The World’s Most Powerful Women: November 18

When Hillary Clinton spoke at a Children’s Defense Fund event Wednesday night—her first appearance since her concession remarks—her message was similar to the one she delivered the day after the election: Don’t give up. Fight for what you believe in. It’ll be worth it in the end.

But there was a striking difference between the two speeches: the way she looked. This week Clinton came on stage without her trademark coif of waves; her hair was a bit straighter, a bit flatter. And she was wearing very little—if any—makeup. It was a stark departure from her carefully curated campaign style and reminiscent of the makeup-free look that some celebrities—notably, singer Alicia Keys—have embraced as a way to defy the sometimes overwhelming societal pressure to always look perfect.

Naturally, Clinton’s critics characterized her appearance as “tired and defeated,” but others cheered it as evidence of a freer, less fussed-with Clinton, whose every step wasn’t so choreographed. The latter assessment may be salt in the wounds of heartbroken Clinton supporters since it hits on a key criticism of the former secretary of State in the lead-up to the election—she was too stiff, she was impersonal and inauthentic. Her new, laid-back look on display Wednesday night comes too late to benefit Clinton, the candidate. But for those interested in—or even concerned about—the future of Clinton, the woman, it was refreshing to finally see her wipe decades of caked-on campaigning off her face.

Clairezillman

EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA

Saving herselfGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Barack Obama met yesterday to discuss vanquishing a common foe—surging populism, which threatens to taint Obama's presidential legacy and defeat Merkel in her next election. They both promised to address the globalization that has given rise the movement across Europe and the U.S. "What unites us is the common conviction that globalization needs to be defined humanely and politically," Merkel said. "There is no turning back from it."Wall Street Journal

Already a winner

Halima Aden was born in a Kenyan refugee camp and moved to Minnesota when she was six. She'll soon become the first Somali-American to compete for the title of Miss Minnesota USA, and she's hoping her presence will help diversify the archetypal image of beauty. “As long as I could remember, the media portrays Muslim women as oppressed and in a very negative light,” she said. “But you never see the beauty and the good things that come from Muslim women.”

Huffington Post

THE AMERICAS

Catz in the cabinet?

There are more women being floated as possible Trump cabinet appointees—South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley for secretary of State, Michelle Rhee for secretary of Education—but one of the more interesting is Oracle Co-CEO Safra Catz, who reportedly met with the president-elect's team about an unspecified post yesterday. Catz, who serves alongside Mark Hurd, was the highest paid woman on Coins2Day's MPW list this year, raking in $53.2 million.

Coins2Day

Financial incentive

After seeing its share of women employees fall for the second straight year from 26.8% to 25.8%, Microsoft has decided to tie executive bonuses to diversity goals. The drop is due, in large part, to the divestment of Nokia handset factories that employed a large number of women.

Bloomberg

A museum of our own

A Congressional panel is calling for a Smithsonian museum dedicated to women's history. The plan for the "American Museum of Women's History" says it would be located on or near the Mall in Washington, D.C., and cost at least $150 million, which would be paid for by private donors. "It’s long overdue, and D.C. Visitors deserve to be inspired by stories of women,” said Representative Carolyn Maloney.

Washington Post

ASIA-PACIFIC

Like father, like daughter

A new documentary called "The Eagle Huntress" follows the story of 13-year-old Mongolian Aisholpan Nurgaiv as her father teaches her the centuries-old tradition of hunting with golden eagles. The skill is usually reserved for men, but Nurgaiv's father encouraged her to learn it, despite the disapproval of other male hunters.

NPR

Mind the gap

Women in Australia earn 23.1% or roughly $27,000 less than men, according to a new study. The pay gap shrunk slightly since last year, but the new data confirms differences in men's and women's pay in every industry and shows the underrepresentation of women in management and leadership roles.

Sydney Morning Herald