News Review from March 29 to April 4, 2020

News of the week from March 29 to April 4, 2020:

• Covid-19: the World Bank could release 160 billion dollars to help the poorest countries. [spp-timestamp time=”00:00:45″]
• War between America and France to obtain masks [spp-timestamp time=”00:01:44″]
• The automotive industry switches to ventilator production [spp-timestamp time=”00:02:31″]
• COP26 2020 postponed to 2021 [spp-timestamp time=”00:03:26″]
• Terrorist knife attack in France [spp-timestamp time=”00:04:02″]
• Vocabulary of the week explained [spp-timestamp time=”00:04:36″]

Transcription

Hello,
 
Welcome to the HelloFrench news review, the podcast that immerses you in the week's news to help you improve your French.
 
Headlines for the week of March 29 to April 4, 2020:

• Headlines for the week of March 29 to April 4, 2020: 
• Covid-19: the World Bank could release 160 billion dollars to help the poorest countries.
• A mask war is raging on the tarmacs of Chinese airports
• A Tesla factory will soon start manufacturing ventilators
• The international climate conference COP26 2020 postponed to 2021
• Two dead in a terrorist knife attack in southeastern France.

160 billion dollars to help the poorest countries. That is the sum the World Bank is ready to provide over the next 15 months. [tooltips keyword=”L'objectif” content=”the goal”]? [tooltips keyword=”Lutter contre” content=”to fight against”] the coronavirus epidemic and prepare for the looming economic crisis. In a first phase, 1.9 billion dollars will be distributed among 25 countries. India alone is expected to receive one billion dollars. Among the first countries to receive aid, we also find Pakistan, which is set to receive 200 million dollars, and Afghanistan, which will receive 100 million. Very poor countries with therefore more vulnerable populations. In this crisis context, the World Bank is also helping the most disadvantaged countries access essential medical supplies. The World Bank is currently conducting health aid operations in 65 countries. 

Facing the Covid-19 epidemic, [tooltips keyword=”tous les coups sont permis” content=”All is fair”]. Indeed, a real war is being waged on the tarmacs of Chinese airports. This week, the Americans outbid to purchase masks originally ordered by France. To obtain these precious masks, they are willing to pay three to four times the initially planned price, all [tooltips keyword=”en liquide” content=”cash”] in cash. These masks therefore ended up flying to America rather than Europe. These practices were denounced by regional leaders in France who face a real [tooltips keyword=”parcours du combattant” content=”assault course”] obstacle course. Rather than using air transport, some have decided to turn to shipping companies to reduce the risks of [tooltips keyword=”vol” content=”the theft “] theft. 

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, announced this week that he will [tooltips keyword=”rouvrir” content=”reopen”] reopen one of his factories to manufacture ventilators, in Buffalo, New York State. He announced on Twitter that Tesla would do whatever is necessary to help in these difficult times. To be able to manufacture these ventilators, Tesla is working in collaboration with Medtronic, a company specializing in medical equipment. Other automotive manufacturers also stepped forward this week to offer their help. This includes Jaguar, Toyota, and Ford. Italian manufacturer Fiat and Czech manufacturer Skoda, for their part, started producing masks. A Renault factory in France also transformed its operations: workers now manufacture protective [tooltips keyword=”visières” content=”visors”] visors for [tooltips keyword=”soignants” content=”cargiver”] healthcare workers.

COP 26, the international climate conference, was supposed to take place in November in Glasgow, Scotland. The British government announced its postponement to 2021, without specifying a date. The cause, as with [tooltips keyword=”l'annulation” content=”the cancellation”] the cancellation or postponement of most major events of the year: the Covid-19 crisis. The decision was made by the UN, in consultation with British authorities. No postponement planned, however, for the ecological transition targets set by the European Union. 

Knife [tooltips keyword=”couteau” content=”knife”] attack in southeastern France. A refugee from Sudan [tooltips keyword=”tué” content=”killed”] killed two people on Saturday. Witnesses reported to [tooltips keyword=”enquêteurs” content=”the investigators”] investigators that the man had been feeling very unwell for several days due to the lockdown. Two other people were also injured in the attack. It took place in the streets and shops of the town center of Romans-sur-Isere. Until now, [tooltips keyword=”l'assaillant” content=”the attacker “] the attacker was not known to police services. He says he does not remember the event. A psychiatric assessment is planned.

Vocabulary of the week

Expand your French vocabulary - download our list of key words from the week of March 29 to April 4, 2020.

L'objectif	The goal to reach, the target to achieve.
Lutter contre	To oppose something, to fight against.
L'épidémie	A disease that spreads, that propagates.
Pauvre (adjective)	Not rich, not having much money.
Vulnérable (adjective)	Quite fragile, easily hurt by a situation or someone.
Défavorisé (adjective)	Not rich, not having much money. Not having many resources to live on.
Tous les coups sont permis	Anything goes, there is no more fairness.
Le masque	Something you put on your face to disguise yourself, to hide it, or to protect yourself. You can wear a mask for carnival or a protective mask to avoid catching a disease.
Le tarmac	The airport ground, the area where planes land.
En liquide	In cash.
La pratique	The act of doing something, the way of doing something.
Le parcours du combattant	Very complicated, very difficult procedures.
Limiter les risques	To prevent something bad from happening, something that could hurt people or prevent success.
Le vol	Taking something from someone that does not belong to us.
Rouvrir (verb)	To open again. Something had been closed and is finally open again.
Le respirateur	A device in hospitals that helps people who have breathing problems. This device allows the patient to breathe artificially.
L'industriel	The owner of a factory, a brand that owns factories.
La visière	The front of a cap, the part that protects the eyes.
Le soignant	The person who cares for us, medical staff. For example, a doctor or a nurse.
L'annulation	Cancelling something or an event. For example: "Mon train a encore été annulé ce matin. Je n'arrête pas d'avoir des annulations ces derniers temps" (My train was cancelled again this morning. I keep having cancellations lately).
Le report	An event is not cancelled but is pushed back, it will be organized at another time.
Le couteau	A cutting tool used for eating with a fork. It can also be used as a weapon to hurt people.
Le réfugié	Someone who had to leave their country because their life is in danger due to their ideas, their ethnicity... They are therefore a refugee in another country.
Tuer (verb)	To make someone die, to take their life.
Les enquêteurs	Police officers working on an investigation, searching for the truth about an event.
L'assaillant	The person who attacks, the aggressor.