News of the week

• Netherlands condemned for climate inaction [spp-timestamp time="00:00:53″]
• Benyamin Netanyahu's victory in Israel's party primary [spp-timestamp time="00:01:42″]
• Clashes in Hong Kong between pro-democracy activists and police [spp-timestamp time="00:02:21″]
• A baby kidnapped in 1964 has just been found in the USA [spp-timestamp time="00:03:08″]
• In Belgium, a wolf devours a Kangaroo for Christmas [spp-timestamp time="00:03:46″]
• Explanation of the week's vocabulary [spp-timestamp time="00:04:19″]

Every Saturday, HelloFrench publishes a podcast that immerses you in the news of the week. Each press review is accompanied by a transcription, d'a vocabulary list and a quizto help you improve your French and test yourself.

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Transcription

Hello,

Welcome to the press review of Hello French, the podcast that immerses you in the news of the week, to help you improve your French.

In the spotlight for this week of December 14-21, 2019

1. The Netherlands condemned by the courts for climate inaction. A first worldwide success for the environmentalists [tooltips keyword="militants " content="activists"].
2. Elections in Israel. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu wins his party's primary with 72.5 % of [tooltips keyword="suffrages " content="votes"]. He will represent Likud in March.
3. Hong Kong. Violent [tooltips keyword="clashes" content="clashes"] between pro-democracy activists and police took place in [tooltips keyword="shopping malls" content="malls"] on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
4. In the USA, a baby kidnapped in 1964 has just been found thanks to an online DNA analysis site [tooltips keyword="ADN " content="DNA"].
5. An unusual Christmas Eve in Belgium. A [tooltips keyword="wolf" content="wolf"] suspected of having devoured [tooltips keyword="un kangourou" content="a kangaroo"] [tooltips keyword="domestique" content="domesticated"].

To make their demands heard, more and more environmental associations are turning to the courts. This week saw their first victory anywhere in the world. On Friday December 20, the Dutch Supreme Court condemned the government for climate inaction. The court ordered the Netherlands to reduce its [tooltips keyword="greenhouse gas emissions" content="greenhouse gas emissions"] by 25 % by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. The judges based their verdict on the European Convention on Human Rights. The court ruled that [tooltips keyword="réchauffement climatique" content="global"] endangers the right to life, which a state must protect its citizens from. For environmental activists around the world, this decision represents the hope that the courts [tooltips keyword= "condamne" content= "sentences"] will also condemn their country and [tooltips keyword= "contraigne" content= "compels"] it to take action against global warming.

In Israel, Benyamin Netanyahu didn't even wait for the official results to announce his victory on Twitter. He won his party's primary with 72.5 % of the vote. His [tooltips keyword="adversaire " content="opponent"], Gideon Saar, had little chance of winning against the current Prime Minister and party leader. 57,000 members of Israel's right-wing party voted in the primary, representing just under 50 % of the [tooltips keyword="adhérents " content="adherent"]. Netanyahu, who was indicted a month ago for [tooltips keyword="corruption" content="bribery"], will represent Likud in the March elections. The country, in a political [tooltips keyword="impasse" content="deadlock"], is holding its 3rd election in less than a year.

Clashes broke out in Hong Kong on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day between pro-democracy activists and riot police. The pro-Chinese authorities accused the [tooltips keyword="rioters" content="rioters"] of spoiling the festive atmosphere in this region, home to many [tooltips keyword="Christians" content="Christians"]. Although the situation in the former British [tooltips keyword="colonie" content="colony"] has been tense since June, the violence had calmed down over the last month. Calls to launch [tooltips keyword="coups de poing" content="The lightning raids"] in the run-up to the festive season were nevertheless made by activists, notably via the Internet. The movement was launched six months ago against a [tooltips keyword="projet de loi" content="bill"] which would authorize extraditions to mainland China. While the government has since backed down, the [tooltips keyword="opponents" content="dissidents"] have extended their [tooltips keyword="demands" content="claims"] to more democracy and independence from China.

For over 50 years, the United States has been wondering what happened to Paul Fronczak. The [tooltips keyword="dénouement" content="finish"] of this case was revealed this week. The baby had been kidnapped the day after his birth by a woman [tooltips keyword="disguised" content="disguised"] dressed as a nurse in a Chicago hospital. Several years ago, the DNA of one of the child's relatives was posted on various American genealogy sites. The family hoped that Paul or one of his children would also post their DNA there... A hope turned into reality as the DNA [tooltips keyword="correspond" content="matches"] matches that of a 55-year-old man living in Michigan. A victory for his mother, now 80, and the genealogist who followed the case.

[tooltips keyword="Réveillon de Noël " content="Chrismast Eve" ] ruined for these inhabitants of northern Belgium. While their pet kangaroos were in their garden, they were probably attacked by a wolf. One of the kangaroos, reported missing, was probably used as a feast by the wolf [tooltips keyword="sauvage" content="wild"]. For their second kangaroo, more fear than harm. Bitten on the ear, he's fine. Although wolf tracks were found near the property, the police have not released any further information.

Vocabulary of the week

Enrich your French vocabulary, download our list of key words for the week of December 22-28, 2019.

🔥Global warming The phenomenon of rising temperatures in the atmosphere and oceans.

💭Greenhouse gas emissions These are the gases that are present in the atmosphere. Global warming is partly due to the increase of these gases. For example, cars emit CO2 and CO2 is a greenhouse gas.

👮Condemn (verb): punish by justice.

👮Compel (verb) to force, to compel.

✊The activist : A person who fights for a cause he or she believes is right.

🤼‍♂️The adversary, the opponent a person who is opposed to you, usually in a fight.

✒️Votes: the votes.

👊The member: is a person who is a member of an organization. You could, for example, be a member of a party, a sports club or an association.

💰Corruption This is when power is abused in exchange for money or other benefits.

⛔️The impasse Impasse: literally, a dead-end street. The word is also used to describe a situation where there's no way out.

🥊 The clashes, the confrontations These are violent confrontations, fights.

🛍The Mall: a building where many stores are grouped for shopping.

🤼‍♂️The riots It is an uprising of the people, usually spontaneous and unorganized. People who riot are called the rioters.

📜Demands: things that are claimed, requested.

🎄The Christians These are the people who adhere to the religion of Christianity, the religion of Jesus Christ.

🏝The colony A territory occupied by another nation and not independent.

🤜An operation punch It is a sudden and unexpected operation that wants to make a mark.

🔚The outcome it's the end of a story, what brings it to a close.

👗Being in disguise: wear a costume, clothes to modify its identity.

💉DNA: is a molecule that identifies each individual. Every human being has one.

✔︎Corresponds to: To be equivalent to is to be equal to the same thing.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧Genealogy: It is the science of establishing family ties, finding ancestors, the list of members of the same family.

🐺Wolf: wild animal that looks like a big dog.

🐲Sauvage (adj) not tamed, on the loose. This is the opposite of domestic.

🎅Christmas Eve: December 24, Christmas Eve evening.

Kangaroo: Australian animal with highly developed hind legs that enable it to jump very high.