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RFI's English-language service produces news and features, on the radio and online. We currently have over 40 journalists and producers in our Paris office and a network of over 50 correspondents around the world.
This week on Spotlight on Africa, we're heading to Zambia, where general elections are set to take place on the 13th August. Voters will go to the polls to elect a president, members of the National Assembly, councillors and council chairs. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema has already picked up endorsements from within his own camp, the UPND Alliance, the coalition that's held power since 2021. So what's at stake, and who's in the running?
This week on the podcast, we're heading to Zambia, which is gearing up for elections next month and is now in full campaign mode. Two of our RFI colleagues, Yang Mei and Igor Strauss, travelled to Zambia recently for in-depth reporting on four years of Hakainde Hichilema's rule, and his chances of re-election.
In power since August 2021, "HH", as he's most often called, is a businessman, farmer and politician, and the seventh president of Zambia.
General elections are due to be held in the country on 13 August 2026 to elect a president, members of the National Assembly, councillors and council chairs.
The year ahead for African democracy: who is going to the polls in 2026?
Hichilema has received endorsements from some members of the UPND Alliance, including from the leaders of the Party of National Unity and Progress and the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy.
According to an opinion poll conducted by a University of Zambia demographer, Hichilema is set to be re-elected, leading with 60 percent of the vote, while the combined opposition would take 35 percent.
Zambia's Hichilema sworn in, becoming rare opposition president in southern Africa
Our colleagues Yang Mei and Igor Strauss bring us some of the interviews they gathered on the ground, so join us as we hear from ordinary Zambians, as well as from leading journalist Joseph Mwenda, editor-in-chief at News Diggers, who has led multiple investigations into the current government's relations with China; and from Robert Mwale, an economist and Lead Public Finance and Economic Governance Researcher at the Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD).
Among the issues at stake are a lack of freedom of expression, but also a legacy of economic growth, driven in no small part by China's heavy involvement in the economy.
Thanks to our reporters, Igor Strauss and Yang Mei, for their work and insight, and thank you for listening.
This is the last episode of the 2025–26 season. We'll be back in September with another one.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by RFI's English language service. This episode was mixed by Erwan Rome.
This week in Spotlight on Africa, we look at climate change, environmental justice and the challenges of adaptation. While Europe's heatwaves make headlines, temperatures are also climbing across Africa, with parts of the Sahel approaching 50°C. West Africa is also experiencing severe flooding caused by climate change. Yet Africa is also a source of innovation and solutions, as we'll be discussing today.
Heatwaves in Europe are getting a lot of attention from the media, as they break records, but temperatures are also on the rise in Africa, with 50°C reported in the Sahel since March. And West Africa is facing unprecedentedly violent floods, especially in Ghana, parts of Nigeria and in Côte d'Ivoire. All due to global warming and climate change.
Severe flooding leaves a trail of death and destruction in West Africa
But if Africa is often seen as a victim of climate disasters - it’s also the source of solutions.
Climate change is directly linked to oil and other fossil fuel use, which also causes environmental pollution.
In May 2026, Shell and other major oil companies held their annual general meetings, a tense moment for the victims of decades-long pollution by the companies. In the case of Shell, it might be able to shed its duty to clean up the region by selling some of its assets to another group named Renaissance.
Ahead of and after the annual meeting, local communities in Nigeria organised to act, as they see a critical opportunity to amplify scrutiny of Shell's continued fossil fuel expansion. The goal is to show the company's failure on climate accountability and environmental justice.
The pollution also affects other parts of Africa, and many actors, investors and campaigners are organising to make their demands heard.
A month after the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, and ahead of the 11th Global Summit on Climate Change in Paris on 30-31 July 2026, this week we hear from three people building the future.
Does the Africa Forward summit signal a fresh start?
Emem Okon is the executive director of Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre – a frontline leader on gender, oil pollution and community rights in the Niger Delta. She tells us how the communities are fighting for accountability.
Yuma Sasaki, from Japan, is Dodai's CEO, working from Addis Ababa. Dodai is an electric mobility company based in Ethiopia. They recently raised $13 million (the largest fundraiser ever in Ethiopia) to scale up electric bikes.
Ethiopia, like Kenya, has emerged as a hub for electric vehicles given progressive government policy. It was the first country in the world to ban the import of fuel vehicles.
With abundant and cheap hydropower, Ethiopia could make e-bikes commercially advantageous as well as environmentally beneficial.
Meet the Kenyans on a roll, manufacturing the electric vehicles of the future
And Bim Adisa, CEO of Beacon Power Services, explains how artificial intelligence can help improve the reliability of electricity grids. Lagos-based BPS helps operators stabilise electricity grids – already impacting over 100 million people worldwide, including in West Africa.
This episode was mixed by Erwan Rome.
As France's record-breaking heatwave last week raises questions about how the country will have to adapt to a warming climate, we look at what that could mean for French culture. We also explore the country's growing interest in fitness – driven in part by its most popular YouTuber – and examine how the Grand Mosque of Paris, which marks its centenary this year, became both a symbol of Islam in France and a recurring source of political tension.
France has just endured one of the most intense heatwaves in its history. Record 43C temperatures put the country's schools, hospitals and transport to the test and caused at least 1,000 heat-related deaths. Climate risk expert Antoine Poincaré, head of the Apave Climate School, argues France has little choice but to adapt to a hotter world. It will mean making difficult political choices and rethinking everything from schools to Champagne, croissants and even the postcard image of Paris. Listen @0')
Working out has never been a particularly French pastime, until recently. Around six million people in France have gym memberships and the numbers are rising, driven largely by younger people. Christophe Andanson, who founded one of France's first gyms in the early 1980s, welcomes the trend. He and coach Aurélien Broussal-Derval attribute some of the growing popularity of fitness to social media influencers, notably Tibo InShape, France's largest YouTuber. (Listen @19'40'')
The beauty of the Grande Mosquée de Paris belies controversy. Since it opened in July 1926, the mosque has been a flashpoint for tensions over colonialism and France's relationship with Islam. (Listen @14'45'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.
This week, Spotlight on Africa turns to the Great Lakes region. First, a new Global Witness report reveals how coltan is being smuggled out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, amid the ongoing conflict in the east, through Rwanda and on to companies worldwide. Then, artist Grada Kilomba discusses her journey to create a unique monument for Paris commemorating the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
This month, a new report from the NGO Global Witness has revealed how coltan is being smuggled out of the Democratic Republic of Congo and sold to companies worldwide via Rwanda, amid the devastating conflict in the country's eastern provinces.
Coltan, short for columbite-tantalite, is a mineral from which the metals tantalum and niobium are extracted, both classified as critical raw materials by companies from the United States, the European Union, China and Japan.
The report finds that conflict minerals from the war-torn east of the DRC are present in everyday technology products made by major global companies. It also links the illegal trade to Rwandan firms and to leading international brands including Amazon, Ericsson and Sony, which source minerals from eastern DRC.
The trafficking is linked to the M23 militia, accused of widespread sexual violence, summary executions and torture.
It took the British non-governmental organisation more than a year of documentary and field research to establish the exploitation network.
A separate Global Witness investigation from April 2025 had already revealed that coltan linked to the conflict in eastern DRC had likely entered the European Union market through international commodities trader Traxys. Earlier reports had also implicated companies including Apple, dating back to 2022.
For this latest investigation, the NGO spent months cross-referencing its findings with surveys conducted by the United Nations and other non-governmental organisations.
Alex Kopp, the report's author and an expert at Global Witness, is our first guest.
DRC takes on Apple: can conflict mineral mining be stopped?
Rwanda monument
The artist Grada Kilomba was commissioned to create a monument for the city of Paris commemorating the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The monument comprises two black brass steles bearing an engraved tribute to the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children massacred between April and July 1994.
It was unveiled in the heart of Paris on 2 June 2026, in the presence of the two countries' presidents, Emmanuel Macron and Paul Kagame.
France and Rwanda unite to honour genocide victims with Paris monument
Kilomba is a Portuguese artist of African heritage, with roots in São Tomé and Angola.
Raised in Portugal, she has worked in Germany, Brazil, England and beyond, using performance and installation to explore the history of African and black people across centuries and continents, including the slave trade.
She was selected through a rigorous process to design this monument, the first of its kind in France. She travelled to Rwanda to meet survivors and conduct her own research before completing the project, titled "The Archive".
Her creative process led her to reflect on France and Europe's responsibility in the tragic events.
Grada Kilomba is the second guest in this episode.
This episode was mixed by Vincent Pora.
The murder of a young girl has sparked a reckoning with France's failures to investigate and prosecute violence against children. A historian's take on bringing Charles de Gaulle to the big screen. And how France's legal recognition of animal sentience has yet to guarantee the welfare of farm animals.
The murder of a child in south-west France has caused outcry after it emerged that the chief suspect was previously accused of raping and sexual assaulting other children – but had never been charged, or even interviewed by police. Child welfare advocates and feminist groups have started weekly demonstrations outside the Justice Ministry, demanding stronger action against systemic failures to investigate, prosecute and convict child abusers. Steffy Alexandrian and Arnaud Gallais, who both founded child protection groups after being sexually abused, describe their experiences with the justice system and why an overhaul is long overdue. (Listen @3')
On 18 June 1940, a then little-known general made a radio broadcast from London to German-occupied France to rally the French resistance. Few heard his call, but the speech would launch Charles de Gaulle on the path to becoming one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Eighty-six years later, de Gaulle is back in the spotlight thanks to the blockbuster biopic La Bataille de Gaulle. Historian Julian Jackson – whose acclaimed biography, A Certain Idea of France, inspired the film – talks about the delicate process of bringing history to the screen, the general's love-hate relationship with Winston Churchill, and why his warnings about Europe's dependence on America still resonate. (Listen @18'40'')
In July 1976, France passed a landmark law for animal rights: Article L214 of the Rural Code, which recognised animals as “sentient beings” with needs that humans had to respect. Fifty years later, animal studies specialist Émilie Dardenne says it has not stopped sometimes shocking cruelty in France’s massive farming industry. (Listen @12'40'')
Episode mixed by Jeremie Boucher.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.
This week, Spotlight on Africa explores cinema and music scoring for African documentary projects with storytellers from Mozambique and Kenya. We will also bring you news from the Cannes Film Festival, along with the African teams selected to take part in the football World Cup.
The next time you watch a nature documentary filmed in Africa, listen carefully to the soundtrack: you might be hearing music composed in the West, a product of "parachute" filmmaking, rather than authentic sounds and locally led stories from the continent.
A group of artists, producers and organisers is working to change that through Africa Refocused, a collaboration between the National Geographic Society and Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF).
NEWF offers mentorship, professional development and laboratories that teach specialised skills such as underwater cinematography and music composition, supporting a community of more than 370 storytellers from over 35 African countries, who have created 27 films and counting.
Their goal is to bring authentic sounds to the screen, so that Africa's nature documentaries reflect the continent's rhythms, sounds and instruments.
Spotlight on Africa spoke to two storytellers leading this movement. Dércio "Muha" Gomate is a National Geographic Explorer and Mozambican composer whose work has featured internationally, including his contribution to "Nkashi: Race for the Okavango", winner of Best Original Music Score at the 2023 Jackson Wild Film Festival.
Labdi Ommes, a NEWF Fellow, is a singer-songwriter and composer from Kenya who plays the orutu, an instrument women were historically forbidden to play.
They discuss their creative process in the field and the studio, how they are reclaiming soundscapes to replace "parachute" scores with local sounds, and how the NEWF Composers Lab is opening doors for African musicians to monetise their work and gain international exposure.
Africa at Cannes 2026
Meanwhile, African films featured at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Why is African cinema out of the picture at the Cannes Film Festival?
Our culture reporter Ollia Horton met the organisers of a programme supporting women film directors and screenwriters from West Africa.
Mariama Lab is a year-long mentoring programme created by Collectif 50/50, a French organisation for gender equality, and the Mariama Institut, a film-writing residency in Mauritania.
We will hear from Mathy Mendy, a coordinator with Collectif 50/50, and from the actress and director Azata Soro.
And the World Cup!
Finally, you will hear from Paul Myers, our sports reporter, who will be covering the 2026 football World Cup for RFI English.
It starts on 11 June with a game between the co-hosts Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Africa's finest: Democratic Republic of Congo return renamed
It is the first tournament to feature 48 teams, 10 of them African, with matches played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
This episode was mixed by Vincent Pora.
This week, Spotlight on Africa explores cinema and music scoring for African documentary projects with storytellers from Mozambique and Kenya. We will also bring you news from the Cannes Film Festival, along with the African teams selected to take part in the football World Cup.
The next time you watch a nature documentary filmed in Africa, listen carefully to the soundtrack: you might be hearing music composed in the West, a product of "parachute" filmmaking, rather than authentic sounds and locally led stories from the continent.
A group of artists, producers and organisers is working to change that through Africa Refocused, a collaboration between the National Geographic Society and Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF).
NEWF offers mentorship, professional development and laboratories that teach specialised skills such as underwater cinematography and music composition, supporting a community of more than 370 storytellers from over 35 African countries, who have created 27 films and counting.
Their goal is to bring authentic sounds to the screen, so that Africa's nature documentaries reflect the continent's rhythms, sounds and instruments.
Spotlight on Africa spoke to two storytellers leading this movement. Dércio "Muha" Gomate is a National Geographic Explorer and Mozambican composer whose work has featured internationally, including his contribution to "Nkashi: Race for the Okavango", winner of Best Original Music Score at the 2023 Jackson Wild Film Festival.
Labdi Ommes, a NEWF Fellow, is a singer-songwriter and composer from Kenya who plays the orutu, an instrument women were historically forbidden to play.
They discuss their creative process in the field and the studio, how they are reclaiming soundscapes to replace "parachute" scores with local sounds, and how the NEWF Composers Lab is opening doors for African musicians to monetise their work and gain international exposure.
Africa at Cannes 2026
Meanwhile, African films featured at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Why is African cinema out of the picture at the Cannes Film Festival?
Our culture reporter Ollia Horton met the organisers of a programme supporting women film directors and screenwriters from West Africa.
Mariama Lab is a year-long mentoring programme created by Collectif 50/50, a French organisation for gender equality, and the Mariama Institut, a film-writing residency in Mauritania.
We will hear from Mathy Mendy, a coordinator with Collectif 50/50, and from the actress and director Azata Soro.
And the World Cup!
Finally, you will hear from Paul Myers, our sports reporter, who will be covering the 2026 football World Cup for RFI English.
It starts on 11 June with a game between the co-hosts Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Africa's finest: Democratic Republic of Congo return renamed
It is the first tournament to feature 48 teams, 10 of them African, with matches played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
This episode was mixed by Vincent Pora.
A former prime minister goes after a whistleblower and what that means for those who dare to speak out. Why a natural ingredient that could cover up to 40 percent of France's fertiliser needs is currently being flushed down the loo. And France's halting steps towards adopting daylight savings time.
Former prime minister Édouard Philippe, currently one of the leading contenders in next year's presidential race, is facing allegations of embezzling funds from Le Havre, the city he governs as mayor. A civil servant first raised the alarm over the alleged misconduct, and now the city has attacked her whistleblower status. Cléo Bour, legal manager of the Maison des Lanceurs d'Alerte, which provides support to whistleblowers, talks about France's fraught relationship with those who speak out, the patchwork of protections available to them, and what it means when a powerful political figure uses public resources to go after them. (Listen @1'50'')
France, Europe's largest agricultural producer, relies heavily on imported fertilisers to keep its fields producing. But the Middle East crisis has driven up the price of nitrogen-based fertilisers, while the cadmium-rich phosphates France imports from Morocco have serious health impacts. Microbiologist Marc-André Selosse argues there are sound financial, environmental and health reasons to look for homegrown alternatives – such as human waste, which he suggests could provide up to 40 percent of France's fertiliser needs. We also visit a pioneering urine collection point near Paris, run by the Ocapi research programme, which benefits a local farmer. (Listen @18')
France has been shifting its clocks forward in spring and back in autumn every year since 1976, but it first adopted daylight savings time in June 1916. (Listen @12'05'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.
As attacks from jihadist groups allied to Tuaregs continue in Mali, global jihadism threatens Africa like no other region on earth, according to ACLED's latest report. With the organisation's expert on West Africa, Spotlight on Africa explores how jihadist groups are expanding across the continent, controlling territory, targeting civilians and disrupting infrastructure.
Coordinated attacks by Tuareg separatists and jihadists dealt a major new blow to the junta in power in the capital, Bamako, in the last days of April, securing the capture of Kidal, a northern rebel stronghold.
Several strategic towns and areas around the capital Bamako were also targeted in the offensive by Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition and the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), which was launched at dawn on Saturday 25 April.
Two days of intense fighting followed between Malian soldiers and the armed groups around Bamako and Kati, a garrison town and junta stronghold about 15 kilometres north of the capital.
Mali's junta has now lost control of key northern areas and still faces a growing insurgent campaign that is tightening pressure around Bamako rather than directly attempting to seize the capital.
Analysts say this could be a turning point for the military in power since a 2020 coup.
Mali plunged into uncertainty following coordinated attacks on junta
Mali has been beset by violence from radical Islamists affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group since 2012, as well as local criminal gangs and pro-independence fighters.
For more than a decade, around 300,000 refugees have fled to eastern Mauritania's desert Hodh Chargui region to escape the violence that has plagued Mali.
Héni Nsaibia is the senior analyst for West Africa at ACLED, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data group. He co-wrote the organisation's latest report, released in mid-May, showing that global jihadism threatens Africa like no other region on earth. It also explores how jihadist groups are expanding across the continent, controlling territory, targeting civilians and disrupting infrastructure.
