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“Fashion diplomacy”: Julie Bishop's style choice that charmed Barack Obama

<p dir="ltr">Julie Bishop has revealed the style choice that charmed former US President Barack Obama and how she used fashion to impress other world leaders during her time as foreign minister.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I've always understood that fashion and your personal style can be a powerful form of communication. It can send important yet subtle messages," Bishop told <em>9Honey</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"While I was Foreign Minister, I embraced what I called 'fashion diplomacy' and would often dress in a way that would complement the visit or the person that I was meeting,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">In March 2016, Bishop stunned in a white Armani pantsuit when she visited the White House for the Nuclear Security Summit.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bishop impressed then-President Barack Obama in the ensemble she chose as a nod to the official residence and workplace of the US President.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I often wore the national colours of the country I was visiting as a form of compliment, a form of diplomacy," Bishop elaborated.</p> <p dir="ltr">"For example, my Chinese counterpart often noticed that I was wearing red when visiting China or meeting with him,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2017 the Foreign Minister's office confirmed that all of Bishop’s fashion choices were her own, as she did not have a clothing allowance or stylist, and neither did she use taxpayer funds for her outfit.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite being known for her close relationship with various fashion labels, she also buys most of her clothes herself.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although Fashion Diplomacy has helped the former politician get into the good books with other world leaders, she said that her intentions weren’t just to create better connections.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The Australian fashion industry is a vital contributor to the Australian economy, and particularly to our exports," she added, promoting the Australian fashion industry.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bishop hopes to change people’s attitudes towards the fashion and creative industries, both locally and internationally, so that they don’t view it as frivolous.</p> <p dir="ltr">The former politician has spoken up about her passion for fashion and representing the older female demographic in a previous interview with<em> </em><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/style-doesn-t-age-julie-bishop-stuns-for-international-women-s-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Stellar Magazine</em> on International Women’s day</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Minister for Foreign Affairs/The White House</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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First Nations elder removed from Obama event

<p>A First Nations Elder bas been left “shocked and distressed” after being removed from performing the Welcome to Country ceremony at a Melbourne event hosted by former president Barack Obama.</p> <p>Obama touched down in Melbourne with former First Lady and wife Michelle ahead of the event at John Cain Arena on March 29.</p> <p>In what could have been a special ceremony for her, senior Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy has been left deeply saddened after she said she was told she was being “too difficult” for making two requests for the event.</p> <p>Aunty Joy asked if the event organisers Growth Faculty were able to provide appropriate accommodations for a support person to accompany her, and made a request to provide a gift to Obama, which is something she said is cultural practice.</p> <p>The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation said Aunty Joy was removed from the event following the requests.</p> <p>"I am 78 years of age. I have never been treated or spoken to in this way in the past," Aunty Joy said in a statement.</p> <p>"I do not want this to be a reflection on President Obama. I am a leader of the Wurundjeri Nation. I asked to be treated as an equal.</p> <p>"I have been shocked and distressed by the way I have been treated by event organisers.</p> <p>"They have always shown me respect and accepted my Welcome as a gift from our people.”</p> <p>Aunty Joy was also removed from performing traditional cultural protocols at a planned lunch with Obama the next day.</p> <p>"The Welcome to Country is a very important ceremony for our people. It is an honour to Welcome people like President Obama and I am upset that I am unable to do this today," she said.</p> <p>Growth Faculty have since issued an apology for the circumstances that led to the last-minute cancellation.</p> <p>In a statement, a spokesperson said changes to the ceremony due to “security requirements” meant a welcome to country was instead delivered by Wurundjeri-Willam woman Mandy Nicholson.</p> <p>“Growth Faculty had been working with Aunty Joy and the Wurundjeri community for many weeks ahead of last night’s event,” the statement read.</p> <p>“Due to security requirements, the organisation was unable to accommodate last minute changes to the agreed upon ceremony.</p> <p>“Growth Faculty has apologised to Aunty Joy that last night’s ceremony could not be changed.”<br />The spokesperson also said that Aunty Joy had accepted an invitation to perform the welcome to country at a business lunch taking place in Melbourne on Thursday instead.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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Meghan Markle’s casting plan falls through

