List of All Articles with Tag 'world'

France’s first lady has revealed how she thought her husband Emmanuel Macron would fall in love with someone his own age after he was sent away to boarding school as a teenager for pursuing his teacher. The president was 15 when he fell for Brigitte Macron, then a 39-year-old drama teacher at the Catholic Providence school in Amiens, in northern France. The schoolboy’s parents had believed their son was dating his teacher’s daughter, Laurence, until the truth came out through a family friend. Shocked at the illicit affair, the Macrons removed their teenager from the school and sent him to boarding school in Paris. In an interview with Paris Match magazine, Ms Macron said she thought Emmanuel would move on when he was sent to Paris. But while his parents hoped distance would cool the burning embers of passion, the young Emmanuel vowed to marry the former Ms Auziere and held fast to his oath. “For me, such a young boy was crippling. Emmanuel had to leave for Paris. I told myself that he would fall in love with someone his [own] age. It didn’t happen,” Ms Macron said. The couple, who have a 24-year age gap, married in 2007. Becoming a very youthful stepfather at the age of 29 to Brigitte’s three adult children, he told them at the wedding reception: “Thanks for accepting us, a not-quite-normal couple.” Ms Macron said her children were the “obstacle” that caused her to wait a decade before marrying Emmanuel. She said: “I took time so I would not wreck their lives. That lasted 10 years, the time to put them on the rails. You can imagine what they were hearing. But I didn’t want to miss out on my life.” Mr Macron became France’s youngest ever president at the age of 39 – the same age that his wife, now 64, was when they met. Praising her husband, the first lady said his sharp intellect still surprises her every day. She said: “I have never seen such a memory ... such an intellectual capacity. I had many brilliant pupils, and none had his capability. I have always admired him.” Many commentators have said the obsession with their age gap is an example of deeply ingrained misogyny, since men in positions of power are frequently married to much younger women. Read More EU commission to prolong use of glyphosate for 10 more years after member countries fail to agree King’s busy coronation year of milestones and royal tours Somber bugles and bells mark Armistice Day around the globe as wars drown out peace messages Watch as Macron commemorates anniversary of First World War Armistice in Paris Growing concerns from allies over Israel's approach to fighting Hamas as civilian casualties mount Watch view over Israel-Gaza border as thousands continue to flee

Investcorp Capital Plc, an investment vehicle backed by the Middle East’s biggest alternative asset manager, ended its first

There are a few ways to interpret the news that the annual November New York auctions sold more

Banks have already turned to AI for derivatives trading and fraud detection. Now they want to use it

Subject: The Epstein files. Message: Wrap them up — ASAP. One after another, the texts, calls and emails

Marcela Moreno, a preschool teacher in the central Argentine province of Cordoba, voted for libertarian economist Javier Milei

Private equity managers had to confront a frightening thought as they gathered in Zurich this week with many

Italy’s European partners have expressed interest in its deal to hold migrants in Albania and process their asylum

Ukrainian troops have conducted a “series of successful operations” against Putin’s troops following a breakthrough on the eastern bank of the River Dnipro. In a statement, the Ukrainian Marines said they had established several bridgeheads across the river in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson region and were continuing to carry out operations. It comes as Russia intensified its strikes on Ukrainian ports overnight, including Odessa. The Ukrainian air force said it downed nine out of 10 Iranian-made Shahed drones over Mykolayiv and Odessa. Meanwhile, Ukraine forced Russia’s naval fleet to pull back in the eastern part of the Black Sea, president Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed. “For the first time in the world, it was in the Black Sea that a fleet of naval drones began to operate – a Ukrainian fleet,” Mr Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “I would also like to note that now – as one of the main results of our actions – Russia is unable to use the Black Sea as a springboard to destabilise other regions of the world.” Read More David Cameron meets Zelensky in Ukraine in first visit as foreign secretary – and praises Boris Johnson In Russia, more Kremlin critics are being imprisoned as intolerance of dissent grows Russian court convicts a woman for protesting the war in Ukraine in latest crackdown on free speech Bombs, betrayal and burying loved ones: Plight of one Ukraine village illustrates toll of Russia’s invasion

The UK’s markets regulator censured fallen Middle Eastern hospital operator NMC Health Plc, saying the once-FTSE100 listed firm

The road leading to South Africa’s main border with Mozambique, a key export route for coal and chrome,

Angola will open a tender on Friday to operate a newly-built international airport in Luanda for as much