Héni Nsaibia is Spotlight on Africa's guest this week.
"The whole offensive in Mali really marked a turning point in the conflict," he told RFI.
"It's not a development that arrived overnight; it's a gradual process that has been ongoing for many years. However, in the past few years, and especially since the military regimes in the region came to power, we have seen a degradation of the security situation in all three countries that form the alliance of Sahel states, where military officers have taken power on promises to deliver on security."
JNIM is likely to maintain military pressure on the Malian regime as it attempts to isolate the capital and ultimately bring down the government, thereby posing an existential threat to Bamako, according to Nsaibia.
The report also shows that West Africa has become the world's most active zone of Islamist militancy, with groups now combining improved tactics with greater coordination and the use of technologies such as armed drones.
Why the Sahel is now the world’s deadliest region for terrorism
As the security landscape across the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin shifts rapidly, the latest ACLED report reveals that jihadist activity is no longer just a series of localised insurgencies but a coordinated effort to challenge state authority across the region, with Islamic State activity in Africa hitting a record high of 86 per cent in early 2026.
Since early 2025, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has also changed tactics and conducted more complex attacks carried out in succession over a short period of time.
With Héni Nsaibia, we will also discuss how jihadism has evolved across the rest of the continent.
The problem is now affecting not only the three Sahelian states of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, but is spreading rapidly across West Africa and beyond, including Somalia, Mozambique and the Great Lakes region.
This episode was mixed by Erwan Rome.
How two people in the French port city of Nantes – one descended from slave owners, the other from enslaved people – are working together to "repair" the country's troubled history. The slave money that built the Élysée Palace, the French president's official residence. And turmoil in the French film industry after the head of a major funder blacklisted hundreds of industry professionals who signed a petition against its right-wing billionaire owner, Vincent Bolloré.
Twenty-five years ago, France became the first country to recognise slavery as a crime against humanity, but has never issued an official apology for its role in the trade. Last month, Pierre Guillon de Princé, a descendant of a family of slave traders in the port city of Nantes, made history by apologising publicly for his family's actions. He and Dieudonné Boutrin, the descendant of enslaved people on the French overseas territory of Martinique, have come together to build fraternity amid growing racism in France. They talk about inaugurating a new memorial – the Mast of Fraternity and Memory – and their long, sometimes difficult battle to encourage reparatory justice. They're not responsible for the past, they say, but they are responsible for the present and the future. (Listen @0')
The Cannes Film Festival shines a light on the world of cinema – the films, the glamour and the business of making movies. In the midst of this year's edition, the French film industry was shaken as the head of Canal+, one of the biggest funders of French and European film, announced he would cut ties with the hundreds of actors, directors and creatives who signed a letter criticising the influence of right-wing billionaire Vincent Bolloré, who owns a third of the company. Economist Kira Kitsopanidou looks at the major role that Canal+ plays in financing French cinema, and what happens when money meets ideology. And RFI's Ollia Horton reports from the festival. (Listen @20')
What would become the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president, was built three centuries ago with money amassed by a French slave trader. Anti-racism activist Louis-Georges Tin calls on President Emmanuel Macron to acknowledge the building's history, while Laurine Gomis of association Memoires et Partages explains where to find other traces of France's slaving past in Paris. (Listen @13')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.
This week, Spotlight on Africa takes you to the 'Africa Forward' summit, hosted by France and Kenya in Nairobi on the 11th and 12th of May. It marks the first time Paris has staged such an event in an English-speaking African country - and it comes at a moment of significant change and considerable challenges.
Joining Kenyan President William Ruto at the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron is accompanied by some 30 heads of state, as well as between 1,500 and 2,000 French and African business leaders and stakeholders. Young people, artists and athletes are also among those invited.
Formally titled Africa Forward: Partnerships between Africa and France for Innovation and Growth, the summit reflects a stated desire to diversify France's alliances. According to the Élysée, the aim is to forge closer ties with East African economies in the wake of a series of diplomatic crises across the Sahel.
France to host African summit in Kenya, in bid to ‘diversify alliances'
Also on the agenda are discussions on creative and cultural industries as economic drivers, and sport as an emerging frontier for investment and job creation. The energy transition, infrastructure development, regional connectivity, and agriculture and food systems feature among the other topics under consideration.
A new era?
According to XN Ikari, professor at the University of Nairobi, France still appears to be looking to East Africa after failing to support its partners in West Africa. New investors, he adds, are always welcome in Kenya.
For Roland Marchal, a senior research fellow at Sciences Po Paris covering Africa, the significance of the summit remains to be seen, depending on whether its promises on investment and climate justice materialise.
"The simple fact that the conference will pay attention to these issues is positive in itself," he tells RFI. "And Macron may rhetorically commit some money for new climate initiatives, this could be heard with some scepticism, as African leaders know very well that France is facing its own internal issues."
He adds that William Ruto has been a strong advocate for new environmental policies, and that the choice of Kenya to host the summit could therefore lend credibility to Emmanuel Macron's promises.
"It's always good to have conferences move around and test what the audience wants," infrastructure investment expert Bowale Odumade tells RFI, as you'll hear.
A central hub for transport and logistics, Nairobi also boasts a thriving financial industry and a technology start-up environment, she adds.
Also featured are Kenyan entrepreneurs, as well as Phil Clark, professor at SOAS, based between South Africa and the UK, on the greatest challenges facing the French if they want to be seen as equal and respectful partners.
This podcast was edited by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome, mixed by Erwan Rome.
A crackdown on France's unauthorised raves threatens an outlet for young people. How regional accents in France can hold you back. And the Front Populaire, which laid the foundations of France's welfare state.
The French government has vowed to crack down on unauthorised raves, known as "free parties", with a proposed law that would punish organisers with up to six months in prison and hefty fines. While the interior minister claims such gatherings threaten public order, free party fans defend their right to meet and share techno music outside of for-profit venues. Electronic music producer Maelström, who cut his teeth DJing at rave parties in France as a teenager in the late 1990s, looks back at the growth of that counter-culture and how it shaped his own music. Rather than repressing rave culture, he argues the state should help young people make such gatherings safe and sustainable. (Listen @2'15'')
France has dozens of regional accents, but you wouldn't know it to listen to broadcasters or politicians – most of whom have learned to speak a standardised form of French shaped in Paris. Sociologist Médéric Gasquet-Cyrus dissects his own Marseille accent and others from around the country, and explains why the impetus to flatten distinctive accents remains strong in France. (Listen @22')
The Front Populaire, a broad left-wing coalition elected in May 1936, introduced paid time off and other reforms that continue to shape French society today. Economic historian Nicolas Bresset explains why, 90 years on, it remains a powerful symbol for the French left. (Listen @14'50'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.
As a major exhibition retracing how music from Africa, the Caribbean and North America merged to make a distinctly British sound opens in London, Spotlight on Africa looks at a century of black music in the diaspora.
V&A East, the latest offshoot of the world-renowned Victoria & Albert Museum, opened in Stratford – the area regenerated by London's 2012 Olympic Games – on 18 April.
Its inaugural exhibition, entitled "The Music is Black: A British Story", charts the rise of black music in the UK, from early drumbeats brought over from Africa to the present day, in which African and Afro-Caribbean music reflect British multiculturalism.
Black British music takes centre stage as London's V&A East opens doors
From Africa via the Caribbean and North America, the contribution of musicians of African descent still resonates in the United Kingdom – from reggae to rap and grime, a contemporary black British musical genre born in East London, which has allowed young people to create a sense of belonging, while connecting to a global audience.
V&A East director Gus Casely-Hayford talks to RFI about how he imagined a space that would attract visitors from all over the world, as well as from across London.
We also hear from curator of the exhibition Jacqueline Springer, a former music journalist, about how her team planned a display that spans centuries of history.
Cathartic rhythms for West African band born in 'black London'
Looking outside London, Bristol rapper and producer Tricky – whose family has roots in Jamaica, Africa and England – talks about how his city invented its own distinctive sound in the 1990s: trip hop.
And we hear how producer Tim Norfolk, of the duo The Insects, is releasing a record produced in Bristol in 1994 by the late Zimbabwean singer-songwriter Biggie Tembo, leader of the Bhundu Boys.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by RFI's English language service. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
This week in Spotlight on Africa: Sudan’s war enters its fourth year, with no sign of easing since fighting erupted on 15 April 2023. The conflict is intensifying, amid fresh accusations of foreign interference – most recently involving Ethiopia.
The conflict, now nearing its three-year mark, has already killed tens of thousands, displaced more than eleven million people and created what the UN describes as the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis.
International summits and negotiations have done little so far to put an end to the fighting, which has been marked by violations on both sides.
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), Sudanese civilians continue to bear the brunt of the atrocities.
The NGO’s latest report has found that forces affiliated with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have arbitrarily detained, tortured, and ill-treated civilians in areas under their control, denying them any due process for their rights.
Sudan is also directly affected by the US-Israeli war against Iran and Tehran’s retaliation in the Persian Gulf, reducing the supply of medicines to Africa – a sector already severely impacted by funding cuts.
Sudan: rebels using sexual violence in Darfur as 'war weapon', says MSF
In this episode, you'll here from the newly appointed advisor to the Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) chairman in Sudan, Amgad Fareid Eltayeb, on the line from Khartoum, then Omar Digna in Cairo, Egypt – a Sudanese author and analyst – who fled the country four months after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took over Khartoum.
Ethiopia's involvement
Meanwhile, the RSF have been accused by the Sudanese military of launching drone attacks "from inside Ethiopian territory" since March. This constitutes the first public allegation of Ethiopian involvement in the conflict.
Ethiopia has denied the claim and has also rejected allegations that it is hosting RSF camps.
But the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) said analysis of satellite imagery and open-source data shows activity "consistent with military assistance to the RSF" at an Ethiopian base in Asosa, in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, between late December 2025 and late March 2026.
To discuss Ethiopia’s involvement in favour of the RSF, and the recent changes on the conflict, we speak to Christy Cooney, Chief of the Sudan team for the NGO Avaaz, who is regular contact with its staff in Sudan.
"What the Yale team have been able to conclude with a high degree of confidence is that these vehicles are then being fitted at this Ethiopian military base, fitted with these mounted machine guns, and then being used in attacks that are where the RSF are crossing the border and launching attacks inside Sudan," Cooney said.
"So there you have the Ethiopian military colluding with the RSF to launch these attacks in Blue Nile. They're colluding with an organisation that has been credibly accused of of genocide in Darfur."
Chad relocates refugees amid rising tensions at border with Sudan
Saving Sudan's cultural legacy
One aspect that is less obvious to outsiders is the impact the war has had on the country’s culture and heritage.
Important public buildings such as the Sudan National Museum have been ransacked since the fighting broke out, putting precious historical artefacts at risk of damage, theft and trafficking.
RFI's Ollia Horton looks into how Sudanese cultural institutions like the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) and the Louvre museum in France have been working together to preserve the country's heritage for future generations.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by RFI's English language service. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
A controversial antisemitism bill that opponents say would criminalise criticism of Israel. A small town reubilds its long-lost Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom, to help it rediscover its identity. And the story of France's first female general.
French MPs will vote next week on a bill that aims to tackle "new forms" of antisemitism, which has spiralled since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. Among other measures, the legislation would create a new offence punishing incitement to "the destruction of a state". Critics claim the bill is aimed at silencing criticism of Israel and more than 600,000 people have signed a petition to push MPs to reject it. Law professor François Dubuisson argues the reform is not necessary and Cécile Marquerie, advocacy coordinator for a platform of pro-Palestine NGOs, raises concerns over freedom of speech. (Listen @2'40'')
In 1926, Rey Jeanton donated a replica of the Statue of Liberty to his hometown of Izon, a small town outside Bordeaux. It was his tribute to the United States, where he had spent over 30 years of his life. During WWII, the statue was destroyed, and with it, a piece of Izon’s history. A century later, Izon is recreating the statue to revive its city centre and forge a sense of identity for what risks becoming another commuter town. (Listen @20'10'')
The story of Valérie André, a helicopter pilot and neurosurgeon who blazed a trail for women in the armed forces when she became France’s first female general on 21 April 1976. (Listen @13')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Nasyr Muhammad, Hossen Abed Ali, and Alan Holder.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “The Cup of Life” by Luis Gómez Escolar, Desmond Child, and Draco Rosa, sung by Ricky Martin; “Englishman in New York”, written and performed by Sting, and “Mona Lisa” by Raymond B Evans and Jay Livingston, sung by Nat King Cole.
In Kenya, charities are working with landlords to fight gender-based violence – in particular the domestic violence experienced by women living in overcrowded, impoverished areas.
In Kibera, one of the largest informal settlements in Africa, in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, the NGO CFK Africa has begun helping landlords to spot and respond to domestic violence and sexual assault.
Siama Yusuf, senior programme officer for girls empowerment at CFK Africa, told RFI: "Kibera faces a persistent high level of gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse."
And this reflects broader national trends, she adds, with the situation intensified by poverty and overcrowding in informal settlements such as Kibera.
"Violence often happens behind closed doors and goes unreported due to stigma, fear of retaliation, lack of trust in institutions and the belief that such issues are private family matters," she explained.
Little by little, however, thanks to the way the charity is supporting landlords, some parts of Kenya are becoming safer places for women, as awareness on how to address the violence grows.
Stigma and sisterhood: how one Kenyan woman knitted a healthcare revolution
Lessons for improvement
In 2025, landlords working with the charity made 92 referrals to the authorities, helping survivors of violence with life-saving support services.
While landlords might once have dismissed signs of domestic violence in the homes of their tenants as a private matter, CFK Africa's training teaches them how to intervene.
One owner said that after this training, he knew that he was entitled to go and investigate upon hearing cries from inside one of his properties – where he found a father sexually assaulting his four-year-old daughter. Thanks to the landlord’s intervention, she survived.
Childcare solution springs up for Nairobi's market trader mothers
Geoffrey Wesonga is a landlord in Kibera who is involved in the training.
"When I first heard of the programme, I was really happy because handling gender-based violence cases in Kibera was becoming something very hard to do, because we didn't have anywhere to report them," he told RFI.
"The police tend to tell the perpetrator who reported the matter to them," Wesonga continues. "So, when I heard of the programme CFK was rolling out, I felt that in my capacity as a landlord, I would help many households."
Kenya: The accidental librarian keeping Kibera's kids in books
CFK Africa says its programme could be replicated around the globe. It quotes the work of researcher Meg Warren from Western Washington University in the United States, who conducted a study in 2024 with academics in the Democratic Republic of Congo that suggested the most powerful allies often aren't outsiders, but local leaders.
It also showed male allyship was key to lasting changes.
"In the past, most landlords didn't know the power they hold in preventing and reporting cases of gender-based violence," said Yusuf.
"But, because the landlords usually live within or near the compounds they oversee, they frequently hear or see warning signs before anyone else, so positioning them as critical gatekeepers in prevention and response is crucial."
Spotlight on Africa is produced by RFI's English language service. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
A look at France's local elections, and what happened to the 2020 "green wave". The small French ski resort fighting to keep its slopes open despite diminishing snowfall. And the 1946 radio programme that was accused of causing a nuclear scare.
France's far right has made further inroads into the mainstream of French politics, winning 70 cities and hundreds of municipal council seats in last week's local elections. On the left, divisions were laid bare, with Socialists who refused alliances with the hard-left France Unbowed perfoming better overall than those who joined forces. Meanwhile, the Greens party, in coalitions with the Socialists, struggled to hold onto the cities it won in 2020 during the so-called "green wave". Political scientist Sylvie Ollitrault examines how France's Greens are caught between left-wing factions, and considers how the environmental movement in France may be abandoning politics altogether. (Listen @0')
France's skiing industry employs some 120,000 people directly or indirectly in its 250 resorts. But diminishing snowfall linked to climate change means that smaller, lower altitude sites are struggling to survive. Some have also failed to sufficiently invest in infrastructure or developing year-round activities. The resort of Alpe du Grand Serre in the northern French Alps is threatened with closure due to lack of funding. But local residents and businesses, who depend on the winter ski season to keep the village economy going, are taking matters into their own hands. Listen @18'10'')
The 1946 radio drama about the potential dangers of nuclear science that may have started a panic on the streets of Paris... or not. (Listen @11'45'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
US and Israeli attacks on Iran are raising concerns across Africa, from security risks in the Horn of Africa to economic pressures and fears for migrant workers in the Gulf. They also come as West African countries step up cooperation against spreading jihadist violence. In this week’s Spotlight on Africa podcast, we speak to Nigeria’s presidential adviser Sunday Dare and Africa analyst Heni Nsaibia about the risks.
As the conflict spreads across West Asia, the Gulf and the Red Sea, worries are growing about how it could affect the African continent.
American military bases in Djibouti and Somalia lie within range of Iranian-aligned groups, while US deployments in Nigeria and Kenya further extend potential exposure.
Israel also maintains military assets in Eritrea, vulnerable to missile attacks launched across the Red Sea. Such attacks could also threaten Egypt if missiles pass through its airspace.
Some African countries fear security risks from the United States, Israel, Iran or Houthi forces in Yemen. Others are already suffering from rising oil prices, related food insecurity and concerns for migrant workers.
More than 700,000 African workers remain in Gulf states as missile strikes continue in the region.
Fearful African migrants warily work on through Gulf missile strikes
Ladd Serwat, an analyst on Africa at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED – a conflict data organisation), writes regular analyses on Iran’s regional reach and the security implications of the war for Africa.
He said direct military action by Israel or the United States against Iranian allies in Africa remains unlikely, but cannot be ruled out.
Nigeria and jihadist insecurity
Meanwhile, West Africa is facing a rise in jihadist attacks in the Sahel.