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meghan Markle’s plans to cast Michelle Obama in her upcoming animated series, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pearl</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, have fallen through after the couple were not invited to celebrate Barack Obama’s birthday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meghan’s Netflix series, announced earlier in the year, follows a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration from influential women throughout history.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Royal commentator Neil Sean claimed Meghan hoped to get “big-voice over names” onboard, including the former First Lady.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Michelle Obama was one that Meghan Markle was very keen to sign up but that went through the pan when they didn’t get an invite to that spectacular 60th birthday for the former President,” he told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Express</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m not saying Michelle’s now on the back burner but let’s put it this way, the present hasn’t been delivered yet and I kid you not.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sean said the duchess may set her sights on other stars, including Oprah Winfrey.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Duncan Larcombe, author of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prince Harry: The Inside Story</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sun</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the Obamas were “more to Meghan and Harry than A-list friends”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cammilla Tominey, a royal commentator, wrote in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Telegraph</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that not receiving an invitation would have been a blow to the couple.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meghan announced the series, which is the first under the couple’s multi-million dollar deal with Netflix, earlier this year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She will be an executive producer of the series alongside David Furnish, the husband of close family friend Elton John.</span></p>

TV

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Barack Obama facing backlash over his 60th birthday party during surge of COVID-19 cases

<p>Barack Obama has come under fire for planning an extravagant 60th birthday party as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the US. </p> <p>The former President is expecting to have hundreds of guests at his luxurious 30-acre property <span>on Martha’s Vineyard island in Massachusetts this weekend. </span></p> <p><span>According to Axios, over 400 family, friends and staff are expected to arrive, as well as celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, George Clooney and more.</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 280.7971014492754px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842823/marthas-vineyard.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6afee518ef74465ba0ee2a01986940e3" /></span></p> <p><em>Image credit: LandVest</em></p> <p><span>The rock band Pearl Jam are also rumoured to be performing at the prestigious event. </span></p> <p><span>The party, booked for August 7th, is facing criticism as it comes at a time when the highly-infectious Delta strain of Coronavirus is devastating the US, with an average of 70,000 cases per day.</span></p> <p><span>White House press secretary Jen Psaki stepped in to defend Obama's birthday plans, </span>stating he is following guidelines put in place by <span>Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will have safety protocols adhered to. </span></p> <p><span>Psaki also said that Obama "has been a huge advocate of individuals getting vaccinated", and will require guests to be jabbed ahead of time to be allowed into the event. </span></p> <p><span>Guests will also receive a COVID test upon arrival, and anyone with symptoms will not be let in. </span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Michelle Obama's heartfelt plea to Harry and Meghan

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Former first lady Michelle Obama has urged Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to reconcile with the British royal family after the shocking Oprah tell-all interview last week.</p> <p>“My hope is that, when I think about what they’re going through, I think about the importance of family, and I just pray that there is forgiveness, and there is clarity and love and resolve at some point in time,” Obama told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.accessonline.com/articles/michelle-obama-reacts-to-meghan-markle-prince-harrys-oprah-interview-i-just-pray-that-there-is-forgiveness" target="_blank">Access Hollywood</a>.</p> <p>“Because there’s nothing more important than family,” Obama said.</p> <p>Obama's statement comes after Meghan claimed that Prince Harry told her about a conversation between a family member and himself where there were "concerns" over Archie's skin tone when he was born.</p> <p>"There was a conversation with Harry about [Archie's skin colour] what that would mean," she said.</p> <p>"I think that would be very damaging to them... but those were conversations the family had with him. It was really hard to see those as compartmentalised conversations."</p> <p>Buckingham Palace quickly released a statement after the allegations were made in the interview on behalf of the Queen.</p> <p>The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," the statement reads.</p> <p>"The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.</p> <p>"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."</p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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Duchess Meghan teams up with Michelle Obama for important role

<p><span>Meghan Markle has just been announced to be a speaker at an upcoming virtual summit, alongside her friends Michelle Obama and Priyanka Chopra.</span><br /><br /><span>The Duchess of Sussex will be keynote speaker at the 2020 Global Leadership Summit as part of its Girl Up campaign.</span><br /><br /><span>"The present is female! But don't take our word for it. Hear from our keynote speaker Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, as she takes the stage at our 2020 Leadership Summit, happening virtually July 13-15!" the announcement resd.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCXTeCmn2Ek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCXTeCmn2Ek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Eugenia Garavani (@eugeniagaravani)</a> on Jul 7, 2020 at 7:20pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The Girl Up Global Leadership Summit was created by the United Nations, and notes that it is "dedicated to securing equal opportunities for underprivileged adolescent girls in developing countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Guatemala, and India".</span><br /><br /><span>Meghan has been a long-time supporter and campaigner for equality for women and girls.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCW9Jzkg5mG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCW9Jzkg5mG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Megan markel fans (@besexy79)</a> on Jul 7, 2020 at 4:05pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>In January 2020 she visited Vancouver-based social justice charity Justice For Girls, which later shared photos on Twitter of Meghan enjoying a cup of tea and conversation with members of its team.</span><br /><br /><span>"Yesterday, The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle visited to discuss climate justice for girls and the rights of Indigenous peoples," the organisation wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>"Was great to talk about the importance of a holistic approach to social justice, and the power of young women's leadership."</span><br /><br /><span>The royal mum also visited the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre to discuss "issues affecting women in the community."</span><br /><br /><span>"Look who we had tea with today!" the organisation posted on social media, along with a photo of a beaming Meghan with staff members.</span><br /><br /><span>The Global Leadership Summit was originally meant to take place in Washington DC.</span><br /><br /><span>However it has since been moved to an online format due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.</span></p>

