but they were starting to feel like I was dragging a boulder through the airport. So, with our summer travels looming, I decided it was time. I debated between Paravel and Antler, but Paravel went under just as I was about to click “buy.” (Tragic!) I ordered Antler in their classic green (medium and carry-on with the expander), and they were an absolute joy. Smooth, sturdy, beautiful. And with a lifetime guarantee? No notes.
A Madrid novel: I didn’t expect Bad Habit to knock the wind out of me the way it did—but Alana S. Portero’s debut is something extraordinary. I’d been hunting for a novel by a woman from Madrid that had been translated (shockingly difficult to find), and this one delivered in every way. It’s the story of a trans girl growing up in post-Franco Madrid, written with unflinching honesty and aching beauty. There’s brutality, yes—but also love, music, and the messy sisterhood of street queens and misfits who shape her becoming. It’s my top read of the year so far. If this is the quality of literature coming out of Madrid, more translations can’t come soon enough.
A wacky Argentinian film: On the flight home from Spain, I explored some contemporary Spanish-language cinema and stumbled upon Culpa Cero (“No Guilt”), an Argentine film that follows celebrated author Berta Muller as her literary empire unravels after she’s accused of plagiarising Buddha. What unfolds is a sharp, often surreal meditation on ego, denial, and self-destruction. Rather than accept blame, Berta spirals into a series of increasingly bizarre justifications, exposing the shadow side of ambition. It’s wacky in the best way—clever, chaotic, and entirely entertaining.
Espadrilles as souvenir: I’ve officially found my shoe of the summer: a brilliant pink pair of espadrilles from Chistera, picked up while in Biarritz. They needed a little breaking in, but they’ve since moulded beautifully to my feet, and I’ve already worn them four times in the past week with my favourite pink linen shift dress. Espadrilles have a rich heritage, dating back to Catalan folk dancing and the 14th-century Basque soldiers, making them the perfect kind of travel souvenir: practical, beautiful, and steeped in history.
Easy morning breakfast: An easy, nutrient-dense morning ritual: we’ve been blending smoothie cubes each day for a quick, wholesome breakfast. With a scoop of protein powder and a dash of matcha, it’s both energising and surprisingly filling. At around $3.50 per smoothie and made with clean, high-quality ingredients, it’s a simple and satisfying way to start the day with intention.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision yesterday in Medina v. Planned Parenthood has delivered a consequential blow to civil rights, reproductive justice, and the principle of medical agency. In a 6–3 ruling (you can guess the split), the Court sided with South Carolina’s restriction on Medicaid recipients choosing their own doctor (such as Planned Parenthood) despite the federal Medicaid statute explicitly guaranteeing patients the right to choose any qualified provider. Shutting Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid networks could effectively defund the organisation—a longtime objective of conservative politicians and a stated aim of Project 2025. This case, though not legally about abortion, reflects the strategic use of anti-abortion sentiment to undermine broader rights, particularly those of low-income women. More troubling still is the Court’s reinterpretation of Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871, stripping away the ability to sue the state for civil rights violations unless Congress uses impossibly “clear” language. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent warned of an ongoing erosion of foundational civil rights protections. This decision underscores an alarming judicial trend: one that reinterprets legislative ambiguity to erode hard-won freedoms and restrict vulnerable communities’ access to justice, healthcare, and dignity. The scariest part? They’re not even hiding it. This decision should terrify anyone who believes in basic bodily autonomy, civil rights, or the power to hold government accountable. And it should strengthen our resolve. Because if courts can erase choice with the stroke of a pen, we need to be louder, more organised, and more defiant than ever.
Colombia has become the eighth country (and third in Latin America) to adopt an official feminist foreign policy. They join the ranks of Sweden, Canada, Mexico, and others redefining diplomacy through an intersectional lens. Framed as participative, pacifist, and inclusive, the new policy commits Colombia to centring gender equality and LGBTQIA+ rights in international trade, migration, environmental leadership, and diplomacy while also challenging global hierarchies from within the Global South. I’m especially struck by how Colombia is weaving climate justice, migrant rights, and economic equity into its foreign policy—proof that a truly feminist lens doesn’t silo issues, but sees them as deeply interconnected. But as always, the real work begins after the decree is signed. Will future governments honour this vision? Will institutions shift meaningfully?