Violence has increasingly spread south to coastal countries such as Benin, Togo and Côte d'Ivoire, prompting governments to seek stronger cross-border cooperation.
Authorities in Benin and Nigeria announced this week plans for a joint security operation along their shared border.
The move aims to combat militant groups operating in the area.
In the podcast, Sunday Dare, senior adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, discusses security challenges facing the country, including the Islamist insurgency and the need for regional and international cooperation.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
France's balancing act in the Middle East war. Convincing women to run in France's local elections. And the French village where Iran's first supreme leader spent his last months in exile.
France has deployed navy vessels to the Mediterranean and Red Sea to protect countries attacked by Iran in retaliation for strikes by the United States and Israel. It says it is staying out of the war, maintaining a "strictly defensive" stance to support its allies and protect its interests in the region. Defence expert Guillaume Lagane, who teaches international relations at Sciences Po Paris, examines France's position and the delicate balancing act it is pursuing. (Listen @2'45'')
France heads to the polls on 15 and 22 March to elect its mayors and town councillors. We already know that half of the councillors will be women, after a 2025 law imposed gender-balanced lists in every one of France's nearly 35,000 communes. Putting forward an equal number of male and female candidates can be challenging in a village like Fresnes-lès-Montauban in northern France, where non-profit Elles Aussi is helping encourage women to run. Julia Mouzon, founder of the Elues Locales network that supports and promotes women in politics, talks about the collective achievement of getting gender parity on electoral lists – and why there are still so few female mayors. (Listen @18'25'')
The small town in France where Iran's first supreme leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, spent his last months in exile, preparing his return to Iran at the height of the 1979 revolution. (Listen @12'35'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani and Arthur Devillers.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
African Heads of State convened for the 2026 African Union Summit last month at a critical time for the continent, amid escalating conflicts and democratic backsliding. This episode examines the AU's relationship with the United Nations, the European Union and the United States, and its place within a fractured global order.
At the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital and home to the headquarters of the organisation, leaders held debates on conflicts, institutional reform, financial sovereignty, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and Africa’s place in the emerging new geopolitical order.
Giorgia Meloni was a guest of honour, invited to co-host the second Italy-Africa Summit and to consider a strategy to tackle the root causes of migration.
United Nations secretary-general António Guterres was also in attendance, and called again for two permanent seats for Africa on the UN Security Council.
The rotational chair passed from Angola to Burundi, putting leadership of the AU for 2026 with the latter's President Évariste Ndayishimiye.
Outgoing chair João Lourenço, president of Angola, parted with the warning that: "Normalising coup-makers who retake power through elections cannot become standard practice."
With 10 military coups having taken place on the continent since 2020 and elections held in a climate of repression, plus wars in Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and insurgency in the Sahel region, observers agree that Africa needs stronger institutions and leadership.
We spoke with Liesl Louw-Vaudran, senior advisor for the AU at the International Crisis Group (ICG), and Désiré Assogbavi, an international development strategist with more than two decades of experience in policy analysis.
African Union summit opens, as continent faces conflict and climate extremes
Imprints of violence
Also in this episode, we meet South African photographer Jo Ractliffe, whose images focus on the residues of violence left by apartheid, regional conflict and population displacement.
South African photographer Jo Ractliffe captures imprints of violence
RFI's Isabelle Martinetti met her in Paris, where her latest exhibition "Out of Place" is showing at the Jeu de Paume, displaying work from the past four decades.
With photographs taken in South Africa and Angola, several of which are being shown in France for the first time, the exhibition explores places marked by history and trauma.
Episode edited by Melissa Chemam and mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is produced by RFI's English service.
In this episode of Spotlight on Africa, we're looking at the race for critical minerals on the continent. In the first week of February, around forty African delegations were invited to Washington DC for a summit dedicated to the issue. The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo appear keen to sign deals, but much of the rest of Africa has been calling for better proposals and more robust mechanisms to ensure accountability. So what is happening?
The African continent is rich in resources that are critical to the energy transition, as well as to the electronics and high-tech industries. Africa holds vast reserves of coltan, gallium, cobalt, tantalum, lithium, nickel, and many other strategic minerals that sit at the heart of this global competition.
The Trump administration is seeking to counter China's growing dominance over the continent's metals and mining sectors.
DR Congo weighs price of security in minerals deal with US
For the moment, Trump is focused on a US - DRC agreement, which would prioritise American interests in the central African country's supply chain. The DRC sits on vast mineral wealth and is currently engaged in a peace process with Rwanda, brokered by the United States.
DRC takes on Apple: can conflict mineral mining be stopped?
To help us analyse the context of these deals, we are joined today by three guests.
First, Clionadh Raleigh, head of ACLED - the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. We also have Akin Adegoke, Chief Digital Officer at Lotus Bank, who brings experience in driving technology-led, inclusive banking.
And finally, Frédéric Mousseau, Policy Director at the California-based Oakland Institute, who argues that, that under the guise of peace and development, the US–DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement rewrote Congo's laws to favour American mining interests."
Delegates also gathered at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the 32nd edition of the African Mining Indaba, the continent's largest conference on the sector.
You'll also hear reactions from people on the ground in the DRC, as well as from leaders in South Africa and Zambia, on what has already been dubbed the new scramble for Africa.
Episode edited by Melissa Chemam and mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear your fellow listeners from around the world offering their World Radio greetings. There’s the answer to the question about France’s voluntary military service, The Sound Kitchen Mailbag, your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and a tribute to our Magic Mixer Erwan Rome on “Music FOR Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 17 January, I asked you a question about our article “France launches recruitment for 10-month voluntary national military service”. You were to send in the answer to these two questions: How many volunteers will be accepted into the 2026 program, and what will their jobs be?
The answer is, to quote our article: “From September, around 3,000 volunteers will join the army, navy, or air and space force for missions carried out exclusively on French soil.
Tasks will range from helping out during natural disasters and providing support for counter-terrorism surveillance, to more specialized jobs such as drone operation, mechanics, electrical work, baking, or medical support.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What is the most romantic thing that has ever been said to you? Or the most romantic action? Or the most romantic gift?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Murshida Parveen Lata, who is the Co-Chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Murshida is also the winner of this week’s bonus question Congratulations on your double win, Murshida.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ashraf Ali, a member of the International RFI DX Radio Listeners Club in West Bengal, India; Sumara Sabri, a member of the RFI Online Visitors Club in Sahiwal, Pakistan; Sameen Riaz – also from Pakistan, this time from Sheikupura city – Sameen is a member of the RFI Listeners Club in that fair city, and last but not least, RFI Listeners Club member Sami Mossad from Giza, Egypt.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Fast Bob” by Romane and Stochelo Rosenberg, played by the Rosenberg Ensemble; “La Marseillaise” by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, arranged by Claude Bolling and performed by the Claude Bolling Big Band; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “You’re the Top” by Cole Porter, sung by Ella Fitzgerald.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Cambridge University Museum set to return Benin bronzes to Nigeria”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 9 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 14 March podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
Community meals for students in France, who are increasingly facing hardship. Kids react to France's proposed social media ban for the under-15s. And the French explorer who became the first Western woman to travel to deepest Tibet.
Recent data shows one in two university students in France are skipping a meal each day and relying on food handouts. In response, the government is extending a 1-euro meal scheme – introduced during Covid for those on bursaries – to all university students as of May. Student union rep Marian Bloquet outlines why the problems go far beyond food. We also report from the Cop1ne community kitchen in Paris. Run by students for students, it provides cheap, home-cooked food, but also company and solidarity. (Listen @3'20'')
As France prepares to ban children from social media, kids weigh in on their use of the platforms and how they would like to see them regulated. Cybersecurity expert Olivier Blazy considers the technical challenges and privacy issues raised by such a ban. (Listen @20'20'')
The adventurous life of the French explorer Alexandra David-Néel, who in the winter of 1924 became the first European woman to reach Lhasa, Tibet's "forbidden city". (Listen @14'10'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the knockout tie in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. There’s the Sound Kitchen Mailbag, your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 13 December, I asked you a question about Paul Myers’ article “Nigeria power past Mozambique into quarterfinals at Africa Cup of Nations”.
Nigeria had just beaten Mozambique 4 to 0. Paul noted in his article that the win was the biggest winning margin in a Cup of Nations knockout tie since the Africa Cup in 2010. And that was one of your questions: you were to tell me which countries played in the Africa Cup semi-finals in 2010, and who won that knockout tie by 4 to 0.
The second question was: In the Nigeria/Mozambique match, what is the name of the Nigerian player who scored the fourth goal?
The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “Akor Adams, fed by Lookman, thrashed in Nigeria's fourth goal 15 minutes from time to notch up the biggest winning margin in a Cup of Nations knockout tie since Egypt battered Algeria 4-0 in the semi-finals at the 2010 tournament in Angola.” So, Egypt/Algeria, and Akor Adams are the correct answers.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Pradip Basak from West Bengal, India: “How do you deal with jealousy when your friend achieves something you secretly wished for?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: Amir Jameel, the president of the RFI Online Visitors Club in Sahiwal, Pakistan. Amir is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Amir.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sharifun Islam Nitu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and Faheem Noor, the president of the WULO RFI Club in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. There are also two RFI Listeners Club members: Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark, and S. J. Agboola from Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Heer on Sarangi”, traditional music from Pakistan performed by Ustad Sultan Khan; “Water No Get Enemy” by Fela Kuti, performed by Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa 70; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and the traditional Andalucian “La Saeta del Larios”, sung by Diana Navarro.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French DJ wins Grammy for Lady Gaga remix”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 2 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 7 March podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In the episode, we examine recent US strikes in northern Nigeria and explore the experiences of the US African diaspora in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nigeria has endured years of violence from extremist groups such as Boko Haram, but there is growing debate over whether a US intervention is the appropriate response. Meanwhile, in the US, many immigrants say they feel under threat as enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensify.
This week, we discuss recent US airstrikes in northern Nigeria and the fact that many people of African descent feel threatened by the recent enforcement actions by ICE in many US cities.
The United States launched airstrikes in northern Nigeria in late December, saying it had targeted Islamic State jihadists - at Abuja’s request - to halt the killing of Christians. However, experts have challenged Washington’s claims that Christians are being massacred in Nigeria, arguing that the narrative, promoted by sections of the American right, oversimplifies far more complex conflicts.
US strikes on Nigeria set 'deeply troubling precedent' for African governance
First, we talk to Isa Sanusi, from Amnesty International Nigeria, to discuss the aftermath of the US strikes and of US President Donald Trump's invasive strategy to fight jihadism in West Africa.
US to increase cooperation with Nigeria to pursue Islamic State militants
US African diaspora in Minneapolis
Meanwhile, within the United States, anti-immigration policies have intensified since the Trump administration took office a year ago, affecting even some people who are living in the country legally.
In Minneapolis in January 2026, two people were killed in shootings involving US federal immigration agents. On 7 January, 37‑year‑old Renée Nicole Macklin Good, an American woman, was fatally shot by an agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a federal enforcement operation.
Then, on 24 January, 37‑year‑old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a United States citizen and intensive care unit nurse, was shot and killed by officers from United States Customs and Border Protection in a separate incident in Minneapolis.
US immigration agent's fatal shooting of woman leaves Minneapolis in shock
Others were killed without making the headlines. Human rights lawyers have cited at least nine such cases, and possibly more, including Keith Porter, Parady La, Heber Sanchaz Domínguez, Víctor Manuel Díaz, Luis Beltrán Yáñez-Cruz, Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres, and Geraldo Lunas Campos.
Anti-immigration policies have particularly targeted Somali migrants and Somali Americans, among other immigrant communities.
Minneapolis is also the city where George Floyd, a Black American man, was killed by police in 2020, an event that sparked the global Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
Dr Rashad Shabazz joins us from the United States. He is a historical geographer specialising in race, culture and the built environment at Arizona State University.
He has recently published a series of studies on the diversity of Minneapolis, undertaken while working on a new book about one of the city’s most famous residents, the musician and singer Prince.
Music from us
Finally you'll also hear music from the Cameroonian French duo, OKALI.
The song Gathering celebrates gathering and sharing; Traveler explores travel and cultural exchange.
Episode edited by Melissa Chemam and mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the difference in “freedom of expression” between the US and the EU. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
World Radio Day is just around the corner, so it’s time for you to record your greetings for our annual World Radio Day programme!
WRD is on 13 February; we'll have our celebration the day after, on the 14 February show. The deadline for your recordings is Monday 2 February, which is not far off!
Try to keep your greeting to under a minute. You can record on your phone and send it to me as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Be sure to record your greeting from underneath a blanket. Then the sound will be truly radiophonic – I mean, you want everyone to understand you, right?
Don’t miss out on the fun. 2 February is just around the corner, so to your recorders!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 13 December, I asked you a question about the then-new US security strategy, which presented Europe as lacking in "self-confidence" and facing "civilizational erasure" due to immigration.
You were to re-read our article “EU Council president rejects political influence in US security plan”, and send in the answer to this question: What did the EU Council president, Antonio Costa, say about the difference in the idea of “free speech” between Europe and the United States?
The answer is, to quote our article: "The United States cannot replace Europe in what its vision is of freedom of expression,” Costa said.
"There is no freedom of speech if citizens' freedom of information is sacrificed to defend the techno oligarchs in the United States."
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Jayanta’s question was: “What inspiring act have you witnessed that could motivate a nation or society?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Khizar Hayat Shah from Punjab, Pakistan. Khizar is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Khizar.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Faheem Noor, the president of the World United RFI Listeners Organization in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club members Solomon Fessahazion from Asmara, Eritrea, as well as Deekay Dimple from Assam, India.
Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Liton Hossain Khan from Naogaon in Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Scherzo” from the Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57, by Dmitri Shostakovich, performed by the Quintetto Chigiano; “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye, Al Cleveland, and Reynaldo Benson, performed by Marvin Gaye; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “ Pithecanthropus Erectus” by Charles Mingus, performed by Mingus and his ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, tune into Alison Hird’s report on alternative retirement living on the “Spotlight on France” podcast number 138 (Reinventing retirement, saving a Paris cinema, counting the French), which will help you with the answer.
You have until 23 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 28 February podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
How France negotiates drug prices and the impact of US President Donald Trump's pressure to raise them. The Paris bar celebrating sobriety as more people embrace Dry January. And the radioactive legacy of nuclear testing in French Polynesia.
Saying he wants to lower the price of medication in the United States, President Donald Trump has been putting pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron to raise the cost of an unspecified pill in France. But it's the French public health system, not Macron, that negotiates with drug companies – keeping prices for patients in check. Sociologist Theo Bourgeron believes that Trump's demand is not about improving care, but pressuring countries to weaken price controls and boost US pharmaceutical profits. (Listen @0')
More than a third of the French claim they're not drinking this month to mark Dry January. It's part of a wider trend of falling alcohol consumption in France, particularly among young adults. But in a country famed for its wine and apéro culture, sobriety can be seen as irritating and "un-French". We visit Le Social Bar in Paris, which has gone alcohol-free for January to show you don't need to be tipsy to have a good time. Author Claire Touzard talks about her journey towards sobriety and why alcohol, far from encouraging conviviality, can end up excluding people. And journalist Vincent Edin argues that while France is becoming slightly more tolerant of non-drinkers, successive governments still struggle to recognise that alcoholism is a problem. (Listen @20'15'')
France conducted its final nuclear test on 27 January 1996, ending a programme that has left a lasting legacy of health problems in French Polynesia, the archipelago in the South Pacific that for 30 years was France's nuclear testing ground. Hinamoeura Morgant-Cross, a member of the French Polynesian parliament, says the consequences of the testing have been "really traumatic for our people". (Listen @13'50'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Romanian defence strategy. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
World Radio Day is just around the corner, so it’s time for you to record your greetings for our annual World Radio Day programme!
WRD is on 13 February; we'll have our celebration the day after, on the 14 February show. The deadline for your recordings is Monday 2 February, which is not far off!
Try to keep your greeting to under a minute. You can record on your phone and send it to me as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Be sure to record your greeting from underneath a blanket. Then the sound will be truly radiophonic – I mean, you want everyone to understand you, right?
Don’t miss out on the fun. 2 February is just around the corner, so to your recorders!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 6 December, I asked you a question from Jan van der Made’s article and interview with Claudiu Nasui, a former Romanian economy minister and a current member of parliament in the pro-European Save Romania Union party. You were to re-listen to, or re-read, Jan’s “On NATO’s eastern flank, Romania finds itself at the crux of European security”, and send in the answer to this question: What does Nasui think is the core issue for defence spending? What does he think the EU needs to do?
The answer is, to quote Jan’s article: “It’s also about spending efficiency. We should buy more European – like the SAM-T and other weapon systems – to achieve economies of scale.
For cheap, efficient weapon systems, you need economies of scale, which we won’t get if we don’t buy European. So it’s about more than just investing money – how you invest matters.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India. Debashis asked: “What is the most precious thing in life?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Khondaker Rafiq ul Islam from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Khondakar is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Khondakar.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Najimuddin, the president of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in West Bengal, India; Bithi Begum, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club member Debashish Gope from West Bengal, India. Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Abdul Mannan from Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Vavavoum” by Romane and Stocchelo Rosenberg, performed by the Rosenberg Ensemble; the Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 op. 11 by George Enescu, performed by the WDR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Cristian Măcelaru; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Doktharake Julideh” by Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Sa’di, performed by Mohammad Reza Shajarian and the Aref Ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Senegal outwit Morocco to claim 2025 Africa Cup of Nations”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 16 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 21 February podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In this first episode of Spotlight on Africa for 2026, we look back at a very eventful first three weeks of January. We focus on the recent general elections in Uganda, Israel's recognition of Somaliland, and how both could have implications for the entire East Africa region and beyond.