International Travel

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The touching gift from Obama that moved the Queen to tears

<p><span>Queen Elizabeth was moved to tears by a touching gift from then-President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, a former staffer has revealed.</span></p> <p><span>According to Capricia Penavic Marshall, the then chief of protocol for the United States, the 94-year-old British monarch was overwhelmed when presented with a leather-bound collection of memorabilia about her late father, King George VI.</span></p> <p><span>The heartwarming gift included invitations and notes from King George’s final visit to America in 1939 and was given by the Obamas at a lunch in 2011.</span></p> <p><span>“We wanted to make sure that what we were furthering this special relationship with the UK and particularly with Her Majesty,” Capricia told People magazine.</span></p> <p><span>“President and Mrs Obama were so, so very fond of her. In doing our research, we learned that [Queen Elizabeth] had a cherished relationship with her father, and she collected anything and everything that she could about him...</span></p> <p><span>“When she walked over and she's flipping and looking through the pages, I'm looking at her and I'm like, ‘Oh, goodness, I hope that she likes it.’</span></p> <p><span>“And I want to say that I saw a little glisten of a tear in her eye after she paged through it a bit. She looked to the president said, ‘Thank you so very much for this.’”</span></p> <p><span>The former president and first lady also gave the Queen a green floral brooch – made of 14-karat yellow gold, diamonds and moss agate – which is said the couple chose themselves from Washington D.C.’s Tiny Jewel Box store.</span></p> <p><span>“I'd like to say that she was proud to wear a piece of a presidential gift and was displaying the unity between the two nations,” Capricia said.</span></p> <p><span>“I think that she has the capacity to always lift the message up right now and to create those stronger bounds. But she herself is the only one who will really know.”</span></p> <p><span>The brooch – which has been named “the American State Visit Brooch” – was worn by the Queen when President Donald Trump visited the UK in 2018.</span></p>

Beauty & Style

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“Don’t touch the bag”: Former Obama staff member reprimanded by Queen’s aid

<p>Barack Obama’s former Chief of Protocol has revealed the extreme lengths Queen’s staff go to in order to protect her privacy.</p> <p>Capricia Penavic Marshall worked for former President Obama from 2009 to 2013 and her role meant she advised him on all matters of national and international diplomatic protocol.</p> <p>She also recalled to <strong><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/politics/capricia-penavic-marshall-new-book-remembers-trying-take-queen-elizabeth-purse/" target="_blank">People</a> </em></strong>the embarrassing moment she was scolded for trying to help the royal with her purse during an official visit to Buckingham Palace in 2011. </p> <p>After stepping forward to assist the Queen with her bag so that she could greet the Obamas without it, Marshall, 56, says her British counterpart quickly pushed her back and told her simply: “We do not touch the bag.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836673/queen.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/79d44520f5384eb18817bb6ddbc449b6" /></p> <p><em>Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth. </em></p> <p>“As Her Majesty walked out, I made a comment to my counterpart. I said, ‘Oh, my goodness, Her Majesty has her bag.’ And I made an ever so slight move with my left foot,” she recalled. </p> <p>“He, with both of his hands, pushed me back against the wall and said, ‘Do not touch the bag,’ and I said, ‘Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry.’” </p> <p>The unnamed royal staffer reiterated his point again, saying no one was to ever touch the Queen’s bag.</p> <p>“He goes, ‘We do not touch the bag.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I apologize. I would never. But do we know what's in the bag?’ And he said, ‘We don't know what's in the bag. But we never touch the bag,'” she revealed. </p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836672/queen-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fb25d221d26e4870a22bd919086447da" /></p> <p><em>Capricia Penavic Marshall</em></p> <p>In Marshall’s new book, <em>Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You</em>, she said she actually learned Her Majesty actually uses her bag as a means of signalling to her staff.</p> <p>“If it's on one part of her arm, it means the meeting is going fine, leave me alone. But if she lowers it, it means, ‘End this now. I want to go,'” Marshall explained.</p> <p>Despite the awkward moment that could have gone terrible wrong, Marshall says the visit was a huge success and noted that the former President Obama and his wife Michelle were “so, so very fond” of the royal.</p>

International Travel

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What Barack Obama’s team did whenever they were "really annoyed” at Tony Abbott