In 41 U.S. states, child care for a baby now costs more than in-state college tuition, and in 45 states, child care for two children exceeds the cost of a mortgage. This is insane!!!!! The average annual price has surged to over $13,000, rising faster than inflation and placing an especially heavy burden on single parents, who spend up to 35% of their income on childcare. Yet, despite broad bipartisan public support for increased investment, federal efforts remain piecemeal, with many families left to foot the bill. Parents are being stretched thin, early educators are underpaid, and still, we haven’t built the infrastructure families need to thrive. Yet, they wonder why so many of us do not want children?!
Lithuania’s Minister of Defence, Dovilė Šakalienė, announced plans to increase women’s participation in the military, calling their role “essential, not supplementary” to national defence. In a bold contrast to recent U.S. policy shifts, Šakalienė emphasised that total defence requires the full participation of society, women included. Drawing on examples from Ukraine and Sweden, she highlighted the operational and societal benefits of gender-inclusive conscription, including stronger communication, increased public trust, and overall readiness. Currently, women make up about 10% of Lithuania’s armed forces (on par with NATO averages), but with parliamentary support for expanding the military to 20,000 professional soldiers by 2038, greater visibility and inclusion of women is both strategic and symbolic in this historically patriarchal society.
Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (the first EU member to do so) is a striking blow to global justice and accountability. Announced during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit with a warrant for alleged war crimes still hanging in the air, the move isolates Hungary from its EU peers and weakens the bloc’s collective stance against impunity. For a member of the EU to reject a cornerstone of global justice is dangerous, and honestly, feels a bit surreal. The ICC isn't perfect, but it’s one of the few tools we have to pursue accountability across borders. We can’t normalise walking away from that. I hope the EU doesn’t just watch this unfold; I hope they act.
India’s monsoon is sweeping across the country over a week ahead of schedule, with rains expected to reach all regions within the next few days and offering a crucial boost to agriculture. Nearly 70% of India’s rainfall arrives during the June–September season, sustaining farms and replenishing water reserves. After a delayed start, the monsoon has regained momentum, turning an early-month deficit into a 9% surplus and setting the stage for a strong planting of essential crops, such as rice, corn, and cotton. The India Meteorological Department now expects a second consecutive year of above-average monsoon rains, a key development for India’s nearly $4 trillion economy. It is a rare piece of climate news that actually feels like a reprieve.
Endangered killer whales in the Salish Sea have been spotted using bull kelp as tools—not for hunting, but to groom one another in a behaviour researchers are calling “allokelping.” They modify long strands of kelp and roll them between their bodies, likely to soothe peeling skin and reinforce social bonds. Killer whale skincare!!!! It’s a rare example of tool use for social connection rather than survival—more common among primates than marine mammals. What a remarkable show of intelligence and intimacy.
In a subdued market still finding its footing, Sotheby’s summer evening sale in London delivered $84 million, but even more significant was the spotlight on women artists. Although they comprised just 13.5% of the lots, their works contributed nearly 30% of the total value. Nice. From Jenny Saville’s Juncture fetching £5.4 million to Agnes Martin’s serene minimalism and a record-breaking sale for Marlow Moss, the evening hinted at a growing appetite for correcting the market’s historical imbalances.
This year, several African nations, including South Africa, Kenya, and Botswana, introduced new tourism tax policies aimed at promoting sustainable development, funding conservation efforts, and ensuring that local communities benefit from tourism growth. From Botswana’s $30 conservation levy to Kenya’s 2% sector-wide tourism tax and South Africa’s air passenger and environmental levies, these initiatives reflect a regional shift toward more responsible tourism models. Other countries, such as Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda, are following suit, signalling a continental movement toward protecting ecosystems, improving infrastructure, and distributing tourism benefits more equitably. For travelers, these taxes may slightly increase trip costs—but they’re part of a broader commitment to preserving Africa’s natural and cultural richness for generations to come.
