We've all been there: you've just poured yourself a fresh mimosa and are waiting to tuck into some eggs Benedict when the table gets a little quiet. You and your squad have already covered all of the usual topics: the weather, decoding the text you got after that second date, Kanye's latest Twitter tirade. You've already been over tips for an upcoming job interview while you had your first cup of coffee and covered the latest craziness in the presidential race over the second. What's next? If you're looking to expand your brunch-chat horizons instead of rehashing the same tired topics over sweet potato hash, Refinery29's World News team has you covered. We know it's hard to keep up with so much going on across the globe — and we're always trying to make it easier to stay informed about the most important and interesting news out there. So each week, we'll aim to round up the must-know stories from around the globe that are sure to generate some discussion among over brunch — or wherever you find yourself over the weekend.
Read on to ensure you're armed with knowledge that's sure to make you the smartest, most interesting woman at that café, cocktail bar, or house party. Let us know in the comments which stories you're watching this week. And be sure to follow R29 News + Politics on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with the news in real time.
Why everyone is freaking out over the Zika virus.
Fears surrounding the spread of Zika — the mosquito-borne sickness that has been linked to significant birth defects — are intensifying. The head of the World Health Organization warned this week that the virus is "spreading explosively" throughout South and Central America, as the organization released new projections that Zika could infect 3 to 4 million people in the year ahead.
Those stats are particularly scary or women who are — or hope to soon become — pregnant; leaders in countries hardest hit by the outbreak, including Brazil and El Salvador, are urging women to try to wait to get pregnant. And health officials here in the United States have warned women to avoid traveling to at least 22 countries and territories that are considered high risk.
All of the cases reported in the United States so far have involved people who contracted Zika while traveling abroad, but that could change — the type of mosquito that is capable of transmitting the virus is found here in the U.S., too. For more on Zika — including symptoms and how it's spread — check out this explainer from Refinery29's Health & Wellness team.
What the FARC is going on in Colombia?
After five decades of fighting and an estimated 220,000 lost lives, the Colombian military and the leftist guerrilla group known as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, are nearing a peace accord. Negotiators from both sides say they're close to a deal that will end the "longest-running armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere,"as the BBC noted. And the United Nations Security Council has agreed to monitor the ceasefire and de-escalation should an agreement be reached. Women have played a major role in the conflict — an estimated 30% of FARC's rebel fighters are women.
Your next girl squad binge watch isn't on Netflix.
They're smart, stylish ladies with sex and relationships on the mind. Sound familliar? An African City, a Sex & The City-inspired show based in Accra, Ghana, debuted its second season this week. The show's creators say they want to show a different side of Africa's cities — the side experienced by ambitious young professional women like themselves, who moved to pursue their dreams on what they call "the continent" after spending their young adult lives in the United States.
The experience of adapting to a foreign culture and place is something anyone who has studied or lived abroad can relate to. Plus, their outfits rock. Read more about the show — and find out how to watch — here. Those looking for even more awesome series to add to their streaming queue can check out this list of British shows you won't want to miss.
Banksy is here to remind you that the refugee crisis isn't over — and people still need your help.
Street artist Banksy put the refugee crisis back on everyone's radars this week — and for good reason. Banky's new Les Miserables-inspired mural across from the French embassy in London was meant to draw attention to awful conditions in the Calais refugee camp.
Sadly, Calais isn't the only place where scores of refugee families are facing uncertainty. Countries across Europe have continued to tighten their immigration policies.
Sweden and Finland announced plans to deport tens of thousands of people who had their asylum applications denied, while Germany moved forward with plans to place new restrictions on which refugees the country will accept, Agence France-Presse noted. Denmark also made headlines when its parliament approved a controversial bill that allows government officials to seize people's possessions to help cover their living costs. Asylum-seekers will only be allowed to keep possessions worth less than 10,000 kroner (about $1,450).
In potentially brighter news for the millions displaced by the Syrian war, the U.N. announced the start of peace talks to end the conflict that's been raging for nearly five years.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just dropped the mic again.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got real about gender inequality across the globe at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week. "We shouldn't be afraid of the word 'feminist,'"Trudeau said during a panel. "Men and women should use it to describe themselves anytime they want."
Canada's young, tattooed leader — known for his boxing, strip teasing past and progressive views — made headlines last year when he appointed a cabinet that includes an equal number of men and women. At the time, Trudeau told reporters that equal representation was important in his cabinet "because it's 2015." You can watch his latest remarks, here.
Just a little $681 million token of our appreciation...
If you think money in politics is a big issue here in the United States, take a look at what's happening overseas. The prime minister of Malaysia accepted $681 million from the Saudi royal family, governmental investigators in the South Asian country announced this week. The gift, which was deposited into his personal bank account, was deemed totally legal and "not a form of graft or bribery" by the attorney general, according to Reuters. The prime minister didn't end up pocketing the whole thing, however — he reportedly gave back $620 million that wasn't used in the campaign.
Hippity hoppity, Peter Cottontail is getting a new feline friend.
There's a new book coming from the author of some of the most beloved childhood classics. Well, as new as a 100-year-old manuscript can be. Jo Hanks, a publisher at Penguin Random House, found a reference to The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots in an out-of-print biography of Beatrix Potter, author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
After further digging, Hanks discovered the tale's unpublished manuscript in the archives of London's Victoria and Albert Museum. In a 1914 letter to her publisher, Potter described The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots as the story of "a well-behaved prime black Kitty cat, who leads rather a double life," Hanks told BBC News. The story will also feature an appearance from none other than Peter Rabbit himself. The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots will be published on September 1 by Frederick Warne & Co.
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