World news | The Guardian
Rare love letters to French aristocrat shed light on Louis XVI maritime mystery 29 October 2026 at 14:00

Rare love letters to French aristocrat shed light on Louis XVI maritime mystery

29 October 2026 at 14:00

‘Miracle’ cache of letters written by French scientist who died in ill-fated La Pérouse mission give personal account of 1785 voyage

As he prepared to climb the scaffolding to be publicly executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793, Louis XVI is reported to have asked: “Is there news of Monsieur de la Pérouse?”

He was referring to Jean-François de Galaup, the count of Pérouse, a naval officer and navigator whom the French king had dispatched in 1785 on a round-the-world scientific mission to rival discoveries made by the English explorer Captain James Cook.

World news | The Guardian
Europe’s central bank chief, Christine Lagarde, steps down for ‘freedom of speech’ 29 October 2026 at 19:05

Europe’s central bank chief, Christine Lagarde, steps down for ‘freedom of speech’

World news | The Guardian

By: Phillip Inman and Graeme Wearden

29 October 2026 at 19:05

Possible candidate to run World Economic Forum departs ECB nine months early, saying she wants to speak her mind about world affairs

Christine Lagarde, the eurozone’s top central banker, has said she is stepping down nine months early to speak her mind about world affairs and confront the “misrepresentation of the truth”.

Ending months of speculation about her future at the European Central Bank, Lagarde said she would quit her role as president in March rather than October next year because the rules of neutrality that governed her job prevented her from influencing debate about financial and economics affairs.