<p>Barack Obama’s team watched Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech whenever they were “<a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/obama-white-house-watched-julia-gillards-misogyny-speech-when-annoyed-at-tony-abbott/ar-BB13ofrJ?li=AAgfYrC">really annoyed</a>” with Tony Abbott, one of the former president’s senior advisers has shared.</p> <p>Former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said his team had often been frustrated at Abbott’s “tone-deafness” on the climate issue.</p> <p>In an interview with news and politics comedy podcast <em><a href="https://arationalfear.substack.com/p/what-obama-thought-of-tony-abbott">A Rational Fear</a></em>, Rhodes said he and others at the White House had regularly watched the 2012 clip of Gillard declaring she would “not be lectured about sexism and misogyny” by Abbott.</p> <p>“I will tell you that whenever we were really annoyed with Tony Abbott, we would watch the video of that speech by Julia Gillard,” Rhodes said.</p> <p>“That speech got watched a lot in the Obama White House, let me just put it that way.”</p> <p>Rhodes said Obama had been able to work well with other centre-right leaders, including Germany’s Angela Merkel and Britain’s David Cameron, but Abbott was “far from his favourite leader to begin with”.</p> <p>“What was frustrating with Abbott, you know, is he was kind of very sure of himself without really knowing what he was talking about,” Rhodes said.</p> <p>Rhodes revealed Obama “went way off the script” to criticise the Abbott government for climate inaction at the 2014 G20 Brisbane summit after Australia reportedly resisted including the message encouraging countries to make pledges to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund.</p> <p>In his speech, Obama abandoned a prepared paragraph about climate change and “went way off the text, and was just basically blasting the Abbott government in ways that he almost never did on foreign soil and pointing out the Great Barrier Reef disappearing”, Rhodes said.</p> <p>“Abbott was upset,” Rhodes said.</p> <p>“You know, this was supposed to be this big stage for him hosting the G20.</p> <p>“But it’s like, well, look, if you want to host a G20, you’ve got to step up and be an international leader. And we’ve got everybody else kind of rallying around this effort to get to an ambitious climate agreement the next year in Paris, and Abbott was really one of the last holdouts dragging his feet.”</p> <p>Abbott <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-17/carbon-tax-repealed-by-senate/5604246?nw=0">repealed the carbon tax legislation</a> in the same year, a move <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/world/asia/environmentalists-decry-repeal-of-australias-carbon-tax.html">denounced by environmental groups</a>.</p>

News

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Inside Michelle and Barack Obama’s new $17 million mansion

<p>Michelle and Barack Obama have been known as regulars at Martha’s Vineyard, with annual visits to the Massachusetts island since their time in the White House. Now the couple are making things more permanent with the purchase of a mansion they rented over the summer.</p> <p>The US$11.75 million property (AU$17.2 million) was sold last week to a trust, <em><a href="https://people.com/home/barack-michelle-obama-buy-marthas-vineyard-mansion/">People</a></em> reported. James F Reynolds, Chicago investment banker and longtime friend of Barack Obama, is also named as a trustee on the deed.</p> <p>The Edgartown home spans 6,892 square feet (640 square metre) and features seven bedrooms and eight-and-a-half baths as well as a number of stone fireplaces, two guest wings, a sun deck, boathouse and a pool.</p> <p><em>Photo credit: LandVest</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“That is not activism”: Barack Obama quick to call out keyboard warriors

<p>Barack Obama spoke at the Obama Foundation’s annual summit in Chicago and spoke about the state of politics and activism within the US as well as the ‘woke’ culture that continues to grow in the world of politics.</p> <p>Being ‘woke’ means being aware or attentive to injustices in society and some people use being ‘woke’ to ‘cancel’ people who do things wrong, whether that be spelling mistakes in tweets or using the wrong word to describe something.</p> <p>The former US President was quizzed and got passionate about those who are ‘politically woke’.</p> <p>“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re politically woke, and all that stuff — you should get over that quickly,” he said, according to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/barack-obama-says-politically-woke-should-get-over-themselves/news-story/3500ce14ebfaaa2d4674556e2fcc1769" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p>“The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting with may love their kids and share certain things with you.”</p> <p>He was also quick to mention the issue with young people thinking that they can spark change by pointing out spelling mistakes.</p> <p>“One danger I see among young people particularly on college campuses is that I do get a sense among certain young people, and this is accelerated by social media, that the way of me making change is to be as judgmental as possible about other people and that’s enough,” Mr Obama said.</p> <p>“Like if I tweet or hashtag about how you didn’t do something right, or used the wrong verb, then I consider that I can feel pretty good about myself because, ‘man did you see how woke I was, I called you out’,” Mr Obama said, prompting laughter in the crowd.</p> <p>“That is not activism, that is not bringing about change.</p> <p>“If all you’re doing is casting stones, you are probably not going to get that far.”</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832154/obama-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/836c492da6f6498a9ce70d8c9f5decf0" /></p> <p>Former first lady Michelle Obama also spoke about the US’s problems with racism.</p> <p>“Families like ours — upstanding families like ours who were doing everything we were supposed to do and better — as we moved in, white folks moved out because they were afraid of what our families represented,” she said.</p> <p>“I always stop there when I talk about this out in the world because I want to remind white folks, ya’ll were running from us. This family. This family with all the values you read about, you were running from us.</p> <p>“And you still running, because we’re no different from the immigrant families that are moving in. the families that are coming from other places to try to do better.”</p> <p>“I can’t make people not afraid of black people,” she said.</p> <p>“But maybe if I show up every day as a human, a good human, maybe that work will pick away at the scabs of your discrimination.”</p>