Over 21 million Ugandan citizens were called to the polls last Thursday in the country's general elections.
Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, 81, stood for a seventh term following 40 years in power. He faced seven challengers, including Robert Kyagulanyi, known to most as Bobi Wine, who garnered substantial support but fell short of unseating the veteran leader. Museveni was declared the winner on Saturday 17 January, securing over 76 per cent of the vote.
In this edition of Spotlight on Africa, you'll hear from Bobi Wine's international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, about the formidable obstacles facing opposition candidates during the campaign.
'He represents a population desperate for change’, Bobi Wine’s lawyer tells RFI
Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the think tank Vanguard Africa, joins us to examine the aftermath of these elections and the future of politics in Uganda, and more broadly across East Africa and other parts of the continent where democracy is severely undermined.
Somaliland, Israel and the Horn of Africa
The state of Israel recognised the independence of Somaliland from Somalia in the final days of December, prompting widespread concern and questions in an already turbulent region, and drawing largely condemnatory responses.
The risky calculations behind Israel's recognition of Somaliland
Faisal Ali is a Somali British independent journalist. He looks with us at the motivations behind this move for every state involved.
Episode edited by Melissa Chemam and mixed Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the pandas in the Beauval Zoo. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
World Radio Day is just around the corner, so it’s time for you to record your greetings for our annual World Radio Day programme!
WRD is on 13 February; we'll have our celebration the day after, on the 14 February show. The deadline for your recordings is Monday 2 February, which is not far off!
Try to keep your greeting to under a minute. You can record on your phone and send it to me as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Be sure to record your greeting from underneath a blanket. Then the sound will be truly radiophonic – I mean, you want everyone to understand you, right?
Don’t miss out on the fun. 2 February is just around the corner, so to your recorders!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 29 November, I asked you a question about two Chinese pandas – Huan Huan and Yuan Zi – who were in the Beauval Zoo here in France, and had just gone back to China.
You were to re-read our article “France says goodbye to star pandas going back to China” and send in the answer to this question: How many cubs did Huan Huan give birth to while here in France?
The answer is, to quote our article: “Huan Huan gave birth to three cubs – the first to be born in France. The eldest, Yuan Ming, a male, was sent back to China two years ago, but twins born in August 2021 will remain at Beauval at least until 2027.” The twins’ names are Hunalili and Yuandudu.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI English listener Sadequl Bari Liton from Naogaon, Bangladesh, “How do you spend your weekly holiday?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India. Nafisa is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Nafisa.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are A. K. M. Nuruzzaman, the president of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India; Kanwar Sandhu from British Columbia in Canada, and last but not least, Habib Ur Rehman Sehla, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicolò Foron; the traditional Chinese “Sun Quan the Emperor”; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “L'auzel ques sul bouyssou” (“Bird sitting in the Bush”) by Estienne Moulinié, sung by Claire Lefilliâtre with Le Poème Harmonique conducted by Vincent Dumestre.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers' article “France launches recruitment for 10-month voluntary national military service”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 9 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 14 February podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
An alternative to a retirement home in a mansion near Toulouse, where residents have invented a new way of living together and contributing to society. The real-life David and Golliath story of the Parisian independent cinema that's reopening after years of fighting eviction. And the story behind France's annual census.
Scandals over abuse of the elderly in French care homes, combined with growing loneliness among pensioners, are forcing reflection on how – and where – people spend their later years. Three decades after founding the Utopia network of independent cinemas, Anne-Marie Faucon and Michel Malacarnet have turned their energy and experience towards imagining an alternative to traditional retirement homes. Their project, La Ménardiere, is an 18th-century mansion in the small town of Bérat, in south-west France. It operates as a shared-living collective, where residents, known as coopérateurs, are also shareholders. By taking control of their own destinies, they have created a model that also provides services and cultural activities for the surrounding community. Residents describe the approach as ageing together in a house that is “on the offensive”. (Listen @)4')
La Clef, an historic arthouse cinema in Paris, has reopened its doors after a group of residents, cinephiles and activists spent years protesting its closure. Ollia Horton met some of those who took part in the years-long occupation of the theatre that resulted in the activists raising enough money to buy the building from the owners who wanted to sell the prime piece of real estate in the centre of the city. (Listen @21'48'')
As census takers fan out around France on 15 January to begin the annual counting of the population, we look at the process that started in the 14th century. The census was coopted by the Nazi occupation during WWII to identify Jews, and while it has since stripped out questions relating to race and religion, it recently added controversial ones about parental origins. (Listen @17'10'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, it’s the answer to the question about the recently closed gallery in the Louvre Museum. You’ll hear about my recent trip to Copenhagen, where I met listener Hans Verner Lollike, there are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and it’s all topped off with a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
World Radio Day is just around the corner, so it’s time for you to record your greetings for our annual World Radio Day program!
WRD is on 13 February; we'll have our celebration the day after, on the 14 February show. The deadline for your recordings is Monday 2 February, which is not far off!
Try to keep your greeting to under a minute. You can record on your phone and send it to me as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Be sure to record your greeting from underneath a blanket. Then the sound will be truly radiophonic - I mean, you want everyone to understand you, right?
Don’t miss out on the fun. 2 February is just around the corner, so to your recorders!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 22 November, I asked you a question about the world’s most visited museum – the Louvre here in Paris. The museum was back in the news, due to an architectural audit that turned up structural weaknesses in some of the beams in the building.
You were to re-read our article “Louvre Museum in Paris shuts gallery over structural safety fears”, and send in the answer to these two questions: What is the name of the gallery that has been closed, and what artworks are in that gallery?
The answer is: The Campana Gallery, which houses nine rooms dedicated to ancient Greek ceramics.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What are your unique relationship rules?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan. Kashif is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Kashif.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Nuraiz Bin Zaman, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club member Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria.
Last but not least, RFI English listeners Murshida Akhter Lata, the co-chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Miss Shuno, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Barkley’s Bug” by David Grishman, performed by the David Grishman Quintet; Traditional Greek music produced by Visual Melodies; the “Rondo” from Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto no. 1, performed by Krystian Zimmerman and the Polish Festival Orchestra; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Guinnevere” by David Crosby, arranged and performed by Miles Davis and his ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers' article “Nigeria power past Mozambique into quarterfinals at Africa Cup of Nations”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 2 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 7 February podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear our annual listener New Year’s Resolution show, co-hosted by my daughter Mathilde (as always!) There’s plenty of good music, too, to keep you in the holiday mood. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz and bonus questions, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
There’s no quiz this week – check in next week, 10 January, for the answer to the question about the gallery in the Louvre Museum that had to be closed.
Thanks to everyone who sent in their Resolutions – may you make good progress in keeping them! And many thanks to this week’s co-host, my daughter Mathilde Daguzan-Owensby, and for the contributions to the show from Olivia Morrow and Evan Coffey. And of course, hats off to the Magic Mixer Erwan Rome, who made this show sing!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Be Our Guest” by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman; the traditional “Auld Lang Syne” performed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra; “A House with Love in It” by Sid Lippman and Sylvia Dee, sung by Nat King Cole; “Winter Wonderland” by Felix Smith, performed by the Chet Baker Quartet; “Let it Snow” by Sammy Cahn, sung by Leon Redbone; “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, performed by the Sam Bush Ensemble, and “We Wish you the Merriest” by Les Brown, sung by June Christie.
From the entire RFI English service, we wish you a Happy 2026!
Feast your ears on listener Rasheed Naz’s “My Ordinary Hero” essay. All it takes is a little click on the “Play” button above!
Hello everyone!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Ordinary Hero” essay by listener Rasheed Naz from Faisal Abad, Pakistan. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!
If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”
I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write about a book that changed your perspective on life, a person who you admire, festivals in your community, your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on-the-air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!
Send your essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Or by postal mail, to:
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Here's Rashid Naz’s essay:
Heroes are not always found in stories or movies. Sometimes they live among us, quietly working to make our world a better place. My “ordinary” hero is a community leader in our town, someone who has taught me that real heroism comes from serving others with kindness and courage.
Our community leader, Mr. Ahmed, is not rich or powerful, but he has a heart full of compassion. He organizes clean up drives, helps poor families, and encourages young people to stay in school. Whenever there is a problem - a sick neighbor, a broken road, or a family in need - he is the first to step forward. His actions remind us that small efforts can bring big changes.
What I admire most about him is his humility. He never seeks fame or reward. When people thank him, he simply says, “We are all responsible for our community.” Those words inspire me. He believes that leadership means service, not authority, and he proves it every day through his actions.
To many people, he might seem like an ordinary man. But to me, he is a true hero - a symbol of dedication, honesty, and hope. Because of him, I’ve learned that anyone can be a hero, not by wearing a cape, but by using their heart to make a difference.
That is why my “ordinary” hero is our community leader Mr Ahmed, a man whose quiet strength and selfless service continue to inspire us all.
Be sure and tune in next week for our annual New Year’s Resolutions program! Talk to you then!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, there’s a special Christmas programme from us to you. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Merry Christmas!
This is Alberto Rios’ poem, which you heard him read on the programme.
Christmas on the Border, 1929
1929, the early days of the Great Depression.
The desert air was biting, but the spirit of the season was alive.
Despite hard times, the town of Nogales, Arizona, determined
They would host a grand Christmas party
For the children in the area—a celebration that would defy
The gloom of the year, the headlines in the paper, and winter itself.
In the heart of town, a towering Christmas tree stood,
A pine in the desert.
Its branches, they promised, would be adorned
With over 3,000 gifts. 3,000.
The thought at first was to illuminate the tree like at home,
With candles, but it was already a little dry.
Needles were beginning to contemplate jumping.
A finger along a branch made them all fall off.
People brought candles anyway. The church sent over
Some used ones, too. The grocery store sent
Some paper bags, which settled things.
Everyone knew what to do.
They filled the bags with sand from the fire station,
Put the candles in them, making a big pool of lighted luminarias.
From a distance the tree was floating in a lake of light—
Fire so normally a terror in the desert, but here so close to miracle.
For the tree itself, people brought garlands from home, garlands
Made of everything, walnuts and small gourds and flowers,
Chilies, too—the chilies themselves looking
A little like flames.
The townspeople strung them all over the beast—
It kept getting bigger, after all, with each new addition,
This curious donkey whose burden was joy.
At the end, the final touch was tinsel, tinsel everywhere, more tinsel.
Children from nearby communities were invited, and so were those
From across the border, in Nogales, Sonora, a stone’s throw away.
But there was a problem. The border.
As the festive day approached, it became painfully clear—
The children in Nogales, Sonora, would not be able to cross over.
They were, quite literally, on the wrong side of Christmas.
Determined to find a solution, the people of Nogales, Arizona,
Collaborated with Mexican authorities on the other side.
In a gesture as generous as it was bold, as happy as it was cold:
On Christmas Eve, 1929,
For a few transcendent hours,
The border moved.
Officials shifted it north, past city hall, in this way bringing
The Christmas tree within reach of children from both towns.
On Christmas Day, thousands of children—
American and Mexican, Indigenous and orphaned—
Gathered around the tree, hands outstretched,
Eyes wide, with shouting and singing both.
Gifts were passed out, candy canes were licked,
And for one day, there was no border.
When the last present had been handed out,
When the last child returned home,
The border resumed its usual place,
Separating the two towns once again.
For those few hours, however, the line in the sand disappeared.
The only thing that mattered was Christmas.
Newspapers reported no incidents that day, nothing beyond
The running of children, their pockets stuffed with candy and toys,
Milling people on both sides,
The music of so many peppermint candies being unwrapped.
On that chilly December day, the people of Nogales
Gathered and did what seemed impossible:
However quietly regarding the outside world,
They simply redrew the border.
In doing so, they brought a little more warmth to the desert winter.
On the border, on this day, they had a problem and they solved it.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The traditional “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” sung by the Gracias Choir conducted by Eunsook Park, and “Santa Claus Llego A La Ciudad” by J.Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, sung by Luis Miguel.
Be sure and tune in next week, 27 December, for a “My Ordinary Hero” essay by your fellow listener Rasheed Naz.
France's largest Braille publisher struggles to continue producing embossed books in the digital age. Researchers delve into people's guts with a large-scale study on the French population's microbiome. And Louise Bourgeois, the French midwife who in 1609 became the first woman in Europe to publish a book about medicine.
As France marks 200 years since Louis Braille invented his system of raised dots allowing blind people to read by touch, we visit the country's only remaining Braille printing house. At the CTEB in Toulouse, a team of 12 staff and mainly blind volunteers transcribe more than 200 books each year for both adults and children, along with bank statements, brochures and other documents. Despite extremely high production costs, the centre sells its books at the same price as the originals to ensure equal access. Now deeply in debt, it's calling for state aid to survive – arguing that, even in the age of digital Braille and audio books, turning a page is important in learning to read. (Listen @3'15'')
Scientists are increasingly convinced that the trillions of bacteria living in the human digestive system also contribute to health and wellbeing. Le French Gut is a large-scale study intended to track the connection between the microbiome and disease. Launched in 2023, it aims to recruit 100,000 French participants, to contribute samples and fill out health and diet questionnaires. Now the scientists are looking to get more children on board. Project director Patrick Vega shows the lab and biobank where the bacteria are being analysed, and talks about the discoveries in the gut that could help predict or even cure diseases. (Listen @21'20'')
Seventeenth-century French midwife Louise Bourgeois, the first woman in Europe to publish a medical book, was a pioneer in women's health at a time when only men were allowed to be doctors and women delivered babies according to tradition, not science. (Listen @14'45'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the water hyacinths in Ghana. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 8 November, I asked you a question about an article sent to us by RFI English correspondent Michael Sarpong Mfum, who reports for us from Ghana. His article, “Invasive water hyacinths choke wildlife and livelihoods in southern Ghana”, is about the water hyacinth, a free-floating aquatic plant native to the Amazon River basin in South America. It’s also one of the world’s most invasive species.
The water hyacinth has found its way to Ghana, notably Lake Volta, a vast reservoir behind a hydroelectric dam that generates much of the country's power.
Your question was: What are the consequences for Ghana’s Eastern and Volta regions from this hyacinth invasion? What did Jewel Kudjawu, the director of the EPA's Intersectoral Network Department, warn about?
The answer is, to quote Michael’s article: “Jewel Kudjawu, director of the EPA's Intersectoral Network Department, warned that the weed's uncontrolled growth has dire consequences for aquatic life, fishing communities and hydropower production.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What was the best week of your life?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India. Radhakrishna is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrishna.
Be sure and look at The Sound Kitchen and the RFI English Listeners Forum Facebook pages to see the stamps from Bhutan with Radhakrishna’s picture!
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Debjani Biswas, a member of the RFI Pariwar Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India, and RFI Listeners Club member Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh. Rounding out the list are RFI English listeners Shihabur Rahaman Sadman from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Bashir Ahmad, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Music for the Royal Fireworks by George Frederick Handel, performed by Le Concert des Nations conducted by Jordi Savall; “Igbo Highlife”, produced by Mr. Zion; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Lança Perfume” by Roberto de Carvalho and Rita Lee, sung by Rita Lee.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Jan van der Made’s article “EU Council president rejects political influence in US security plan”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 26 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 31 January podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In this new episode of Spotlight on Africa, we explore perspectives on African history - from across the continent with UNESCO, which has just released the final three volumes of its General History of Africa, and from the Congo, through the insights of artist and filmmaker Sammy Baloji.
For this final episode of 2025, we look back at the full sweep of the African continent’s history.
Sixty years after launching its ambitious project to recover, document and narrate Africa’s past from prehistory to the present day, Unesco has announced the completion of the last three volumes of the General History of Africa.
Relaunched in 2018, the project seeks to translate this body of knowledge into educational resources for teaching the continent’s history. Three new volumes - IX, X and XI - have now been published, introducing fresh material and innovative approaches.
Our special guest reflects on the project and on African history more broadly: UNESCO’s assistant director-general for social and human cciences, Lidia Brito,, who discusses these three new volumes.
In the second part of this episode, we also welcome the Congolese artist and filmmaker Sammy Baloji, who discusses his new film The Tree of Authenticity, recently screened at Film Africa in London and now available on the website of the Franco-German television channel ARTE.
Rapper and sorcerer-poet, Baloji, works his magic on new album
The documentary begins in Yangambi, in the Congo, in search of the remnants of a former research centre for tropical agriculture, bearing witness to the country’s colonial past at the heart of the continent.
In doing so, it highlights the links between colonisation and the climate crisis, adopting an unusual perspective: that of the “tree of authenticity”, which plays a decisive role in regulating the climate.
Congolese filmmaker Baloji mixes magic with biting social commentary
Episode edited and mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about women’s concerns in Côte d’Ivoire. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. You must get your resolutions to me by 15 December to be included in the show. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 1 November, I asked you to listen to RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam’s podcast Spotlight on Africa: “Inside Côte d’Ivoire’s pivotal election: voices of hope and uncertainty”. Melissa had traveled to Côte d’Ivoire to cover their presidential election and talked to a wide variety of people about their hopes, their fears, and their desires for their country. Near the beginning of the show, Melissa talks about women who, she says, were very involved in the campaigns – as event organizers, supporters, and mothers. Melissa enumerates the main concerns of the Ivorian women – and that was your question. What are the four main concerns the women of Côte d’Ivoire voiced during the presidential campaign?
The answers are, as Melissa noted in her podcast, work, school for kids, childcare, and healthcare.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: How do you make friends as an adult?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Father Stephen Wara. Father Stephen is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Father Steve!
