The Louvre finally decides fashion is allowed inside.
And Sierra Leone is close to legalising abortion.
“The Intersection” is your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday briefing on global affairs, social innovation, 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.
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg to fund UN climate change body after US exits Paris Agreement. Omg, a billionaire doing something good?!?! It will take around a year for the withdrawal to take effect - when it does, the US will join Iran, Libya, and Yemen as the only UN countries not part of the agreement.
Tens of thousands protest in Slovakia over pro-Russia policies of populist leader Fico.
French woman who refused sex with husband not to blame for divorce, The European Court of Human Rights says. France is certainly having a moment when it comes to legal cases surrounding women’s rights.
Thousands in Germany protest the rise of the far right ahead of next month’s election.
And, people in New York are going (by the dozen) to experience a flower that smells like a rotten corpse?! They are doing it in Sydney as well.
This weekend, I indulged in a marathon of Monocle on Fashion episodes and found the interviews with Mary Katrantzou, Delpozo’s new creative director Joaquín Trías, and Gabriela Hearst particularly captivating. Each designer represents a distinct take on modern luxury, but it was their thoughtful discussions on craftsmanship and the business of fashion that stood out—insightful, inspiring, and refreshingly candid. I've since bookmarked pieces from all three brands on The RealReal, and if you're looking for a dose of design wisdom, I can’t recommend these episodes enough.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and development circles, the U.S. State Department issued an executive order halting all new foreign aid spending and placing an immediate stop-work order on existing grants and contracts. The directive, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and disseminated by Peter Marocco, head of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance, underscores a dramatic shift toward the Trump administration’s “America First” agenda. The order mandates a comprehensive review before any foreign aid obligations resume, effectively placing Rubio at the helm of decisions that could reshape U.S. foreign assistance. Critics have quickly highlighted Marocco’s controversial track record, particularly his tenure at USAID’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, where attempts to rewrite mandates and slash funding sparked fierce dissent. Marocco’s recent presence at the Capitol during the January 6 riots only adds to concerns. The implications are staggering for those of us who follow global development closely. USAID’s programs, which address critical issues like poverty reduction, humanitarian aid, health, and economic growth, are now in limbo. This decision jeopardizes projects vital to millions and undermines the U.S.’s role as a global leader. As someone with a Master’s in Global Development and friends at USAID now scrambling to find jobs, I can’t help but reflect on the far-reaching and deeply concerning effects this will have both on vulnerable communities worldwide and American citizens who have dedicated their lives and careers to making this world a slightly better place.
Toronto is abuzz as DesignTO, Canada’s largest design festival, marks its 15th anniversary with a celebration of creativity and impact. Spanning 10 days, this non-profit festival showcases the best in Canadian and international design, with over 100 events and exhibitions, many of which are free to attend. Known for its bespoke window installations, the festival transforms independent retailers across the city into vibrant design showcases. Highlights include Delirious Facade, an exploration of AI-generated architectural forms, Amazon Sucks, a witty homage to Warhol’s Brillo boxes, and Looms of Heritage, a woven tapestry created through workshops led by artist Ebru Winegard. This inspiring project brought together Turkish newcomers, including those affected by the 2023 Türkiye earthquake, to reconnect with their cultural roots. As DesignTO looks to the future, it continues to champion community and innovation in design.
Bookshop.org has carved out a niche as a socially responsible alternative to Amazon, channeling online sales to support over 2,200 independent bookstores globally. Since its inception in 2020, the platform has distributed more than $40 million to local booksellers, demonstrating that ethical e-commerce can thrive. According to its 2025 annual report, independent bookstores have seen a remarkable 380% increase in annual e-commerce revenue since 2019, with 730 new indie shops opening their doors across the U.S. since January 2020. A shining example of business done right, Bookshop.org nurtures the literary ecosystem and lets readers shop with a purpose—I’m such a fan that it’s the only platform where you’ll find my affiliate link featuring everything I’m reading.
The Iraqi parliament has passed a controversial law permitting the marriage of girls as young as nine. This decision overturns a 1959 statute that set the minimum age at eighteen, with exceptions for those as young as fifteen granted by legal approval. Under the new legislation, religious authorities are granted jurisdiction over family matters, including marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance. For Shia Muslims, who form a significant portion of Iraq’s population, marriage is permitted for girls at nine, while Sunni Muslims adhere to a minimum age of fifteen. The law has sparked backlash, with independent MP Sajjad Salem denouncing it as a profound blow to Iraq’s reputation and values, stating, “The Iraqi state has never witnessed a decline and profanity as we are witnessing today.” According to a UN survey, 28% of Iraqi children marry by the age of eighteen, and 7% marry by fifteen, raising concerns about the law’s potential impact on child welfare. Heartbreaking.
On Friday, the Louvre unveiled Louvre Couture, its first-ever fashion exhibition, showcasing 100 designs spanning from 1960 to 2025 by 45 fashion houses and designers. Set within the museum’s decorative arts department—home to collections ranging from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century—the exhibit underscores the growing interplay between fashion and fine art. The Louvre follows in the footsteps of the Grand Palais, which recently debuted a Dolce & Gabbana retrospective, and the Petit Palais, set to launch Worth: The Birth of Haute Couture in honor of Charles Frederick Worth. “It is not easy to enter our museum, especially our collection,” said Olivier Gabet, director of the Louvre’s decorative arts department, in The New York Times. “Our objective is to make more people, different people, younger people, happy, free, and relaxed when they come here. We say to them: ‘OK, you love fashion. Fashion is a bridge to us.’”
