Le Journal highlights local news stories from all across the French-speaking world and beyond—from an ultra-modern hospital in Burkina Faso, to a Mozart concert at the Opéra de Vichy, to protests in Tibet, and much more.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
This news report follows up on the squatters in Cachan, who receive good news from the mayor: after six weeks spent in a gymnasium, they're being relocated to a hostel with real accommodations.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Take a walk with Dominique de Villepin, during the latter part of his term as France's Prime Minister, through Marseilles in the south of France.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
During the 2006 World Cup, and despite criticism from several right-wing politicians, footballers Lilian Thuram and Patrick Vieira invited eighty former squatters from Cachan to see the France-Italy match.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Good news for lovers of luxury footwear—but even more so for the work force of the French town Romans: the factory of designer brand Charles Jourdan will reopen its doors (after being forced to close several months prior) thanks to an investment from a Costa Rican firm.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Does your textbook ever seem more confusing than enlightening, more wrong than right? A recent study showed that some French textbooks could use a little fact-checking.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Whether heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, “jouets intimes”-sexual, or sexagenarian, women affirm that sexuality is not just for men.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Being born premature is risky, but thanks to modern medical techniques, six out of ten babies who are born greatly premature will grow up to be perfectly healthy children.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Just how bad can stress from work get? Though the effects of stress may not always be visible or immediately apparent, some employees have been driven to insomnia, depression, even suicide because of difficulties at work. Some companies have implemented new anti-stress measures, but will that be enough?
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lazare Ponticelli was the last of the “Poilus” — French infantry soldiers who served in World War I. Ponticelli, who was actually an Italian immigrant to France, first served in the French Foreign Legion and then eventually, the Italian army. He died in 2008 at the age of 110.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
The young and the old are always the most severely affected by crises – a fact illustrated by this demonstration, in which the elderly clamor for emergency measures so they can make ends meet.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Drinking and driving brings up serious questions of responsibility. If someone is hurt as a result of drunk driving, is it the driver’s fault alone, or do those who provided the alcohol share some culpability too?
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
At the Paris Salon du Livre this year, in response to the visit of the Israeli president, six Arab nations decided to exclude themselves from the event. Some attendees were puzzled by the boycott, especially considering that many Israeli writers are known to advocate the creation of a Palestinian state. With all that pressure, no wonder the roof collapsed!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Choosing a name for a new baby is just one of the tricky tasks parents face. Should you go with a classic, like Jeanne; a trendy name, like Mathéo; or an old-school throwback, like Alphonse? It can be tough to decide, but if all else fails, just use your alphabet blocks!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Pain, and how to better manage it, is becoming increasingly focused on by members of the medical community. Some hospitals have even appointed special doctors for pain management and a few are opening pain management centers.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Buddhist monks and other Tibetans protest against Chinese rule while their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, continues his exile in India. The topic of Tibet was a sore point for China as it prepared to host the Summer Olympics.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
There are warnings on cigarettes, warnings on bottles of wine, but do we really need warnings on rich foods? Who doesn’t know that they can make you gros et malsain?
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Another protest on the streets of Paris: this one about the difficulties of obtaining a driving permit. The steep price of a permit is currently about 1200 € in France, and candidates must face long waits of several months or more just to take the test. Increasing the number of driving inspectors would help both to lessen these delays and lower costs.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Chantal Sébire, whose face was disfigured by a large and incurable tumor that caused her excruciating pain and made her blind, had one request: to end her own life. But the French government refused to allow her to obtain a prescription from her doctor for a lethal amount of drugs. One week after this report, Ms. Sébire was found dead in her home.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The last in our four-part series on Paris fashion week showcases the latest collections of Lanvin by Alber Elbaz, Christian Lacroix and his luxury ready-to-wear, Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs, and Hermès by Jean-Paul Gaultier.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Which four designers’ collections are not to miss (if your income is in the seven digits)? Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent, Loewe, and, for your delicate foot, René Caovilla and his sparkling handmade Venetian shoes.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
It’s common to see photos of celebrities aged forty and up happily pregnant or pushing a pram. But according to most doctors, a woman’s chances of conceiving drop dramatically after age thirty-eight or so. Of course there are exceptions. Modern medical fertility treatments allowed a sixty-six-year-old Romanian woman to give birth to twins in 2005. But unless we’re willing and able to procure such treatments, which can be financially, emotionally, and physically draining, those who want to wait until their forties to have kids will have to take their chances.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
On the final leg of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to South Africa, the leader meets with Nelson Mandela (after visiting the cell where Mandela was imprisoned for twenty-seven years), and speaks about the importance of being a uniter—not a divider.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
A first look at French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to South Africa. He proposes a new axis in the capital’s “Francafrican” politics and shores up relations with English-speaking Africa.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
This newspaper, called “The Sapper’s Candle” (a “sapper” is traditionally a military man who disarms mines), only comes out on the leap year. But how can a periodical published only on February twenty-ninth be financially sound? Maybe it’s true: less is more.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The magic of Nicolas Ghesquière? Innovating, without betraying the heritage of the venerable fashion house of Balenciaga.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Microcredit can make a big difference to people on welfare or those without good credit history. Case in point: this fifty-five-year-old man who succeeded in opening up his own pizzeria thanks to the help he received.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Sure, everyone likes to laugh, even the French, but can it really be good for your heart? Scientists seem to believe mais oui!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Homelessness is difficult for anyone, but for women the dangers can be more acute and the experience even more alienating than for men.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Marianne is the symbol of the French Republic and has roots in the revolution of 1789. But are French mayors ready to represent the France of today with a Marianne of color?
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
In France, one is registered to vote automatically upon reaching voting age.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
In 1985, ten million meals were served by Restos du Cœur. By 2004, that number had skyrocketed to sixty million.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The mortality rate for people with AIDS in France is one fifth of what it once was. Not only that, but modern medications are much easier to schedule.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Public transport has not always been easy for those who use wheelchairs, but the SNCF (French National Railway Company) has been making changes that make for a much more pleasant trip.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Newcomers Kader Belarbi and Loumia Hiridjee are bringing fresh blood and talent to the French cultural and commercial landscape.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
As a gift to journalists looking for a tongue-in-cheek story, French schools have banned kissing. Students ask, “Where’s the harm?”
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Though we reported that some of the residents of Lille support the power workers and their blackout strikes, it turns out that not all of them do. Office workers shout from balconies to give the strikers a piece of their minds, and the workers respond in kind.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Cannabis use amongst French youth has more than doubled in the past ten years, and some parents are blaming it for their children’s erratic behavior. Specialists say that even moderate daily use can have detrimental effects on schoolwork.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Workers for the power company in the city of Lille aren’t happy and want management to know it. So they sabotaged the grid, cutting off power to thousands of businesses and residences. Despite the inconvenience, the mayor, and even many residents, support the workers.
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