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India; Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India; Helmut Matt from Herzbolheim, Germany, and last but not least, Dipita Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Tapez fort” produced by DJ Tevecinq; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams; “Little Toot” by Allie Wrubel, sung by the Andrews Sisters, and “Little Rootie Tootie” by Thelonious Monk, performed by Monk and the Thelonius Monk Trio.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Jan van der Made’s article “On NATO’s eastern flank, Romania finds itself at the crux of European security”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 19 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 24 January podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
What France can learn from Italy's fight against the mafia as it tackles its growing problem with drug-related organised crime. A look at France's new military service. And wrapping Paris's oldest bridge, 40 years after it was transformed by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
The recent murder in Marseille of 20-year-old Mehdi Kessaci, the younger brother of a well-known anti-drugs campaigner, has highlighted the growing problem of drug-related organised crime in France. The government has promised tougher repressive measures, but what if civil society also had a role to play? Inspired by the example of Italy, the Crim'HALT association campaigns for the official recognition of victims of organised crime. Its co-founder, Fabrice Rizzoli, talks about taking ordinary citizens to see firsthand how Italian anti-mafia initiatives work. Jean-Toussaint Plasenzotti, who founded the anti-mafia collective Massimu Susini following the murder of his nephew in 2019 in Corsica, and Hassna Arabi, whose relative Socayna was killed by a stray bullet in 2023, explain how travelling to Italy with Crim-HALT has helped their work back home. (Listen @0')
As Europe looks to increase its defence capacity in the face of war in Ukraine and threats from Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a special military service aimed at recruiting a new generation of soldiers. Unlike the mandatory military service that was suspended in 1997, the new format would be voluntary – and paid. Historian and army reservist Guillaume Lasconjarias says that in providing a way for young people to be of service, the scheme responds to something they want. (Listen @17'30'')
Forty years after Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped Paris's Pont Neuf in September 1985, opening the door to monumental public art displays, the city has approved a new project on the bridge by artist JR. (Listen @11'45'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the OTHER famous theft from the Louvre Museum. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, and a tasty musical dessert on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. You must get your resolutions to me by 15 December to be included in the show. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counselled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 25 October, just days after the famous theft of the French crown jewels from the Louvre, I asked you a question about another famous theft from the Louvre. You were to re-read our article “Paris police hunt Louvre thieves after priceless jewels vanish in daring heist”, and send in the answers to these three questions: Which artwork was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, and by whom? How did he do it?
The answers are, to quote our article: “In 1911, the Mona Lisa famously vanished from its frame, spirited away by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former museum employee who hid overnight in a broom cupboard and simply walked out with the painting under his coat.”
Interesting fun fact, also in our article: The Mona Lisa at that time was not a famous painting at all. Because the theft made global headlines, when it was recovered two years later in Florence, it had become the most famous painting in the world.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What “Instant Karma” incident have you been involved in?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Jayanta is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Jayanta.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Naved Rayan, the president of the RFI Fan Club in Murshidibad, India. There are RFI Listeners Club members Sahadot Hossain from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh and Karobi Hazarika from Assam, India, and last but not least, RFI English listener Khizar Hayat Shah, the president of the Sadat Listeners Club in Punjab, Pakistan.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The “Hunting Song” from Felix Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words Op.19 No.3, performed by Daniel Barenboim; the theme from To Catch a Thief by Armando Trovajoli; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “The Harder They Come” by Jimmy Cliff, performed by Jimmy Cliff and his ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “France says goodbye to star pandas going back to China”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 12 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 17 January podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In this new episode of Spotlight on Africa, we hear from Sudanese people fleeing the atrocities in El Fasher. We also reflect on a year of South Africa’s presidency of the G20, which held its final major summit of the year this weekend in Johannesburg. And, in the final segment of the episode, we turn to the world of the arts.
In Sudan, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, said last week that atrocities in Darfur – where the rebellious RSF are fiercely battling the regular army and targeting civilians – have been met with indifference and “complete impunity”.
He made the remarks following a visit to the devastated Sudanese region.
Chad has consequently become a refuge for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the conflict in Sudan – and as violence against civilians intensifies in Darfur, even more are crossing the border. The influx is placing severe pressure on already scarce resources in one of Africa’s poorest countries.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Slente, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council, travelled to eastern Chad recently and spoke to us while on the ground visiting refugee camps. She said that the escalating humanitarian crisis urgently requires the world’s attention and that she expects more people to flee Sudan in search of safety and basic survival.
As thousands flee, Sudan's war spills over into humanitarian crisis in Chad
Last weekend in South Africa, the final event of the country’s G20 South African presidency - the heads of state summit - took place in Johannesburg, aiming to secure commitments on debt relief for developing countries and to address global inequalities.
World leaders signed a declaration reflecting a “renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation”, according to South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa.
We have two guests reflecting on this significant year for Africa:
Désiré Assogbavi, Adviser for Africa at the Open Society Foundations, a lawyer and international development expert in African institutions, policy, and politics, who took part in many of this year’s meetings in South Africa, including the Heads of State Summit in Johannesburg this weekend;
Ivor Ichikowitz, founder and director of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, which has produced the comprehensive African Youth Survey G20 Briefing to better understand what young Africans expect from this moment of leadership.
South Africa closes G20 year framed as ‘presidency for all of Africa’
Finally, we’ll hear from my colleague Ollia Horton, who recently met in Paris with the Ghanaian artist Emmanuel Aggrey Tieku, a civil engineer by profession and an artist at heart.
A stitch in time: the Ghanaian artist sewing trash into treasure
He has found an innovative way to raise awareness of the problem of textile waste in his native Ghana.
His installations are stitched together from hundreds of pieces of used clothing, collected from cities around the world as part of a project that has spanned decades.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Gen Z demonstrations in Morocco. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and a tasty musical dessert to wrap it all up. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. So start thinking now and get your resolutions to me by 15 December. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 18 October, I asked you a question about Morocco, where the young people are demanding reforms on education and health care, as well as tackling corruption and a cost-of-living crisis.
You were to re-read our article “Morocco Gen Z protesters call for 'peaceful sit-ins' to demand reforms”, and send in the answers to these two questions: What happened in the city of Agadir that lit the flame of the protests in September? And what is the combined cost the kingdom spent on renovating or building the stadiums for the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup?
The answers are, to quote our article: “The protests erupted in late September, after the deaths of eight pregnant women during Caesarean sections at a hospital in Agadir, in southern Morocco, sparked anger over conditions at public health facilities.”
And for the second question: “Economist Najib Akesbi says there is a fundamental problem in how resources are allocated. ‘The needs of the majority of the population are clearly not being prioritised,’ he told RFI. ‘Instead, ostentatious, prestige-driven spending is favoured. That’s the great imbalance.’ The country’s large-scale sports infrastructure – the stadiums built or renovated for the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup, with a combined budget of nearly €2 billion – are the most striking examples, Akesbi argued.
‘The big problem in Morocco is that we invest massively, but often in projects that are not profitable, that generate neither sufficient growth nor enough jobs,’ he says.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What is your favorite memory of your grandparents?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim in Germany. Helmut is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Helmut.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Reepa Bain, a member of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India, and Rubi Saikia, a member of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, also in India.
Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Zeeshan, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan, and Zhum Zhum Sultana Eva, from Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: Polonaise op 2, no 2 by Dionisio Aguado, performed by Julian Bream; “Raqsa cha'abya” by Abderrahman el Hadri, performed by el Hadri and his ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Tune for T” by Laurent de Wilde, performed by de Wilde and the New Monk Trio.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Louvre Museum in Paris shuts gallery over structural safety fears”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 15 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 20 December podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
A decade after the 2015 Paris terror attacks, France continues to pass security laws, sometimes to the detriment of civil liberties. A feminist journalist's take on the Pelicot mass rape trial. And the auction of the Pascaline, one of the world's earliest calculators, is halted.
Immediately following the Paris attacks on 13 November, 2015, the French government put in place a nationwide state of emergency, granting police exceptional powers to detain and search people suspected of links to terrorism. Some of those sweeping powers have since passed into law, at the expense of civil liberties. Law professor Sophie Duroy says that while the public may have got used to authorities having greater reach, it is not always the best way to fight terrorism. (Listen @0')
Last December, 51 men were found guilty of raping or sexually assaulting Gisèle Pelicot in her home in Mazan in what was France's biggest rape trial to date. It made headlines worldwide – not least because Pélicot chose to drop her anonymity to make "shame swap sides" from victim to rapist. Independent photojournalist Anna Margueritat was one of many to cover the trial, but in her own way: as a feminist, an activist and victim of sexual violence, posting daily photos and stories on her Instagram account. Author of a recent book on her experience, she reflects on her time in court and what it changed. (Listen @16'45'')
A judge this week suspended the auction of a nearly 400-year-old calculator, after a group of academics called for the government to stop it leaving France. The object in question is a Pascaline, one of the first calculating machines, invented by French scientist Blaise Pascal in the 1640s. (Listen @10'40'')
Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear an interview with Lisa Waller Rogers about her new book When People Were Things: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln, and the Emancipation Proclamation, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Historian Lisa Waller Rogers, whom you'll hear from today, has just published a book about the long fight to end slavery in the United States. Called When People Were Things: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln and The Emancipation Proclamation, it is published by Barrel Cactus Press. I hope you can find it where you live. You might also look for Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the novel that put the spotlight on what slavery really was.
It sounds early, but it’s not. 2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. So start thinking now, and get your resolutions to me by 15 December. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In this week’s edition of Spotlight on Africa, we look back at the recent elections in Tanzania. We’ll then head to London and Paris for a look at some outstanding African film festivals. You’ll also hear from South Sudan’s blind football team, who have just won a crucial match. Finally, we have an interview with Angélique Kidjo, introducing her brand-new song Chica de Favela, inspired by Brazil!
Tanzanians were called to the polls on 29 October, but instead of a free and fair election, they were met with severe repression. Demonstrations have been banned, protesters arrested, and members of the opposition detained.
Tanzania’s authorities have also charged more than 200 people with treason — an offence that carries the death penalty.
The incumbent president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, was eventually declared the winner of the election with 98 percent of the vote. However, the opposition – which had been barred from participating – condemned the results as fraudulent.
To explore the deep-rooted causes of this repression, and to consider how the situation could shape the political future not only of Tanzania but of the entire East African region, we are joined by a special guest: Prince Charles Dickson, a Nigerian peace and policy analyst with a PhD from Georgetown University and decades of experience in public policy and development practice.
Films from Africa
The cinema festival Film Africa 2025 (14–23 November 2025) opens in London, UK. To mark the event we have Stella Okuzu, interim director of the festival, with us to explain what's happening.
Meanwhile in France, the Festival du Cinéma Franco-Arabe de Noisy-le-Sec is coming to an end just outside Paris (7–13 November). The festival has placed a special focus on Tunisian cinema. Mathilde Rouxel, its cultural director and programmer, tells us more.
Sudan's blind football team success
Also this week we take a look at South Sudan's blind football team which recently played its first major match in Kampala, Uganda, thanks to the help and support of the charity Light For The World. And they won!
We have their coach and players on the line to tell us how football changed their life and why it is so important for people with visual impairment.
Angélique Kidjo and La Chica de Favela
Finally, "La Chica de Favela" is an initiative from 'Beyond Music', a song featuring a Congolese man, a Latin American, a Swiss citizen, and a Beninese woman, Angélique Kidjo.
"The African continent is predominant on this song", Angélique told Spotlight on Africa, "and it tells a story through this song."
It tells the story of a young girl in a favela "who doesn't want to be defined by her gender". She is free and independent. "In a patriarchal world that doesn't necessarily give women much space," Angélique told us. "And that's what made the subject interesting to me."
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and a tasty musical dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It sounds early, but it’s not. 2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. So start thinking now, and get your resolutions to me by 15 December. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 11 October, I asked you to send in the answer to these two questions: Who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, and why was she chosen?
The answers are: The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize went to the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, because she is, as Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said, “One of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times."
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Jocelyne D’Errico, who lives in New Zealand. Her question was: “What is the hardest problem you had to resolve in your work or school life?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Shahanoaz Parvin Ripa, the chairwoman of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, Bangladesh. Shahanoaz is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Shahanoaz.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Mara, Tanzania. There’s Rubi Saikia, a member of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India; RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany, and last but not least, RFI English listener H. M. Tarek from Narayanganj, Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Le matin d´un jour de féte” from Claude Debussy’s Iberia, performed by the Czech Philhamonic conducted by Jean Fournet; “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon, performed by John Lennon & Friends; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Nine Over Reggae” by Jack DeJohnette, performed by DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, and Herbie Hancock.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Michael Sarpong Mfum’s article “Invasive water hyacinths choke wildlife and livelihoods in southern Ghana”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 1 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 6 December podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
How French media silence helped false stories claiming First Lady Brigitte Macron is a man to go viral. The unsung praises of France's street markets, which bring people together around buying and selling food. And France's short-lived colonial foray into Brazil.
False claims that President Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte is transgender first emerged online in 2021. The story could have fizzled out. But pushed by the far right and conspiracy theorists, it's now reached half the world's population. Ten people are on trial in France for cyberbullying the first lady and a lawsuit has been filed against a far-right influencer in the US. Thomas Huchon, an investigative journalist and teacher specialising in fake news, says he and other mainstream journalists failed to address the story when it broke, allowing conspiracists to fill the gap. (Listen @2'15'')
Open-air food markets are arguably a cornerstone of life in France. Held once or twice a week in most cities, they're one of the few ways of still bringing people together. On a visit to Paris' Aligre market, journalist Olivier Razemon, author of a new book extolling street markets as "an ingredient for a happy society", argues that they are underappreciated by policymakers and the general public for their ability to create community and revive urban centres. (Listen @20'40'')
One of France’s earliest colonisation attempts was in what is now Brazil, when 600 settlers arrived in Guanabara Bay – now Rio de Janeiro – in November 1555. The colony, called France Antarctique (Antarctic France), lasted only 12 years, but it inspired other French colonising missions as well as reshaping Europeans’ ideas about South America and its people. (Listen @15')
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Moldova’s political players. There are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and a tasty musical dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It sounds early, but it’s not. 2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. So start thinking now, and get your resolutions to me by 15 December. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 4 October, I asked you a question about Moldova’s legislative elections. The pro-EU ruling party, the Party of Action and Solidarity – the PAS - won the elections with more than 50 percent of the vote.
You were to re-read our article “Moldova’s pro-EU ruling party wins majority in parliamentary elections”, and send in the answer to these three questions: What is the name of the head of the PAS, what is the name of the party that is pro-Russian, and what was the voter turnout?
The answers are: Maia Sandu is the name of the head of the PAS. The name of the party that is pro-Russian is the Patriotic Electoral Bloc. Voter turnout was around 52 percent, similar to that of the last parliamentary elections in 2021. And just so you know, the population of Moldova is 2.4 million.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What do you do when one of your best friends falls in love with someone you dislike?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight, Britain. Alan is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Alan.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sakirun Islam Mitu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; Muhammad Muneeb Khan, a member of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Babby Noor al Haya Hussen from Odisha, India, and RFI English listener Ripa Binte Rafiq from Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The “Polovtsian Dances” from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Herbert von Karajan; the traditional Moldovian “Hora Boierească” performed by the Orchestra Fraților Advahov; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich, performed by the Steve Reich Ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-listen to Melissa Chemam’s Spotlight on Africa podcast “Inside Côte d’Ivoire’s pivotal election: voices of hope and uncertainty”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 24 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 29 November podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
Ivorians voted on Saturday to choose their next president, in what is being seen as the most important election in West Africa. Côte d’Ivoire remains the region’s most stable and economically prosperous nation, and the last close ally of its former colonial power, France. Yet despite recent economic growth, the vast majority of people continue to struggle. In this episode, we speak to Ivorians about their hopes for the future.
In Spotlight on Africa this week, you’ll hear from the people RFI met and interviewed in Abidjan - the main economic hub of Côte d’Ivoire and its administrative capital - located in the south of the country on the Atlantic coast.
Although Yamoussoukro is the official capital, Abidjan remains home to most embassies, the National Assembly, and one of the presidential palaces.
Côte d'Ivoire's recent economic growth depends heavily on its cocoa and coffee producers as well as on the mining sector. Abidjan is also recognised as a cultural hub for the whole of West Africa.
In this episode, you’ll hear from campaign supporters - particularly young people and women - about their expectations for the post-election period and its outcome.
We’ll then head to the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny to hear from students and their lecturer, Wise Bogny.
In Cocody, we also take you to the shop of Axel Emmanuel Gbaou, Le Chocolatier Ivoirien, the first Ivorian chocolate maker.
We then head to the Maison de l'Art, in Grand Bassam, which opened in late September and which now hosts the first museum of African contemporary art in Côte d'Ivoire.
Finally, in the last part of this episode, you'll here from the AKAA, (Also Known As Africa) the African contemporary art set in Paris, which was open until Sunday, with our arts journalist Ollia Horton.
Paris fair celebrates modern African artists reinventing traditional crafts
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French Ballon d’Or Awards. There’s a story from listener Jayanta Chakrabarty, your answers to the bonus question on “The Listeners Corner”, and a tasty musical dessert from today’s mixer, Vincent Pora. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It sounds early, but it’s not. 2026 is right around the corner, and I know you want to be a part of our annual New Year celebration, where, with special guests, we read your New Year’s resolutions. So start thinking now, and get your resolutions to me by 15 December. You don’t want to miss out! Send your New Year’s resolutions to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 27 September, I asked you a question about Paul Myers’ article “Dembélé and Bonmati win Ballon d'Or as PSG take team and coach prizes”. The French Ballon d’Or award is awarded every year to the top football players in Europe, both men and women.
