News of the week

• Netherlands condemned for climate inaction [spp-timestamp time="00:00:53″]
• Benyamin Netanyahu's victory in his party's primary in Israel [spp-timestamp time="00:01:42″]
• Clashes in Hong Kong between pro-democracy activists and police [spp-timestamp time="00:02:21″]
• Baby kidnapped in 1964 just found in the US [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 court for climate inaction. A first global success for the [tooltips keyword="activists" content="activists"] environmentalists.
2. Elections in Israel. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu wins his party's primary with 72.5 % of the [tooltips keyword="votes" content="votes"]. He will represent the 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 United States, a baby kidnapped in 1964 has just been found thanks to an online DNA analysis site [tooltips keyword="DNA" content="DNA"].
5. Christmas Eve unusual in Belgium. A [tooltips keyword="wolf" content="wolf"] suspected of having devoured [tooltips keyword="a kangaroo" content="a kangaroo"] [tooltips keyword="domestic" content="domesticated"].

To make their claims heard, more and more environmental associations are now appealing to the courts. These associations had their first victory in the world this week. This Friday, December 20, the Dutch Supreme Court has indeed condemned the State 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 to 1990. In reaching this verdict, the judges relied on the European Convention on Human Rights. The court found that the [tooltips keyword="global warming" content="global"] endangers the right to life outside a state must protect its citizens. For environmental activists around the world, this decision represents the hope that the justice [tooltips keyword="condemns" content="sentences"] also their country and [tooltips keyword="compels" content="compels"] to act against global warming.

In Israel, Benyamin Netanyahu did not even wait for the official results to announce his victory on Twitter. He won the primary of his party with 72.5 % of the vote. His [tooltips keyword="opponent" 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, just under 50 % of the [tooltips keyword="members" content="member"]. Netanyahu, indicted a month ago for [tooltips keyword="corruption" content="bribery"], will therefore represent the Likud in the March elections. The country, in a political [tooltips keyword="deadlock" content="deadlock"], is holding elections for the third time 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 power accused the [tooltips keyword="rioters" content="rioters"] to have spoiled the atmosphere of the holidays, in this region where live many [tooltips keyword="Christians" content="Christians"]. If the situation is very tense since June in the former British [tooltips keyword="colony" content="colony"], the violence had calmed down for a month. Calls for [tooltips keyword="lightning raids" content="The lightning raids"] to be launched during the festive season have been made by activists, particularly via the Internet. The movement was launched six months ago against a [tooltips keyword="bill" content="bill"] that would allow 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 more than 50 years, the United States has been wondering where Paul Fronczak went. The [tooltips keyword="dénouement" content="finish"] of this case was just revealed this week. The baby was kidnapped the day after he was born by a woman [tooltips keyword="disguised" content="disguised"] as a nurse in a Chicago hospital. Several years ago, the DNA of one of the child's relatives was put on various American genealogy sites. The family hoped that Paul or one of his children would also put their DNA there... A hope turned into reality since the DNA [tooltips keyword="correspond" content="matches"] to that of a 55 year old man living in Michigan. A victory for his mother, now 80 years old, and the genealogist who followed the case.

[tooltips keyword="Christmas Eve" content="Chrismast Eve"] spoiled for these northern Belgian residents. While their pet kangaroos were in their garden, they were probably attacked by a wolf. One of the kangaroos, which was reported missing, was probably used as a party meal by the wolf [tooltips keyword="wild" content="wild"]. For their second kangaroo, more fear than harm. Bitten on the ear, he is fine. If wolf footprints were found near the property, the police did not release other 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 This is the phenomenon of temperature increase in the atmosphere and the 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 that 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. One can, 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 dead end Dead end: literally, a dead end is a street with no exit. The word is also used to describe a dead-end situation, from which it is difficult to escape.

🥊 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 is the end of a story, what ends it.

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

💉DNA: is a molecule that identifies each person. 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, in freedom. It is the opposite of domestic.

🎅Christmas Eve: December 24, Christmas Eve evening.

Kangaroo: animal coming from Australia with very developed hind legs which allow him to jump very high.