The World’s Most Powerful Women: July 6

Britain is one step closer to having a second female prime minister. As a new wave of Brexit jitters battered the pound and led the Bank of England to prop up Britain’s banks, Conservative MPs narrowed down the candidates to replace David Cameron from five to three. Two women–Home Secretary Theresa May and Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom–survived the first round of voting, with May winning the most votes.

Meantime, new details emerged about what steps businesses are taking to cope with the aftermath of Brexit. While some companies have been upfront in telling investors they have no “Plan B,” EasyJet CEO Carolyn McCall, (No. 7 on Fortune‘s list of the Most Powerful Women, EMEA) has stood out from the crowd.

The Wall Street Journal reports that before the vote, McCall had written letters she could quickly send off to aviation regulators on the off chance Britain voted to leave. McCall, a vocal supporter of the Remain camp, wants the U.K. to remain part of the EU’s single aviation market.

British airlines are particularly vulnerable to Brexit, since it calls into question their participation in Europe’s open market that has bolstered the industry in recent years. But as with most of the uncertain economic and financial fallout from the historic vote, it is too early to tell if McCall’s push will succeed.

Laura Cohn

@laurascohn

EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA

Reassuring EU nationals
Nicola Sturgeon is taking a personal approach to reassuring EU citizens who live in Scotland. The Scottish First Minister is planning to write to such people to say she will "pursue every option to protect Scotland's position in Europe and, by extension, the interests of EU citizens who live and work here."
The Guardian

A New Vogue

Vogue is finally moving into the Middle East. Conde Nast International is launching Vogue Arabia, which will start this fall as a website in Arabic and English and will be edited by Saudi Princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz. A print magazine will launch in the spring.

Business of Fashion

THE AMERICAS

Hillary in the clear

Hillary Clinton just dodged another bullet. The FBI has recommended that no charges be filed against the presidential candidate over her use of a private email server when she served as Secretary of State. The news came the same day President Obama appeared with her on the campaign trail in North Carolina, saying he was "fired up" about her candidacy.

BBC

Marissa's rough week

Marissa Mayer has reportedly been shunned by the organizers of an exclusive tech conference in Sun Valley. The Yahoo CEO was not asked to attend Allen & Company's confab this year, the New York Post reports. Meanwhile, another report revealed that when investors elected Yahoo's board of directors last week, Mayer got the fewest votes.

Fortune

Martha likes Facebook

Martha Stewart seems to be taking a liking to Facebook Live. The Wall Street Journal reports Stewart has created over two dozen segments on the live streaming service, which offers lower costs than her TV show and a more international audience.

Wall Street Journal

Eyes on the cloud

Sandra Peterson of Johnson & Johnson is looking to the cloud. Peterson, No. 28 on Fortune's list of the Most Powerful Women, says the cloud will both help her company grow faster and cut costs.

Wall Street Journal

ASIA-PACIFIC

A female first in Australia

Australia's House of Representatives is getting its first indigenous female legislator. Linda Burney, former deputy leader of the New South Wales Labor party, was elected to serve Barton, a southern Sydney seat.

The Guardian

Human rights violations in China?

China's recent detention of an American businesswoman has garnered scrutiny by the UN. A panel at the global body is concerned that Phan Phan-Gillis, taken by authorities for alleged espionage, may have suffered human-rights violations.

Wall Street Journal