You were to send in the answer to these three questions: What is the name of the football prize for strikers, who won the men's, and for which teams does he play?
The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “In other awards, Viktor Gyokeres received the Gerd Müller Trophy to honour the striker of the year. Playing for Sporting Lisbon and Sweden, he netted 54 goals in 52 matches to top the scoring charts across the continent.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?”, which was suggested by Rafiq Khondaker, the chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Rafiq Khondaker, the chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Rafiq is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – and the listener who asked the question!
Congratulations on your double win, Rafiq, and thanks for all the bonus question ideas you regularly send to us.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India, and Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Mara, Tanzania.
There are RFI Listeners Club members Zenon Teles, who’s also the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India, and last but assuredly not least, Shaira Hosen Mo from Kishoreganj in Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Mathar”, mixed by Brendan Lynch and performed by the Indian Vibes Ensemble; “Carnival De Paris” by Dario G, performed by the Dario G Ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Hurt” by Trent Reznor, sung by Johnny Cash.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Paris police hunt Louvre thieves after priceless jewels vanish in daring heist”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 17 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 22 November podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about France’s budget deficit. There’s a lovely French poem, your answers to the bonus question on “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and a perfect musical dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 30 August, I asked you a question about France’s budget problems … since I asked that question, two governments have been dissolved: that of François Bayrou, and that of the next in line, Sébastien Lecornu, who quit after just a few days, but now he’s back. It’s a high-level game of musical chairs, and we still are not anywhere near coming up with a budget.
You were to read our article “French PM puts government on line with call for confidence vote” and send in the answers to these two questions: What is France’s budget deficit, and what is the official European Union limit for a country’s budget deficit?
The answer is, to quote our article: “After years of overspending, France is on notice to tame a budget deficit that hit 5.8 percent of gross domestic product last year, nearly double the official EU limit of 3 percent.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your favorite memory of your mother?” The question was suggested by Liton Rahaman Mia from Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India. Debashis is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Debashis.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Paresh Hazarika, a member of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India, and RFI Listeners Club members Shadman Hosen Ayon from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, as well as Arne Timm from Harjumaa in Estonia. Last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Rowshan Ara Labone from Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Les Feuilles Mortes” by Jacques Prévert, set to music by Joseph Kosma and sung by Yves Montand; “Twelfth Street Rag” by Euday L. Bowman; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Serenade to a Cuckoo” by Roland Kirk, performed by Kirk and the Roland Kirk Quartet.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Morocco Gen Z protesters call for 'peaceful sit-ins' to demand reforms”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 10 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 15 November podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
Côte d'Ivoire's presidential election campaign is taking shape, with four challengers hoping to defeat longtime incumbent Alassane Ouattara in the 25 October vote, but no candidates from the country's two main opposition parties. For Spotlight on Africa, analyst Paul Melly underlines that the run-up has so far been peaceful, but that voters could be disengaging from politics, in response to the lack of alternatives and forward-looking change.
The presidential campaign officially began on Friday 10 October.
President Alassane Ouattara has led the country since April 2011, and is seeking a fourth term.
He managed to establish himself as a heavyweight in Ivorian politics over the past thirty years, and is credited with keeping Côte d'Ivoire prosperous and economically dynamic. But Ouattara's Côte d'Ivoire is also seen as "France's last bastion".
Now 83, he can run after changing the constitution in 2016 to remove presidential term limits, which has angered most of the opposition in Côte d'Ivoire.
Four candidates are standing against the incumbent president, the only ones having been ruled eligible by the country's constitutional court: former ministers Jean-Louis Billon, Ahoua Don Mello and Henriette Lagou, and Simone Gbagbo, ex-wife of president Laurent Gbagbo and therefore a former first lady.
But neither of the main opposition parties - PDCI and PPA-CI - have been able to secure a candidate, as the court disqualified many, including former president Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, a businessman and former minister of development.
Why Côte d’Ivoire’s election could be more complex than it seems
The election campaign will end on 23 October, two days before voting begins.
Provisional results will be published at the national level by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) between Sunday 26 October and Thursday 30 October 2025.
To be elected in the first round, a candidate must obtain an absolute majority of the votes cast. If none does, a second round of the presidential election could take place on Saturday 29 November.
Our guest this week is Paul Melly, researcher on West Africa and consulting fellow with the Chatham House think tank in London, UK.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the UN conference in July about a Palestine/Israel two-state solution. You’ll hear from the eminent primatologist Jane Goodall, there are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listener’s Corner”, and a lovely musical dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 24 July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would formally recognize a State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly, which was in September.
Following Macron’s announcement, there was a two-day conference at the UN Headquarters in New York. Co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, ministers from across the world discussed fostering the Israeli and Palestinian states living peacefully side-by-side.
You were to re-read our article: “UN gathers to advance two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict”, and send in the answer to this question: Aside from recognizing Palestinian statehood, what other three issues were discussed at the conference?
The answer is, to quote our article: “Beyond facilitating conditions for the recognition of a Palestinian state, the meeting will focus on three other issues – reform of the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from Palestinian public life, and normalisation of relations with Israel by Arab states.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Rafiq Khondaker, the president of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Rafiq’s question was: “What is your favorite historical site in your country? Why?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: Fatematuj Zahra, the co-secretary of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Fatematuj is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Fatematuj.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Naved Raiyan, the president of the RFI Fan Club in Murshidibad, India, along with a fellow Murshidabadite, Asif Ahemmed, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club. There are RFI Listeners Club members Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción in Chile, and last but not least, RFI English listener Miss Kausar, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khānewāl, Pakistan.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Ständchen” by Franz Schubert, arranged by Franz Liszt and performed by Vladimir Viardo; the traditional “Longa Alla”, performed by the Ensemble musical de Palestine; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the selections from the anonymous L'amour de moy, performed by Doulce Mémoire conducted by recorder player Denis Raisin Dadre with singer Jean François-Olivier.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article about the winner, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 3 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 8 November podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
The proposal to tax the ultra-rich that could address some of France's budget woes. The last paperboy in Paris, who has been hawking newspapers for nearly 50 years, tells of challenges and successes from Pakistan to Paris. And the man who ended the death penalty in France enters the Panthéon.
As French politicians remain deeply divided over how to address the country's growing deficit, one measure appears to unite public opinion across the political spectrum: the Zucman tax. Devised by 38-year-old economist Gabriel Zucman, the idea is to add a two percent tax on the ultra-rich, who often use holding companies to shield their wealth from income taxes. While the left sees it as fiscal justice, many on the right are concerned about additional taxes in a country that already has a lot, and maintain taxing the wealthiest will drive them abroad. (Listen @2')
Ali Akbar left his native Pakistan aged 18, looking to make enough money to buy his mother a decent home. Since arriving in France in 1973, he's managed to do just that – selling newspapers like Le Monde on the streets of Paris's Left Bank district. A popular figure in the neighbourhood, Akbar – the capital's last remaining hawker – was recently selected for the National Order of Merit by President Emmanuel Macron, a former customer. He talks about loving his work, the collapse of the newspaper culture and how recognition by France will help to "heal" the injuries of his past. (Listen @18'30'')
France abolished the death penalty on 9 October 1981. Forty-four years later, the justice minister who fought to change the law, Robert Badinter, is entering the Pantheon, the monument dedicated to French heroes. (Listen @11')
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Duplomb law. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and a lovely musical dessert to finish it all off. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 26 July, I asked you a question about Paul Myers' article “Petition seeking repeal of new French farming law passes one million signatures”.
It was about the Duplomb law, which was passed by the French parliament on 8 July. The law would allow the pesticide acetamiprid to be used, after a ban since 2018. French farmers protested the ban because it is allowed at the European level; they say it puts them at a disadvantage with their European counterparts.
But two weeks after the bill passed, Eléonore Pattery, a young student from Bordeaux, launched a petition calling for a recall.
And that was your question: you were to write in with the number of signatures on that petition as of 20 July, and also how many signatures French law requires before the lower house of Parliament, the Assemblée Nationale, has the right to hold a public debate on the contents of the petition.
The answer is, to quote Paul's article: “Late on Sunday, the 20th of July, the number of signatures had risen to 1,159,000.
Under French rules, once a petition crosses that threshold and has verified signatures from throughout the country, the Assemblée Nationale has the right to hold a public debate on the contents of the petition.
The regulations also state that even if a petition gathers 500,000 names, it does not mean that the legislation will be reviewed or repealed.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Jocelyne D'Errico from New Zealand. She wanted to know how you feel and what you think about soulmates.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Kalyani Basak from West Bengal, India. Kalyani is also the winner of this week’s bonus quiz. Congratulations, Kalyani, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Akbar Waseem, a member of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Rasel Sikder from Madaripur, Bangladesh, and RFI English listeners Sadman Shihab Khondaker from Naogaon and Momo Jahan Moumita, the co-secretary of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, both in Bangladesh.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: España by Emmanuel Chabrier, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ataúlfo Argenta; “Hoe-Down” from the ballet Rodeo by Aaron Copland, performed by the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Mama Used to Say” by Junior Giscomb and Bob Carter, sung by Junior Giscomb.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article "Moldova’s pro-EU ruling party wins majority in parliamentary elections", which will help you with the answer.
You have until 27 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 4 November podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
With more than two million Algerians and people of Algerian heritage living in France – the country’s former colonial power in North Africa – a smaller community of roughly 35,000 has made its home in the United Kingdom. In 2022, Rachida Lamri founded the DZ Fest, a cultural festival designed to celebrate and showcase Algerian traditions in English. RFI was present at this year's event.
DZ Fest is the only festival focused on Algerian culture outside the country. It has been run every year since 2022 in the United Kingdom.
This year the festival took place in the latter half of September with events in both London and Nottingham.
Spotlight on Africa travelled to London to talk to the organisers and guests of DZ Fest, and to some Algerians living in the UK
Founder and creative director Rachida Lamri - an artist, musician and member of the London-based Arabo-Andalusian orchestra - curated a programme showcasing Algerian music, traditions, and cuisine.
We also met:
The Algerian chef Djamel Ait Idir, who runs couscous workshop in his restaurant, Khamsa, in Brixton, South London Fayssal Bensalah, an Algerian-born novelist and a lecturer teaching creative writing in Cardiff, Wales Comedian Mehdi Walker, also born in Algeria, who lives in France but performs his comedy sketches in English Artist and filmmaker Leila Gamaz, who lives between Bristol and Morocco.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Nicolas Doreau.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about exoplanets. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, the new quiz and bonus questions, and a lovely musical dessert to finish it all off, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”, and you’ll be counseled on the best-suited activities for your level according to your score.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, the International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 19 July, I asked you a question about RFI English journalist Dhananjay Khadilkar’s video and article about the study of exoplanets, or extrasolar planets, which are planets outside of our solar system.
As you read in Dhananjay’s article “Swiss exoplanet pioneer reflects on Earth’s place in the cosmos”, Didier Queloz, along with Michel Mayor, discovered the first exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star in 1995, which ushered in, as Dhananjay wrote, a new era in astronomy and planetary science. The two scientists won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work.
Dhananjay met with Didier Queloz, who told him, and I quote: “Looking for exoplanets is essentially looking for us.”
What did Professor Queloz mean by that? You were to send in the answer to this question: According to Queloz, what is the essential reason for studying other planets?
The answer is, to quote Dhananjay Khadilkar’s article: “In essence, by studying other planetary systems, scientists are holding up a mirror to our own. Are the conditions that led to Earth’s habitability common or exceedingly rare? Is our solar system an outlier, or just one example among countless others?”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Is it up to the State, the government, to decide what is fair, or what is just?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Dipita Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Dipita is also the winner of this week’s bonus quiz. Congratulations, Dipita, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners is RFI Listeners Club member Pradip Basak from Kerala, India, and RFI English listeners Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India; Liton Rahaman Khan from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Rashidul Bin Somor, the General Secretary of the Source of Knowledge Club, also in Naogaon.
Congratulations winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The allegro di molto from the Symphony No 38 in C Major (the “Echo” symphony) by Franz Joseph Haydn, performed by the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra conducted by Adam Fischer; “Space Ambient” produced by Space Relax; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Young at Heart” by Johnny Richards and Carolyn Leigh, sung by Connie Francis.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Dembélé and Bonmati win Ballon d'Or as PSG take team and coach prizes”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 20 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 25 October podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
France recognises Palestinian statehood but evacuations from Gaza are still suspended. French savings are at an all-time high, reflecting uncertainty about the future. And the story of the ten-day week put in place after the French Revolution.
Evacuations from Gaza to France were suspended on 1 August after a Gazan student in Paris was found to have published antisemitic social media posts before her arrival. The suspension has left applicants for the largely state-funded Pause programme, which welcomes scientists and artists facing persecution, in limbo. French and international writers and Palestine solidarity groups have denounced it as "collective punishment". Gazan rap musician Abou Joury, who arrived in France in January, talks about finding safety and financial stability. Meanwhile French fruit farmer Mathieu Yon – whose friend and "sister", the poet Alaa al-Qatrawi, is currently stuck in Gaza – has taken up position in front of the Foreign Ministry, pushing for evacuations to resume. (Listen @3'50'')
A record 19 percent of France's GDP is now in savings accounts – the highest level outside of the exceptionally high rate recorded during the Covid pandemic. While the French have always had a tendency to squirrel money away, sociologist Jeanne Lazarus says the current increase is a sign people are feeling anxious about the economy and the long-term viability of France’s famously supportive social welfare system. (Listen @22'20'')
The story of how French revolutionairies overturned not only the monarchy but time itself, by instituting the Republican calendar from 22 September 1792. (Listen @16'25'')
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: Musical choices from The Sound Kitchen team! Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy.
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from Erwan, Paul, and me.
Be sure you send in your music requests. Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Picadillo de Soya” by José Luis Cortés, performed by José Luis Cortés and NG La Banda; “Electricity” by Paul Humphreys and Andrew McCluskey, performed by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and “One Life to Live” from Lady in the Dark by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin, performed by Teresa Stratas with the Y Chamber Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, the 27th of September. Be sure and tune in!
In this episode of Spotlight in Africa, we discuss the forthcoming presidential election in Cameroon, before turning our attention to Nigeria. We also explore ways to strengthen relations between South Africa and the United States, with a particular focus on improving conditions for seasonal migrant workers.
Cameroonians are set to go to the polls for the presidential election on 12 October, but the opposition remains fragmented, despite efforts to unite behind a single candidate to challenge President Paul Biya, who, at 92, is seeking an eighth term.
In the first week of September, the United Nations raised concerns over whether rising tensions in the country could jeopardise the possibility of free and fair elections.
According to Enrica Picco, Central Africa director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), this lack of unity, combined with the perception of an absent or weak opposition, could lead to low voter turnout. The ICG also warns that ongoing instability in the country may further depress participation.
On Saturday, Issa Tchiroma Bakary was named the opposition’s “consensus candidate” for the October vote. But will this be enough to galvanise voters?
The 10 other opposition candidates, who remain officially in the race, have yet to comment on Tchiroma Bakary’s appointment.
We have Enrica Picco on the line to discuss the potential flashpoints and the ICG’s recommendations ahead of the election.
Fears over divided opposition and instability, as Cameroon heads to the polls
Oil pollution in Nigeria
In Nigeria, major oil companies are facing allegations that they have abandoned decades of pollution in the Niger Delta without addressing the environmental damage.
A UN-appointed panel of experts has written to Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies, warning that the firms cannot simply sell off their assets to evade their responsibilities to local communities.
We'll hear the reaction of community member Celestine AkpoBari, an Ogoni-born activist who coordinates the Ogoni Solidarity Forum and leads the Miideekor Environmental Development Initiative (MEDI).
Oil giants accused of dodging Niger Delta clean-up as UN panel intervenes
South Africa and the US
Finally, in South Africa, since Donald Trump assumed office in the United States, companies, business leaders and diplomats have been working behind the scenes to strengthen relations, particularly for the hundreds of South African seasonal farmers who spend a few months each year in the US to supplement their income.
One prominent advocate for these farmers is Neil Diamond, president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US, based in Atlanta.
We discuss the importance of these work opportunities in the US for South Africans, as well as the final three months of South Africa’s G20 presidency — a historic first for an African nation.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Ali Shahzad, Jocelyne D’Errico, and a composition by B. Trappy.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Love is Stronger”, written and performed by B. Trappy; “Coups et Blessures” written by Adrien Gallo and performed by BB Brunes, and “Misty”, by Erroll Garner and Johnny Burke, performed by Sarah Vaughan with Quincy Jones and His Orchestra.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create a unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
As France gets its fifth prime minister in three years, demonstrators who responded to a call to block the country talk about feeling ignored by the government. Residents and business owners in Paris' picturesque Montmartre neighbourhood hit out at overtourism. And the brutal history of France's colonisation of the Caribbean island of Martinique, one of five French overseas departments.