Vienna is embarking on an ambitious $21 billion plan to end its reliance on imported natural gas, a dependency brought into sharp focus by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For decades, the Austrian capital depended on Russian gas flowing through Ukrainian pipelines to heat its homes, but the Kremlin’s aggression prompted the city to announce its energy independence last September. The plan includes expanding Vienna’s already extensive district heating network—one of Europe’s largest, with 1,300 kilometers of pipes serving over 200,000 homes—and tapping into innovative heat sources such as waste heat from data centers and deep geothermal reservoirs. Wien Energie, the city-owned utility, aims to double the network’s reach to encompass 400,000 homes, or two-thirds of the city’s housing stock. Iconic infrastructure like the Spittelau waste incinerator, a Hundertwasser-designed architectural landmark, exemplifies Vienna’s focus on blending functionality with ecological purpose. Meanwhile, advanced borehole technology at sites like the Aderklaaer Konglomerate is being used to harness geothermal energy, and heat pumps, traditionally designed for smaller-scale applications, are being engineered to warm entire apartment blocks. Despite the technical and political challenges, including opposition from Austria’s climate-skeptic Freedom Party, Vienna is determined to secure a sustainable, self-sufficient energy future for its two million residents—proving that innovation and resilience can be as much a hallmark of urban planning as the city’s famous coffeehouses and ice-skating Danube wetlands.
Sierra Leone stands at a pivotal moment as parliament debates a bill to legalise abortion, potentially abolishing a deadly, centuries-old colonial law and making monumental strides for women’s health and rights. The proposed Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Care Bill would decriminalise abortion and ensure access to reproductive care for all women and girls, regardless of economic status. For a nation grappling with sky-high maternal mortality rates—where up to four women die daily from preventable pregnancy complications and unsafe abortions contribute to 9% of maternal deaths—this legislation is a lifeline. Teenage pregnancies remain alarmingly high, accounting for nearly 10% of births and half of maternal fatalities. The bill marks the culmination of decades of campaigning, from the failed 2015 Safe Abortion Act to President Julius Maada Bio’s cabinet endorsement in 2022, with a final vote expected in the coming weeks. However, the initiative faces fierce opposition from the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone, whose rhetoric and resources echo a well-financed, far-right religious movement rooted in the US. This agenda, cloaked in "family values," seeks to influence critical policy debates across the continent, underscoring the global stakes in Sierra Leone’s fight for women’s rights.
Film news! Charli XCX is teaming up with A24 for The Moment, a project based on her concept that marks the debut of her Studio365 production company and the directorial debut of Aidan Zamiri. Meanwhile, a documentary on the Antwerp Six is reportedly in pre-production. According to sources, the feature will include interviews with the six designers and other key figures from the era that cemented their influence. Graduates of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the 1980s, the group—Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene, and Marina Yee—redefined Belgian fashion with their avant-garde approach. Their groundbreaking debut at London Fashion Week in 1986 challenged European minimalism with bold textures, deconstruction, and cultural experimentation, leaving a legacy that continues to shape contemporary design.
REI has announced the closure of its experiences program, marking the end of four decades of outdoor adventure trips and educational courses. The decision, which will eliminate over 400 jobs, reflects the company’s shift to focus on its core retail business amid financial struggles. Despite outdoor recreation contributing to a $1.3 trillion industry and accounting for 3.1 percent of the US workforce, REI reported a net loss of $311 million in 2023—its second consecutive year of significant losses—and a 2.4 percent drop in revenue. According to CEO Eric Artz, the program served only 0.4 percent of co-op customers in 2024 and has long been a financial strain. Even at its peak in 2019, the experiences arm failed to generate profit, prompting the difficult decision to shutter the department and cut 180 full-time and 248 part-time positions, in addition to subcontractors. While the closure highlights challenges within the outdoor industry, it also raises questions about the future of experiential offerings in a retail-driven world. I would have thought that the experiences were doing well. We are told that across the board, this is what consumers desire, but when it comes to “outdoor” experiences, you can generally DIY it yourself for hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars less.
This Substack about the news and the after-effects of the decision was my favourite weekend read!
Aryna Sabalenka (1998-), the reigning world No. 1 in singles, is making a powerful case for her place among tennis greats. Born in Minsk, Belarus, in 1998, Sabalenka’s journey began serendipitously when her father, a former ice hockey player, spotted tennis courts during a drive and introduced her to the sport. Since then, she has ascended to the top of the game, claiming three major singles titles—the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens and the 2024 US Open—as well as two major doubles titles alongside partner Elise Mertens. Known for her aggressive playing style and commanding serve, Sabalenka’s ability to balance power with precision has cemented her as a dominant force on the WTA Tour, where she has amassed an impressive 15 singles titles and four in doubles.
Sabalenka’s rise was not without its challenges. After reaching the world No. 2 ranking in 2021, she struggled with consistency the following year. However, 2023 marked a turning point as she captured her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open and secured the world No. 1 ranking. The following season saw her defend her Australian Open title and clinch the US Open, ending the year as the ITF World Champion. Sabalenka’s journey has also been defined by her ability to perform under pressure, particularly in doubles, where her partnership with Mertens has yielded victories at the Sunshine Double, the US Open, and the Australian Open, elevating her to world No. 1 in doubles rankings in 2021.
Beyond her on-court achievements, Sabalenka embodies resilience and ambition. From her early days competing in ITF events in Minsk to her first professional victories in Istanbul and Antalya, her trajectory has been marked by relentless drive. Her 2018 breakout season, where she defeated top-ten players and claimed her first WTA title, set the stage for her meteoric rise. Whether it’s dominating on hard courts or battling through Grand Slam semis, Sabalenka continues to evolve her game, blending raw power with strategic finesse. As she begins the 2025 season with another title in Brisbane and a promising run at the Australian Open (she lost in the final on Saturday to 19th-seeded American Madison Keys), all eyes are on her to see how she will shape the future of women’s tennis.
What is on your agenda for the week?
Jennifer
xxx