News

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Michelle Obama shows off banging body at 55!

<p>Michelle Obama has taken to Instagram to share her “self-care”sunday which displayed her famous biceps. </p> <p>The former first lady, 55, was photographed holding a large and weighty medicine ball over her head while blaring her abs in matching black sports bra and leggings. </p> <p>The mother-of-two says she is all about having a “no pain, no gain” mentality in order to succeed. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B32b2d6gxLA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B32b2d6gxLA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">It doesn’t always feel good in the moment. But after the fact, I’m always glad I hit the gym. How did you all take care of yourself on this #SelfCareSunday? 💪🏾</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/michelleobama/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Michelle Obama</a> (@michelleobama) on Oct 20, 2019 at 11:45am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“It doesn’t always feel good in the moment,” she explained while talking about her work out. </p> <p>“But after the fact, I’m always glad I hit the gym.”</p> <p>The post has raked in over 1 million likes and had over 21,000 comments filled with supportive bicep emojis. </p> <p>“You put me to shame,” wrote on admirer, while another said: “Come on mama!”</p> <p>“So proud of you Michelle,” another fan wrote before adding: I’m going to plank because of this post.”</p> <p>While many praised Michelle for her “inspiring” body, others joked their #SelfcareSunday looked a lot like a big hearty breakfast and a good sleep in. </p> <p>In her memoir<span> </span><em>Becoming,<span> </span></em>Obama wrote her regular workouts and healthy eating allowed her to maintain a work-life balance as a working mother.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the best of Michelle Obama in pictures. </p>

Beauty & Style

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Obama shells out almost $22 million on bizarre island retreat

<p>Barack and Michelle Obama are planning on buying a massive Martha’s Vineyard estate.</p> <p>The Obamas’ are in contract to buy an almost 12-hectare beachfront property, with a massive 640sqm main house.</p> <p>According to the<span> </span><a href="https://nypost.com/2019/08/22/barack-and-michelle-obama-are-buying-15m-estate-in-marthas-vineyard/"><em>NY Post</em></a>, the family were just renting the beachfront house for the summer but quickly fell in love and made an offer.</p> <p>The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom property certainly has room for everyone and has a living room with vaulted ceilings and a stone fireplace.</p> <p>The home also includes a chef’s kitchen and a formal dining room with giant windows. The home is located in Edgartown, Massachusetts and was formerly owned by Boston Celtics chief Wyc Grousbeck.</p> <p>The master suite has a fireplace and a private sun deck for the power couple to relax in.</p> <p>Outside, there’s a pool with a fireplace as well as a private beach which include a boathouse.</p> <p>The location is known for its classic white-painted New England architecture and is ripe with world-class restaurants where other celebrities frequent, including David Letterman and Amy Schumer.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see inside the Obama’s new home.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/news/" target="_blank">Realtor.com</a></em></p>

Home & Garden

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Michelle Obama’s motherhood advice leaves Duchess Meghan speechless