For many critics of French President Emmanuel Macron, his nomination of close ally Sebastien Lecornu to replace François Bayrou as prime minister is a slap in the face, and further proof that the government is ignoring people's wishes. Participants in a movement to shut down the country on Wednesday talk about feeling unheard, and draw comparisons with the anti-government Yellow Vest movement from 2018-2019. (Listen @0')
Tourists have long been drawn to the "village" of Montmartre, with its famed Sacre Cœur basilica, artists’ square, winding cobbled streets, vineyards and pastel-shaded houses. But the rise of influencers and instagrammers who post picture-postcard decors, as featured in hit films and Netflix series, have turned it into a must-see destination. With tourists now outnumbering residents by around 430 to one, the cohabitation is under strain. Béatrice Dunner, of the Association for the Defence of Montmartre, is calling on local authorities to follow the example of Amsterdam and tackle overtourism before it's too late. (Listen @13')
On 15 September 1635, a group of French colonists claimed the Caribbean island of Martinique, establishing a plantation economy reliant on slavery. Its economic and cultural legacy continues to shape the island today as an overseas department. (Listen @6'35'')
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Eric Mbotji, Hossen Abed Ali, and Jayanta Chakrabarty.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Seven Seconds” by Youssou N'Dour, Neneh Cherry, Cameron McVey, and Jonathan Sharp, performed by Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry; “Babe” by Gary Barlow, played by Take That, and “Never Let You Go” written and performed by Klaus Waldeck and Patrizia Ferrara.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create a unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
Spotlight on Africa returns after the summer break. In this episode, we travel first to Rwanda and then on to Malawi. We begin by examining how the United States, along with some European powers, is looking to third countries in Africa to take in illegal migrants, with particular focus on Rwanda. We then move to Malawi to explore how one village is now running entirely on solar energy.
Rwanda received seven people from the United States in the last week of August, as part of a deportation deal with the Trump administration, which has sought to send foreigners to third countries including Eswatini, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.
Authorities in Kigali announced at the beginning of August that they had reached an agreement with the United States to take in up to 250 migrants.
The move has raised fresh concerns over human rights, legality, and the growing trend of wealthier nations paying others to accept deportees.
To understand the implications for migrants, for Africa, and for human rights, we spoke to Phil Clark, Professor of International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. A specialist on Rwanda, the Great Lakes region, and conflict and post-conflict issues in Africa, he has conducted field research in Rwanda and beyond every year for the past 20 years
Rwanda agrees to take migrants from US in deal that includes cash grant
Kasakula: The first solar-powered village in Malawi
Meanwhile, in southern Africa, a community of nearly 9,000 households in rural Malawi became the country’s first village to achieve universal access to solar power at the end of August.
Kasakula town, where off-grid families have until now relied on lamps and candles, has reached this milestone, according to Brave Mhonie, general manager of the charity SolarAid Malawi and president of the Renewable Energy Industries Association of Malawi.
SolarAid is a small international charity, and chose the remote and low-income village of Kasakula to pilot its model called Energy-as-a-Service.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about France’s proposed wealth tax. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan, and of course, the new quiz and bonus question, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create that unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 12 July, I asked you a question about our article “Seven Nobel laureates urge France to adopt a tax on the 'ultra-rich’”. The open letter, written by seven Economics Nobel laureates, urged the French government to implement a minimum tax on the wealthiest households in France.
The laureates noted that while global billionaires hold assets equivalent to 14 percent of global GDP, French billionaires control wealth worth nearly 30 percent of France’s GDP.
Our article cited a proposed wealth tax, which was voted down by the French Senate (it did pass in the lower house, the Assembly). I asked you to send in the name of the bill and why it has that name.
The answer is: The bill is called the Zucman bill, after Gabriel Zucman. As noted in our article, “The bill was based on proposals by French economist Gabriel Zucman. Initially passed by the National Assembly, the bill would have introduced a 'differential contribution' ensuring that individuals with more than €100 million in assets pay at least 2 percent of their annual wealth in taxes.
“The aim was to curb the kinds of avoidance strategies employed by some ultra-wealthy individuals, who are often able to structure their assets in ways that greatly reduce their tax burdens.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Sultan Sarker, the president of the Shetu RFI Fan Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Sultan’s question was: “What do you do when tragedy enters your life? How do you deal with the sorrow, the grief?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Admand Parajuli, the president of the Bandhu Listeners Club in Sunsari, Nepal. Admand is also the winner of this week’s bonus quiz. Congratulations, Admand, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in W. Skikda, Algeria, and Nahid Hossain, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Last but not least, RFI Listeners Club members Rasel Sikder from Madaripur, Bangladesh, and Father Steven Wara, who lives and serves in the Cistercian Abbey at Bamenda, Cameroon.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Les Sauvages” from Jean Philippe Rameau’s opera-ballet Les Indes Galantes; “Hail, Hail the Gang’s All Here” by Theodora Morse and Arthur Sullivan, sung by the The Childen’s Music Band; “Money Makes the World Go Around” from John Kander and Fred Ebb’s musical Cabaret, sung by Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Azúcar pa' ti” by Eddy Palmieri, performed by Eddy Palmieri and La Perfecta.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French PM puts government on line with call for confidence vote”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 13 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 18 October podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Heimer Sia, Hossen Abed Ali, and Debashis Gope.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Angelina” by Pierre Perez-Vergara, Stéphane Planchon, and Yassine Dahbi, performed by PSY; “Like Jesus to a Child”, written and performed by George Michael, and the traditional 18th-century French drinking song “Chevaliers de la Table Ronde”, sung by the Quatre Barbus with André Popp and his ensemble.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create a unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
https://concours.epop.network/en/
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 30 August. Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear three different versions of a song requested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Frank Wilson, Berry Gordy, in three versions: Brenda Holloway, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Alton Ellis.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create a unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Hossen Abed Ali from Rangpur, Bangladesh and a composition written by SB Leprof from Winneba, Ghana.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Epitaph” by Robert Fripp, Ian McDonald, Greg Lake and Michael Giles, to lyrics by Peter Sinfield, performed by King Crimson, and “Ginger Milk” by SB Leprof.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create a unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about cigarette butts and microplastics. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne created by Vincent Pora Dallongeville. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create that unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 5 July, I asked you a question about an article written by RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow: “Ocean campaigners hail French move to snuff out cigarette butt pollution”. In her article, we learned that cigarette ends, or butts, are filled with microplastics and that when they break apart, they leach chemicals into soil and water.
France has banned smoking on beaches, in public parks, and at bus stops, as well as near schools, libraries, swimming pools, and sports grounds.
You were to re-read Amanda’s article and send in the answer to this question: How many liters of water can a single cigarette butt contaminate?
The answer is, to quote Amanda’s article: “According to the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 500 liters of water.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by long-time RFI Listeners Club member Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria: “What is your favorite prize you’ve received from RFI, and why?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Kanwar Sandhu from British Columbia in Canada, who is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Kanwar.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Karobi Hazarika, a member of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India, and RFI Listeners Club member Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh. Last but not least, there are two RFI English listeners from Bangladesh: Laila Shantu Akhter from Naogaon and Labanna Lata from Munshiganj.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The piano sonata in B flat, K.529, by Domenico Scarlatti, played by Ivo Pogorelich; the “Trout” Quintet in A major, D. 667, by Franz Schubert, performed by the Endes Quartet with pianist Rolf Reinhardt; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and a medley in honor of Ozzy Osbourne, arranged by Vincent Pora Dallongeville:
“Paranoid”, by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward;
“Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, and Bob Daisley;
“No More Tears” by Ozzy Osbourne, Zak Wylde, Randy Castillo, Mike Inez, and John Purdell;
“Bark at the Moon” by Ozzy Osbourne, Jake E. Lee, and Bob Daisley.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “UN gathers to advance two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 6 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 11 October podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the young man bicycling across several African countries. There’s a poem from Helmut Matt, “The Listener’s Corner”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create that unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 28 June, I asked you a question about an article written earlier that week by RFI English journalist Alison Hird. She profiled Miguel Masaisai, a young athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who’s riding his bike across several countries in Africa. Masaisai has a message: peace.
You were to re-read Alison’s article “From Goma to Cape Town, the young Congolese athlete pedalling for peace”, and send in the answers to these two questions: At the time of publication, which countries had Masaisai cycled across, and which countries are still ahead of him?
The answers are: At the time of publication, Masaisai had ridden across the DRC, Zambia, Rwanda, and Tanzania; ahead of him were Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.
Since publication, Masaisai has pedaled through Botswana and is in South Africa. Bravo Masaisai!
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Liton Hossain Khondaker from Naogaon, Bangladesh: What is your favorite festival, religious or otherwise?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Helmut.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Alomgir Hossen, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and RFI English listeners Shohel Rana Redoy from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Noor, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan. Last but not least, there's Sadman Al Shihab, the co-chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Cuckoo” from The Birds by Ottorino Respighi, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Istvan Kertesz; an anonymous cycling playlist; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and traditional music from the Kaiabi indigenous people of Brazil, recorded in 1954 by Edward M. Weyer Jr.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Petition seeking repeal of new French farming law passes one million signatures,” which will help you with the answer.
You have until 29 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 4 October podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Togo’s media ban. There’s listener news, a surprise guest to tell you all about the ePOP video competition, “The Listener’s Corner”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create that unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be overwhelmed with entries from the English speakers!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 21 June, I asked you a question about our article “Togo suspends French broadcasters RFI, France 24 for three months”. We were informed on June 16th.
Togo has accused us of biased and inaccurate reporting.
The shutdown followed protests in the country’s capital, Lomé, in early June.
You were to send in the answers to these two questions: What is the name of Togo’s president, and what is the reason for the protests?
The answers are: The name of Togo’s president is Faure Gnassingbé. The reason for the protests is due to, to quote the RFI English article: “… increasing pressure from critics over recent changes in the constitution that could effectively keep Gnassingbé in power indefinitely. Critics have called the changes a constitutional coup.”
Faure Gnassingbé was elected in 2005. He’s the son of Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who was president for 38 years. At the time of his death, Gnassingbé Eyadéma was the longest-serving leader in modern African history.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Have you ever made a mistake that ended up saving you?” It was suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: Sultan Mahmud Sarker, the president of the Shetu RFI Fan Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Sultan is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Sultan, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechara in West Skikda, Algeria, and RFI Listeners Club members Rubi Saikia from Assam, India, as well as Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria. Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Kalyani Basak from Kerala State, India.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Raga Charu Keshi” played by Ravi Shankar; traditional music from Togo performed by the Flutistes Kotokoli; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the Quartet in F major by Maurice Ravel, performed by the Alban Berg Quartet.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, watch the video and re-read Dhananjay Khadilikar’s article “Swiss exoplanet pioneer reflects on Earth’s place in the cosmos”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 22 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 27 September podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about France’s maritime domains. There’s a poem by Pradip Basak read by RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow, “The Listener’s Corner”, and lots of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to ensure these voices are heard.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens: the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). An ePOP film is a razor-sharp look at humanity that challenges, moves, and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create that unique bridge between a person and the world.
Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate!
Click here for all the information you need.
We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 14 June, I asked you a question about the 2025 One Ocean Summit, which was held in the French city of Nice. There was very good news on the opening day: French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson announced that his country is on track to create the world's largest marine protected area.
You were to re-read our article “French Polynesia unveils world's largest marine protected zone”, and send in the answer to this question: What is the size of France’s maritime domain?
The answer is: 11 million square kilometers. As noted in our article: “Polynesia's announcement alone allows France, whose maritime domain covers 11 million square kilometers, to increase the proportion of its waters under protection to 78 percent, a broad term that includes areas where activity restrictions are minimal.
Of this area, 14.8 percent is now considered highly protected, compared to 4.8 percent before Polynesia's announcement.
Just eight percent of global oceans are designated for marine conservation, despite a globally agreed target to achieve 30 percent coverage by 2030.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Which season of the year do you like the most, and why?” The question was suggested by Rafiq Khondaker.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: Saleem Akhtar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. Saleem is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Saleem, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week is RFI Listeners Club member Sahadot Hossain, who, as an Assistant Professor of Geography and Environment at the Gurudayal Government College in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, can probably recite every country’s maritime domain in his sleep! There are two more RFI Club members on the list this week, and they’re both from Assam, India: Deekay Dimple and Karobi Hazarika. Last but assuredly not least, there’s RFI English listener Lata Yeasmin Jahan, the co-chairwoman of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Dawganova” by David Grisman, played by the David Grisman Quintet; “Le coucou” by Louis-Claude Daquin, performed by Ruth Laredo; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Scar Tissue”, written by Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, and Chad Smith, and performed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Seven Nobel laureates urge France to adopt tax on 'ultra-rich'”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 25 AUGUST (yep, summer vacation is coming up!) to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 30 August podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This season of Spotlight on Africa concludes ahead of the summer break with a focus on Frantz Fanon in the year of his centenary. It also highlights a groundbreaking new report by UNESCO on the state of the publishing industry across the continent.
This week, we begin in Harlem, New York City, USA, with Rico Speight, a film and theatre director.
His film, Rediscovering Fanon, was screened in Paris on 5 July in partnership with the Frantz-Fanon Foundation, as this year marks the centenary of one of the inspirational figures of the anti-colonial movement. The film will also be screened acorss France and in Martinque later in the year.
According to Speight, Frantz Omar Fanon (1925–1961), whose ideas have stirred the hearts of progressives since the 1950s, continues to inspire even decades after his death.
With Speight's latest documentary, the filmmaker said he "aims to reveal the man behind the legend and analyse the relevance of his prolific theories in a globalised, post-racial millennium."
Biopic explores the life and legacy of Frantz Fanon, a century after his birth
We also head to Unesco in Paris, where Spotlight on Africa spoke to Caroline Munier about the UN agency's new report on the state of the publishing industry on the African continent.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the questions about the world’s oceans. There’s Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, “The Listener’s Corner”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people.
The ePOP contest is your space to give these voices the reach they deserve.
How do you do it?
With a three-minute ePOP video. It should be pure testimony, captured by your lens, where the spoken word reigns supreme. No tricks, no music, no text on the screen. Just the raw authenticity of an encounter, in horizontal format (16:9). This is the very essence of an ePOP film: a concentrate of humanity that challenges, moves and enlightens.
From June 12 to September 12, 2025, ePOP invites you to reach out, open your eyes, and create that unique bridge between a person and the world. Join the ePOP community and make reality vibrate.
Go to The Sound Kitchen or the RFI English Listeners Forum Facebook pages for all the information you need about creating your video.
We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 7 June, I asked you a question about RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow’s article “The big blue blindspot: why the ocean floor is still an unmapped mystery”.
You were to re-read Amanda’s article and send in the answers to these three questions: How many people do the world’s oceans feed per year? How much economic activity is generated by the oceans every year? And, what is the percentage of the ocean’s waters that are formally protected?
The answers are, to quote Amanda’s article: “The ocean feeds 3.2 billion people and generates an estimated 2.6 trillion USD in economic value each year. Yet just 8 percent is formally protected – and only a fraction of that is off-limits to damaging activities.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the most hilarious thing or situation you've come across in your life, or what or whom made you laugh the most?”, which was suggested by Jocelyne D’Errico from New Zealand.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Jayanta, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Abdur Rakib, the co-president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Nuraiz Bin Zaman, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, also in Bangladesh. Last but certainly not least, RFI Listeners Club member Mumtaz Hussain from Odisha, India, and RFI English listener Nowsaba Nuha from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The theme to Mannix by Lalo Schifrin; the “Aquarium” from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by André Previn; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, performed by the Joe Henderson Trio.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Amanda Morrow’s article “Ocean campaigners hail French move to snuff out cigarette butt pollution”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 28 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 2 August podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
As France heats up, an experiment simulating life in 50°C aims to get people to take climate change more seriously. Faced with a growing demand for eggs, France looks for ways to boost homegrown production and halt the need for imports. And a look back at the first line of the Paris metro, which opened in 1900.
France just experienced its hottest June since 2003, with several days of extreme heat at the end of the month that left two people dead and slowed the country down – halting work outdoors and closing schools. The heatwave is a taste of what the future might hold, as global warming leads to more extreme weather conditions. The Human Adaptation Institute has created an immersive experience of what life at 50°C would be like. Jeanne Richard reports from the mobile lab as it tours France to raise awareness over the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change, one hot individual at a time. (Listen @0')
France is Europe's largest egg producer, yet it's struggling to meet growing demand from people looking for a cheap source of protein. Eggs are now being imported from Ukraine where environmental, health and animal welfare norms are far lower. Alice Richard, head of the National Egg Promotion Committee (CNPO), talks about the need to increase home-grown production and make it easier for farmers to start or expand their farms. Cyril Ernst, campaign manager with Anima, whose mission is to put an end to laying hens in cages, insists any easing of regulations for new farms mustn't be at the expense of animal welfare. (Listen @16'45'')
The first line of the Paris metro opened on 19 July 1900, after decades of wrangling between the capital and the state slowed down its development. Today the metro system is 245kms long, with 16 lines covering the entire city and beyond. (Listen @10'30'')
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Macron/Starmer talks in Britain. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” and comic music from Rossini, as well as the new quiz and bonus questions, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 24 May, I asked you a question about our article “EU and UK reunite in London for talks on diplomacy and defence” – that week, talks were held between France’s President Emmanuel Macron and the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer – after five years of rather tense relations between the two countries, following Britain’s exit from the EU in 2020.
I asked you to send in the answer to this question: Which three issues – aside from defense and security partnerships – were also discussed – issues which are still quite politically sensitive?
The answer is: Fishing rights, food checks, and youth mobility.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Rafiq Khondaker: “What is your favorite animal, and why?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State in Nigeria, who is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Nasyr.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Debakamal Hazarika, the president of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India, as well as RFI Listeners Club members Sharifa Akter Panna from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh; Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India, and last but assuredly not least, RFI English listener Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The overture to L’Italiana in Algerie by Giacchino Rossini, performed by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic; “Round Midnight” by Thelonius Monk, performed by the Thelonius Monk Quartet; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the Act I finale of L’Italiana in Algerie by Giacchino Rossini, sung by Marilyn Horne and Paolo Montarsolo with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by James Levine.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Alison's article “From Goma to Cape Town, the young Congolese athlete pedalling for peace”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 21 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 26 July podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In this episode, Spotlight on Africa reviews the origins of protests in Kenya against police brutality. And you'll also hear from the co-founders of the Africa Basel contemporary art fair, in Switzerland, the newest event of its kind.