Experts interviewed by Condé Nast Traveler say the future of travel includes luxury cruises, small-scale family escapes, hyper-curated safaris, night-focused excursions, and “soft travel”—plus trips inspired by arena concerts and streaming shows. Not the future that I envision.
Daydream, the new AI fashion chatbot from Julie Bornstein, is now in public beta. It lets you upload inspiration images, type in full-sentence queries like “I want a long dress to frolic on the beach in,” and pulls recommendations from over 8,000 brands. It even builds you a “style passport” to refine suggestions over time. It’s an elegant tool, and I see the appeal, but I’m not sold. I enjoy using tech to streamline and organise, but not to outsource taste. The joy, for me, is in the hunt and the serendipity of a find. I do wonder how many of those 8,000 brands are independent, working with ethical practices or natural materials, or minority-owned. I'd love if these were core filter options and if it enabled shoppers to find things outside of the normal brands we repeatedly see.
Remake’s latest newsletter rounded up some of the fashion industry wins we’ve already seen in 2025—and honestly, it felt energising to read. Many of these have appeared in WRW over the past few months, but seeing them all together is a reminder: this work is working. The Fashion Workers Act in New York is now law. Secondhand site Vinted overtook Amazon as France’s biggest clothing seller. A disastrous U.S. proposal to sell off public lands and fast-track fossil fuel projects has been stopped in the Senate. And France passed new legislation cracking down on ultra-fast fashion platforms, such as Shein and Temu. These are tangible, hard-won victories. And they don’t even account for all the behind-the-scenes work (yours included) that’s made them possible. It’s proof that advocacy matters, and that the small, steady actions we take—organising, writing, refusing—can ripple outward into something powerful.
The UK’s food retailer, the Co-op Group, has announced it will cease sourcing products from 17 countries, including Israel, citing “internationally recognised” human rights violations. This includes stopping the sale of Israeli carrots, Russian vodka, and mangoes from Mali, as part of its commitment to ethical sourcing and peacebuilding.
The Grand Egyptian Museum—set to be the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation—has (again) delayed its long-awaited grand opening from July to late 2025 amid regional tensions and global travel advisories. I’ve been tracking this one for years. Two decades in the making, the museum is now welcoming visitors in a soft-opening phase, offering access to its grand staircase of pharaohs, expansive atrium, and several galleries, though the King Tutankhamun exhibits remain closed until the official launch. With more than 100,000 artefacts spanning 5,000 years (including Tutankhamun’s full tomb collection), the GEM is poised to become one of the most significant cultural institutions in the world.
This September, a new translation of Orlanda by Jacqueline Harpman (author of I Who Have Never Known Men) will be published. It was first published in 1996 and is about a woman whose subconscious mind splinters and finds itself in the body of a young man. I’m excited.
Japan’s zine scene is thriving, and it’s as tender, strange, and brilliant as you’d hope. Across pop-up fairs and dedicated shops from Tokyo to Sapporo, self-published works explore everything from the exact coffee order of a heartbreak to Queen Elizabeth collage tributes, all stitched, stapled, or risograph-printed with palpable intention. What was once considered fringe has blossomed into something more democratic and expressive—a celebration of the handmade in an increasingly digital world. As someone who finds deep joy in small, thoughtful media, I’m moved by how these zines offer what polished content often lacks: genuine glimpses into personal interiority, experimentation, and delight.
When 6.42 seconds seems like an eternity. While Faith Kipyegon didn’t achieve the sub-4-minute mile, she did run the fastest mile ever by a woman at 4:06.42. I can’t quite comprehend that speed.
Ayo Edebiri is on the cover of WSJ Magazine. She is the best. And she is interviewed by Recho Omondi, the creator and host of the fashion podcast The Cutting Room Floor, also the best.
Thank you for reading! Please share with an interesting and interested person in your life. xxx