<p>Former US first lady Michelle Obama has shared her experiences with motherhood and parenting in an interview with Duchess Meghan.</p> <p>The Duchess, who welcomed her firstborn Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in May, said she was left “somewhat speechless” when the questions she sent Obama for the Q&amp;A feature on the September issue of British<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/michelle-obama-duchess-of-sussex-interview-2019" target="_blank"><em>Vogue</em></a><span> </span>that she guest-edited were returned “as a thoughtful, reflective and beautifully curated narrative”.</p> <p>Obama opened up about what she learned from raising her daughters Sasha and Malia. “Being a mother has been a masterclass in letting go,” Obama wrote.</p> <p>“Try as we might, there’s only so much we can control. And, boy, have I tried – especially at first. As mothers, we just don’t want anything or anyone to hurt our babies. But life has other plans. Bruised knees, bumpy roads and broken hearts are part of the deal.”</p> <p>Obama said she learned to allow her daughters to grow into the best versions of themselves. “Motherhood has taught me that, most of the time, my job is to give them the space to explore and develop into the people they want to be. Not who I want them to be or who I wish I was at that age, but who they are, deep inside,” she wrote.</p> <p>“I need to be a safe and consistent place for them to land when they inevitably fail; and to show them, again and again, how to get up on their own.”</p> <p>Obama also recalled what it was like to be a parent to infants, just as the Duchess and her husband Prince Harry are now with their three-month-old son.</p> <p>“When Malia and Sasha were newborns, [husband] Barack and I could lose hours just watching them sleep,” the 55-year-old wrote.</p> <p>“Don’t get me wrong, early parenthood is exhausting. I’m sure you know a thing or two about that these days. But there is something so magical about having a baby in the house … each moment holds its own little eternity. I’m so excited for you and Harry to experience that, Meghan. Savour it all.”</p> <p>The Duchess guest-edited the special British<span> </span><em>Vogue</em><span> </span>issue with editor-in-chief Edward Enninful. It is the first time in the magazine’s history that a September issue has been co-edited.</p>

Relationships

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Michelle Obama shares "one of the best texts" she has ever received

<p>Michelle Obama has revealed the touching message she received from her older brother in response to her memoir.</p> <p>The former First Lady is currently on tour to promote her book <em>Becoming</em>, which is on course to becoming the world’s most popular autobiography with more than 10 million copies sold, according to its publisher Bertelsmann.</p> <p>During the European leg of her book tour, the 55-year-old received a text from her brother, basketball coach Craig Robinson.</p> <p>“My brother just sent me one of the best texts I’ve ever received,” Obama wrote on Instagram alongside a screenshot of the text.</p> <p>Robinson’s message to her read: “As I sit listening to the words of your book for the third time albeit this time by audiobook, it occurred to me that I haven’t thanked you for all your memories.</p> <p>“Since I'm the one who is supposed to remember everything, I realized I have blocked out everything regarding dad's death. I was here crying and laughing at the sadness of the story and the comfort of your voice.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwPq5iKh2nw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwPq5iKh2nw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama)</a> on Apr 14, 2019 at 10:46am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In her book, Obama wrote extensively about her father Fraser Robinson III, who struggled with multiple sclerosis for years and died in 1991 at the age of 55.</p> <p>Her brother signed off the message by thanking her for sharing her experience. </p> <p>“All I can think of is how much I love my little sister. Thank you,” Craig wrote.</p> <p>In the post, Obama explained how much her father meant to the two of them. </p> <p>“The laughs and lessons, the hugs, the heartache from losing him – they’re all still there with me, every minute,” she admitted.</p> <p>She also highlighted that sharing personal stories can help loved ones connect, even when they are “an ocean away”, just like her brother Robinson. “Love you, big brother,” Obama signed off. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFHzRBBqFs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFHzRBBqFs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama)</a> on Apr 10, 2019 at 8:27am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Obama also shared in <em>Becoming</em> about her closeness with Craig. </p> <p>“You have been my protector since the day I was born,” she wrote to her brother in the memoir. </p> <p>"You have made me laugh more than any other person on this earth. You are the best brother a sister could ask for, a loving and caring son, husband, and father.”</p> <p>Have you read Michelle Obama's autobiography<span> </span><em>Becoming</em>? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

Books

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"We’re living with divorced dad right now”: Michelle Obama’s verdict on Donald Trump's presidency

<p>Michelle Obama has let her frustration be known over the Donald Trump presidency, as the current US president works hard to eradicate all the hard work that was done by her husband, former US President Barack Obama.</p> <p>Michelle was in London promoting her best-selling autobiography <em>Becoming</em>, when the host, US talk show host Stephen Colbert, asked how she felt about the Trump presidency.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7825976/obama.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/26857e195857431187914f81f1e900e0" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Michelle Obama with Stephen Colbert in London</em></p> <p>“We are a teenager, we’re changing all over the place and we come from a broken family,” Michelle explained.</p> <p>“We’re a little unsettled and having good parents is tough. Sometimes you spend the weekends with divorced dad and that feels like it’s fun, but then you get sick.</p> <p>“That’s what America’s going through. We’re kind of living with divorced dad right now.”</p> <p>After making the joke about living with “divorced dad”, the former First Lady took aim at Trump himself.</p> <p>“For anyone who had any problems with Barack Obama, let’s just think about what we were troubled by — there were never any indictments.”</p> <p>Michelle also told a personal anecdote about the Queen, which she broke royal protocol with by putting her arm around her in 2009.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7825975/obama-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ca99d383097c49b1a77e998a52dc2a81" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, Michelle Obama and Prince Philip</em></p> <p>She told the story about how touched she had been by the Queen’s decision to wear a small pin badge that the presidential couple had given her as a gift and couldn’t contain her joy.</p> <p>“I don’t know that I could have done anything differently because it was a natural human reaction.”</p> <p>She’s also very fond of the Queen’s wit.</p> <p>“That was my experience, that has been my experience: that kind of warmth and graciousness and intelligence and wit — I like her.”</p> <p>Michelle’s book tour will take her all around Europe, with stops in Paris and Amsterdam.</p> <p>Have you read Michelle’s autobiography<span> </span><em>Becoming</em>? Let us know in the comments.</p>

News

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"Michelle would leave me": Barack Obama admits the one thing his wife won't put up with

<p>Barack Obama has joked about the one thing that would prompt his wife Michelle to leave him.</p> <p>The former US president was speaking to a crowd of young leaders in Berlin, Germany, for an event organised by his non-profit the Obama Foundation on Saturday.</p> <p>He explained that his organisation is non-partisan. “I’m not here to support any political party, I’ve held my last political office,” the 57-year-old told the town hall audience.</p> <p>“Michelle would leave me if I ever ran for office again.”</p> <p>Although the US constitution stated that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice”, there are ways that he could gain a third term as President.</p> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvdelong/2015/08/03/thinking-about-a-third-term/#7f9c81352f77" target="_blank"><em>Forbes</em></a>, he could seek presidency through a non-elected route, such as becoming elected vice president or running as a cabinet member and then ascending via the Presidential Succession Act.</p> <p>This is not the first time the 44th President of the United States has joked about Michelle leaving him. In 2017, he delivered the joke in his acceptance speech for the Profile in Courage Award.</p> <p>“I also want to thank Michelle Obama for, after the presidency, sticking with me,” he said at the event. “Because I think she felt an obligation to the country to stay on, but once her official duties were over, it wasn’t clear.”</p> <p>He added, “I love my wife, and I’m grateful for her, and I do believe that it was America’s great good fortune to have her as First Lady.”</p> <p>The pair first met when they were working together at a law firm in 1989. They tied the knot three years later and went on to have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.</p> <p>After leaving the White House in 2017, Michelle told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/politics/michelle-obama-barack-marriage-rediscovering-romance-after-white-house/" target="_blank">PEOPLE</a></em> that she and her husband have been enjoying quality time that they did not have as much of during their days as the President and the First Lady.</p> <p>“We are finding each other again,” she said. “We have dinners alone and chunks of time where it’s just us – what we were when we started this thing: no kids, no publicity, no nothing. Just us and our dreams.”</p>

Relationships

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Michelle Obama’s unexpected words of advice for Duchess Meghan

<p>The former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, has offered up some pearls of wisdom for 37-year-old Duchess Meghan.</p> <p>As the Duchess of Sussex continues to support various initiatives as part of her royal work, Mrs Obama has warned the wife of Prince Harry to do one thing.</p> <p>Michelle, who has just released her memoir <em>Becoming</em>, urged Meghan to slow down and not do things too quickly.</p> <p>“Like me, Meghan probably never dreamt that she’d have a life like this, and the pressure you feel – from yourself and from others – can sometimes feel like a lot,” she told <em>Good Housekeeping</em> magazine.</p> <p>Mrs Obama advised the mum-to-be to not be afraid to take the necessary time to settle in before jumping into different projects.</p> <p>“So my biggest pieces of advice would be to take some time and don’t be in a hurry to do anything. I spent the first few months in the White House mainly worrying about my daughters, making sure they were off to a good start at school and making new friends, before I launched into any more ambitious work.”</p> <p>As a senior member of the royal family, Meghan has the opportunity to make a major impact on issues that are close to her.</p> <p>“There’s so much opportunity to do good with a platform like that – and I think Meghan can maximise her impact for others, as well as her own happiness, if she’s doing something that resonates with her personally,” she told the magazine.</p> <p>Michelle is currently in the United Kingdom promoting her book but has cut her European tour short to return to the US for the funeral of former President George H W Bush.</p> <p>Former US President Barack and Michelle have been close friends with Prince Harry for several years. </p>

News

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Michelle Obama’s surprising marriage confession

<p>The former First Lady of the United States has revealed that her and husband Barack Obama, who many look at as the pinnacle of a stable relationship, went through marriage counselling in a candid interview.</p> <p>The 54-year-old sat down with <em>Good Morning America</em> and said that her relationship with Barack is like any other marriage.</p> <p>“I know too many young couples who struggle and think there’s something wrong with them and I want them to know that Michelle and Barack Obama, who have a phenomenal marriage and love each other, we work on our marriage,” she said to interviewer Robin Roberts.</p> <p>Michelle and Barack, who met for the first time at a law practice they were both working at, credit marriage counselling for teaching them ways to take care of themselves and each other.</p> <p>“Marriage counselling for us was one of those ways where we learned how to talk out our differences. What I learnt about myself was my happiness was up to me,” she told Roberts.</p> <p>The full interview aired on Tuesday this week on <em>Good Morning America</em> and was the same day Michelle’s first book, <em>Becoming</em>, was released.</p> <p>The memoir is an inside look into the life of the former First Lady as she shares her struggles and triumphs throughout her life.</p> <p>One particular struggle was the difficulty she faced when trying to conceive before welcoming her two daughters Malia and Sasha.</p> <p>“We were trying to get pregnant and it wasn’t going well,” she writes in her book, according to <em>The Associated Press</em>.</p> <p>“We had one pregnancy test come back positive, which caused us both to forget every worry and swoon with joy, but a couple of weeks later I had a miscarriage, which left me physically uncomfortable and cratered any optimism we felt.”</p> <p>But the couple soon had Malia and Sasha with the help of IVF.</p> <p>Are you keen to read Michelle Obama's new book<span> </span><em>Becoming</em>? Let us know in the comments below.  </p>

Relationships

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Barack Obama’s heartfelt tribute to Michelle on 26th wedding anniversary

<p>Barack and Michelle Obama have been known to inspire couples around the world with their love and appreciation for each other.</p> <p>And on Wednesday, the pair celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary by taking to social media and sharing a heartfelt message for one another.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Happy Anniversary, <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleObama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MichelleObama</a>. For 26 years, you’ve been an extraordinary partner, someone who can always make me laugh, and my favorite person to see the world with. <a href="https://t.co/s8xoZ9j2YR">pic.twitter.com/s8xoZ9j2YR</a></p> — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1047564181266939905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">3 October 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Posting on Twitter, the former US President shared a photo of Michelle and captioned it: “For 26 years, you’ve been an extraordinary partner, someone who can always make me laugh, and my favourite person to see the world with.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@barackobama</a> for 26+ years of love, trust, and respect - for being a man who always lifts up and honors me and our wonderful girls. Each day I’m with you, I’m reminded of what a treasure you truly are to us all. <a href="https://t.co/dfgJRMyWJj">https://t.co/dfgJRMyWJj</a></p> — Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleObama/status/1047567519370956800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">3 October 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Michelle then replied to the tweet with a message of her own, saying, “Thank you @barackobama for 26+ years of love, trust and respect – for being a man who always lifts up and honors me and our wonderful girls.</p> <p>“Each day I’m with you, I’m reminded of what a treasure you truly are to us all.”</p> <p>The duo formed a bond in 1989, after Barack was mentored by Michelle at Chicago law firm Sidley Austin.</p> <p>But despite their loving relationship now, Michelle says she wasn’t fond of Barack at first.</p> <p>“Barack about a month in, asked me out, and I thought, ‘No way. This is completely tacky,’” she told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://abcnews.go.com/" target="_blank">ABC News</a>.</em></p> <p>But she later gave in and agreed to go on a date to the Art Institute of Chicago and later watched the 1989 Spike Lee film <em>Do the Right Thing</em>.</p> <p>“He showed all the sides – he was hip, cutting edge, cultural, sensitive. The fountain – nice touch. The walk – patient,” Michelle revealed to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a>.</em></p> <p>The power couple decided to tie the knot after three years of dating on October 3, 1992.</p> <p>Taking to her Instagram earlier in the year, Michelle shared a rare photo of the two from their wedding day, giving an inside look into their relationship.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjHhl_lgrQN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjHhl_lgrQN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">You can’t tell it from this photo, but Barack woke up on our wedding day in October, 1992 with a nasty head cold. Somehow, by the time I met him at the altar, it had miraculously disappeared and we ended up dancing almost all night. Twenty five years later, we’re still having fun, while also doing the hard work to build our partnership and support each other as individuals. I can’t imagine going on this wild ride with anybody else.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/michelleobama/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Michelle Obama</a> (@michelleobama) on May 23, 2018 at 4:03am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“You can’t tell it from this photo, but Barack woke up on our wedding day in October 1992 with a nasty head cold,” she wrote in the caption.</p> <p>“Somehow, by the time I met him at the altar, it had miraculously disappeared, and we ended up dancing almost all night.</p> <p>“Twenty-five years later, we’re still having fun, while also doing the hard work to build our partnership and support each other as individuals. I can’t imagine going on this wild ride with anybody else.”</p>

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