This week, we go to East Africa where Kenyans are protesting to denounce police brutality, exactly a year after a wave of protests organised against an unjust tax, that led to police violence.
This year's protests were triggered by the killing by the police of a teacher and blogger in his cell. Albert Ojwang, 31, had been arrested for criticising a policeman online.
On Monday (23 June), Kenyan prosecutors said they were charging six people, including three police officers, with murder over his death.
To better understand the issues surrounding this incident, Spotlight on Africa podcast spoke to Douglas Lucas Kivoi, Principal Policy Analyst, Governance Department, Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA).
Africa Basel
We also head to Switzerland for a new artistic event known as Africa Basel.
This first edition of a contemporary African art fair was created to coincide with the largest fair in the world, Art Basel, in Switzerland. It was held from 17 to 22 June, with over 30 galleries and dozens of artists.
Spotlight on Africa spoke with the two co-founders of the event, as they opened the first days of the event in Basel: Benjamin Füglister, artist and cultural entrepreneur born in Switzerland, and now the director of the Africa Basel and Sarah Hachi-Duchêne, curator at unx.art.
Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Cannes Film Festival. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, a surprise vocal guest for those of you feeling nostalgic, the “Listeners' Corner” with Paul Myers, and plenty of good music. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Brother Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Brother Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 17 May, I asked you about the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, which opened that week. RFI English journalist Ollia Horton was there, and I asked you a question about her article “Ukraine, Gaza and #MeToo in the spotlight as Cannes Film Festival opens”. You were to send in the names of the three documentaries about the Ukraine conflict - as well as the names of the filmmakers – that were screened on the opening day.
The answer is: Zelensky, made by Yves Jeuland, Lisa Vapné, and Ariane Chemin; Notre Guerre ("Our War") by Bernard-Henri Lévy and co-director Marc Roussel, and 2,000 metres to Andriivka by Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Khondaker Rafiq Ul from Naogaon, Bangladesh: “What was your happiest moment in your radio - or your DXing – history?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI English listener Hijab Abid, a member of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Hijab is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Hijab!
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Paresh Hazarika, a member of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India, and RFI Listeners Club members Ataur Rahman Ranju, the president of the Alokito Manush Cai International Radio Listeners Club in Rangpur, Bangladesh, and Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India. Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Rabiul Awal from Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Gente Humile” by Garota, played by Baden Powell; “Stairway to Heaven” by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, played by Tetiana Mazur and Serhii Shamra; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Cities in Dust” by Susan Ballion, Peter Edward Clarke and Steven Severin, performed by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Togo suspends French broadcasters RFI, France 24 for three months”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 14 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 19 July podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the “Choose Europe for Science” summit. You’ll hear about the Pariwer Bandhu RFI SW Club’s quiz competition, and there’s the Listener’s Corner” with your bonus question answers. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Brother Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Brother Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 10 May, I asked you about a scientific summit held earlier that week here in Paris. It was about bringing to Europe US scientists whose research funds were being threatened – and now, many have been canceled - by US President Donald Trump.
The summit, called “Choose Europe for Science”, was attended by EU commissioners, scientists, and ministers for research from member countries, and hosted by Paris's Sorbonne University. It closed with speeches by French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
You were to re-read our article “France hosts summit to lure scientists threatened by US budget cuts” and send in the answer to this question: Which specific research specialties are the Europeans hoping to attract? Amongst possible others, which specific sectors of research are the Europeans targeting?
The answer is, to quote our article: “Macron's office said France and the EU are targeting researchers in a number of specific sectors, including health, climate, biodiversity, artificial intelligence and space.”
The first “refugee scientists”, as they’re being called, are on their way here.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you greet friends and relatives? How do you greet people you are being introduced to for the first time? What do these forms of greeting mean to you?” The question was suggested by Jocelyne D’Errico from New Zealand.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrishna.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, as well as RFI Listeners Club members Rubi Saikia from Assam, India and Sahadot Hossain Khoka from Sunamganj, Bangladesh. Last but assuredly not least, RFI English listener Rajesh Dhakal from Mechi, Nepal.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Peaceful Journey” by Imade Suputra; the “Gigue” from the French Suite no. 2 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Andras Schiff; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Quatre Bergerettes, four 18th-century French folksongs arranged by Siegfried Behrend and Sharon Isbin, performed by mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer and guitarist Sharon Isbin.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French Polynesia unveils world's largest marine protected zone”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 7 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 12 July podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
In East Africa, politicians and civil society members are increasingly alarmed by political arrests, as opposition figure Tundu Lissu remains imprisoned in Tanzania, facing the death penalty in a trial that continues to be repeatedly postponed. In this week's Spotlight on Africa podcast, we hear from Robert Amsterdam, legal counsel to Lissu and other prominent figures. We also look at the first commemoration of the genocide perpetrated by German colonial rulers over a century ago in Namibia.
Tundu Lissu is the leader of Tanzania’s main opposition Party for Democracy and Progress (Chadema). He was arrested on 9 April.
Treason charges were brought against him on 10 April, and he could receive the death penalty.
Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, reacted by saying that the Tanzanian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Tundu Lissu, whose arbitrary arrest and detention comes amid a growing crackdown on opposition leaders ahead of the October 2025 general election.
He added, “The authorities’ campaign of repression saw four government critics forcibly disappeared and one unlawfully killed in 2024. The police have also prevented opposition members from holding meetings and other political gatherings, subjecting them to mass arrest, arbitrary detention, and unlawful use of force."
Tanzanian politician's lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary
However, the opposition leader has not been released, nor have the charges been dropped. On the contrary, other members of his party have since been arrested and even subjected to torture.
Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania’s economic capital, Dar es Salaam, between 19 and 23 May, after attempting to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
The crisis extends beyond Tanzania to neighbouring Uganda and Kenya, where activists from a rights coalition in Kenya also accused police officers of sexually torturing Kenyan and Ugandan activists last month.
In this context, this week on Spotlight on Africa, RFI speaks to Tundu Lissu’s international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, who has lodged a complaint with the UN Working Group as part of a broader campaign of pressure.
This month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Lissu’s arrest as politically motivated. Amsterdam also stated that he intends to petition the US State Department to impose sanctions.
Meanwhile, in Namibia, the first national commemoration was held on 28 May for the victims of mass killings by colonial-era German troops, in what is widely recognised as the first genocide of the 20th century.
When first the Herero and then the Nama revolted against the colonial administration, the response from Germany was brutal. An extermination order was sent by the Second Reich, and several concentration camps were built across the country.
Namibia holds controversial first commemoration of German colonial-era genocide
Some organisations representing victims' descendants have declined to take part.
To discuss what is at stake with this commemoration, for Namibia but also for other former African colonies, we talk to the German historian Henning Melber, of the Nordic Africa Institute, who is also affiliated to the University of Pretoria and the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein in South Africa.
He says that while the announcement of an official Namibian Genocide Memorial Day has been long overdue, the chosen date of 28 May remains controversial, and that communities of descendants were excluded.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about women’s right to vote. There’s a salute to Eid Al-Adha, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Brother Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Brother Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 3 May, I asked you a question about women’s right to vote. Frenchwomen were granted the right to vote in 1944; the first election they voted in was in 1945. This is long after many of their sisters in other countries.
You were to re-read our article “How French women won, and used, their right to vote in 1945”, and send in the answer to this question: Which country was the first to grant women the right to vote, and in which year? I also asked you to send in the names and dates of the countries that followed the ground-breaker.
The answer is, to quote our article: “New Zealand was the pioneer, granting women the right to vote in 1893, followed by Australia in 1901, Finland in 1906, Denmark in 1915, Uruguay in 1917, Germany in 1918, the United States in 1920, and the United Kingdom in 1928.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, which was suggested by Father Stephen Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon. Father Steve wanted to know: What big anniversary do you have coming up? A birthday? A wedding? Something else? How will you celebrate it? How many guests will you invite?
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Mr. M. Ganesan from Goa, India, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Mr. Ganesan.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week – all women, to celebrate our big sister suffragettes who opened the door for us - are Hasina Zaman Hasi, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Jocelyne D'Errico from New Zealand; Jahan Ara Hussain from Odisha, India, and Shaira Hosen Mo from Kishoreganj in Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Eid Al-Adha Mubarak” by Babu and Shahnawaz, sung by Nawal Khan; Duet for Viola and Violoncello and Obligato Eyeglasses WoO 32 by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by Keith Hamm and Julie Hereish; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Oi! Altas undas que venetz sus la mar” by Raimbaut de Vaqueiras, performed by the Eduardo Paniagua Spanish-French-Moroccan Ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Amanda Morrow’s article “The big blue blindspot: why the ocean floor is still an unmapped mystery”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 30 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 5 July podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Alan Holder from Isle of Wight, England, and Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “A Million Roses” by Raymond Pauls and Leon Briedis, performed by L’Orchestre Dominique Moisan; “Anak” by Freddie Aguilar, performed by Aguilar and his orchestra, and "Hips Don't Lie” by Shakira, Wyclef Jean and Archie Pena, performed by Shakira and Wyclef Jean.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 7 June. Be sure and tune in!
As relations between South Africa and the US hit their lowest point since apartheid’s end, President Cyril Ramaphosa heads to Washington to mend fences after years of frosty ties and dwindling aid under Trump-era policies. In this week's Spotlight on Africa we unpack what’s at stake - and what was said behind closed doors.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Donald Trump in Washington last Wednesday.
The meeting took place amid tensions over several issues, including the United States’ resettlement of white Afrikaners—whom President Trump has controversially described as victims of "genocide" - and South Africa’s ongoing land reform.
South Africa's Ramaphosa to meet Trump on high-stakes White House visit
However, the US President defied all expectations of diplomacy by repeating allegations against Ramaphosa and accusing South Africa of the alleged killing of white farmers.
President Ramaphosa remained composed, and the visit continued the following day with further discussions on bilateral relations and trade.
To discuss, the recent evolution of the relations between the two countries, Spotlight on Africa has two guests this week:
Cameron Hudson, senior fellow at the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in Washington DC Ivor Ichikowitz, founding director of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and keen observer of South Africa's foreign affairs.
We also visit the Paris Noir exhibition, currently on display at the Pompidou Centre in central Paris. It showcases the largest collection ever assembled of works by Black artists who created art in the French capital from the 1950s onwards.
Paris Noir is at the Pompidou Centre in Paris until 30 June, 2025.
'Paris Noir' exhibition showcases work made in French capital by black artists
Finally, we go on a tour with the black British photographer, writer and broadcaster Johny Pitts, who has himself documented the black and Afropean communities all over Europe for over ten years.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Vatican’s cardinal electors. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag and a salute to mothers, the “The Listener’s Corner”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Brother Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Brother Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 26 April, I asked you a question about the late Pope Francis, who’d died earlier that week. As the Vatican prepared to elect a new pope, we published an article about the men who were responsible for electing the next head of the Roman Catholic Church.
You were to re-read our article “What happens now after the death of Pope Francis?” and send in the answer to this question: What are the nationalities of the 135 cardinal electors who will elect the next pope?
The answer is, to quote our article: “Currently there are 135 so-called cardinal electors, 108 of whom were appointed by Francis. Of these, 53 are from Europe, 20 are from North America, 18 are from Africa, 23 from Asia, four from Oceania, and 17 from South America.”
As you know, the cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost, the first American to hold the post. He took the name Leo XIV as his papal name, and he was formally inaugurated to serve the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics on 18 May.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, which was inspired by the long-running BBC program “Desert Island Discs”. You were to write in with the names of the three records, or audio recordings, that you would take with you to an uninhabited island.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Christian Ghibaudo from Tende, France. Christian is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Christian,on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are A. K. M. Nuruzzaman, the president of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and Paresh Hazarika, a member of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India, as well as RFI Listeners Club members Shadman Hosen Ayon from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, and Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusen, Denmark.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Mother” by Roger Waters, performed by Pink Floyd; “A Mighty Fortress is our God” by Martin Luther, played by Kaleb Brasee; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Buenos Aires Symphony in Three Movements by Astor Piazolla, performed by the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Leonardo Garcia Alarcon.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “EU and UK reunite in London for talks on diplomacy and defence”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 23 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 28 June podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
As French lawmakers consider legalising assisted dying, a look at the citizen's assembly that carefully considered the issue. Also, a film about the writer – and filmmaker – Marcel Pagnol at the Cannes film festival, which is finally tackling sexual harassment in the industry. And the man who created the fête des voisins 25 years ago so neighbours get to know one other.
French MPs are shortly to vote on whether or not to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia. The draft legislation draws heavily on the work of the Citizens’ Convention on end-of-life care – a group of 184 people, randomly selected in late 2022 to reflect France's diverse population. Though strangers to each other and to the subject, they spent four months in thoughtful debate, building a spirit of mutual respect despite deep differences of opinion. Economist Marc-Olivier Strauss-Kahn, one of the participants, talks about why this exercise in deliberative democracy was so enriching and valuable to society. Along with others, he's helped launch an association to ensure the dialogue, and the social inclusion it fostered, continues beyond the convention itself. (Listen @0')
This year's Cannes film festival is taking the issue of sexual harassment in the movie industry more seriously than ever, just weeks after actor Gerard Depardiee was convicted for sexual assault. Ollia Horton talks about what's changing. She also introduces a film about the life of Marcel Pagnol – one of France's most cherished writers and a former Cannes jury president. (Listen @20'15'')
The annual fête des voisins, held on the last Friday of May, is an opportunity for neighbours to get to know each other. Launched 25 years ago in Paris by local councillor Atanase Périfan, it was aimed at bringing more solidarity into everyday life and it seems to be working. (Listen @14'10'')
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Mario Vargo Llosa. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, the “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level” and you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service, told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Brother Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Brother Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 19 April, I asked you a question about Mario Vargas Llosa, a Nobel Prize-winning author from Peru. You were to re-read Paul Myers’ article “Nobel prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa dies aged 89”, and send in the answers to these questions: In which year did Llosa win the Nobel Prize for Literature, and what did the Nobel Committee write about his work?
The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “His Nobel Prize in 2010 came 51 years after The Cubs and Other Stories. The Nobel committee said the accolade was an award for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, “What are the obstacles that impede your happiness?”, which was an idea from Erwan Rome, who suggested we look at the philosophy questions asked on the French baccalaureate exams, the French leaving-school exam. This one was for the 2018 students.
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Father Stephen Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon. Father Steve is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Father Stephen,on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India - who noted Vargas is one of his favorite Latin American writers; Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh; Niyar Talukdar from Maharashtra, India, and last but not least, RFI English listener Tanjim Tatini from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “En route à Bengal” inspired by traditional Bengali folk music, arranged and performed by the Hamelin Instrumental Band; Traditional Peruvian Cumbia; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “The Loud Minority” by Frank Foster, performed by the the Loud Minority Big Band.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Ollia Horton’s article “Ukraine, Gaza and #MeToo in the spotlight as Cannes Film Festival opens”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 16 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 21 June podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
Amnesty International’s 2025 annual report reviews a broad range of human rights issues, highlighting concerns in 150 countries and linking global and regional trends with an eye on the future. In Africa, the organization says the so-called “Trump effect” in the US and beyond has led to an unprecedented neglect of human rights.
According to Amnesty International, Donald Trump's rise to the presidency has hastened trends already unfolding over the past decade.
Just one hundred days into his second term, President Trump has demonstrated a complete disregard for universal human rights, making the world both less safe and less just, the organisation's latest report claims.
"His all-out assault on the very concepts of multilateralism, asylum, racial and gender justice, global health and life-saving climate action is exacerbating the significant damage those principles and institutions have already sustained and is further emboldening other anti-rights leaders and movements to join his onslaught,” Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, wrote.
While Africa's armed conflicts caused relentless civilian suffering, including increasing levels of sexual and gender-based violence, and death on a massive scale, international and regional responses remained woefully inadequate.
The NGO also denounces global failures in addressing inequalities, climate collapse, and tech transformations that imperil future generations, especially in fragile zones.
To discuss the implications for Africa in detail, this week, Spotlight on Africa's first guest is Deprose Muchena, senior director for regional human rights impact at Amnesty International.
Meanwhile, in South Africa, experts reflect on a recent visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as the country leads the G20 this year and tries to become a platform for peace talk.
Did Zelensky's South Africa visit signal a diplomatic pivot by Pretoria?
We talked to the French business and veteran diplomat, Jean-Yves Ollivier, founder of the Brazzaville Foundation, who was a key actor in organising Zelensky's meeting with South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Finally, we hear from Djiby Kebe, one of the founders of Air Afrique magazine, created by and for young members of the African diaspora in Paris and Abidjan. Inspired by the once-successful Pan-African airline of the same name, the publication centres on culture and travel.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the drop in pollution rates in Paris. There’s “On This Day” and “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and plenty of good music. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 12 April I asked you a question about the drop in air pollution in Paris. That week, Airparif, an independent group that tracks air quality, reported that between 2005 and 2024, levels in Paris of the two most harmful air pollutants – fine particles and nitrogen dioxide – fell by 55 percent and 50 percent respectively.
You were to re-read our article “Air pollution in Paris region 'cut in half' over the past 20 years” and send in the answer to this question: According to Airparif, what are the policies that led to the reduction in Paris’ pollution? What are some of the concrete steps that were taken?
The answer is, to quote our article: “Antoine Trouche, an engineer at Airparif, told France Inter radio that several concrete steps had made a difference.
These included ‘the Euro emissions standards, taxation of industrial pollutant emissions, and increased public transport and cycling infrastructure’.
He also pointed to ‘the replacement of diesel vehicles with petrol and electric vehicles.’”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India: “Suppose you find an old magical lamp which when rubbed a genie appears and tells you he will fulfill one wish. What would your wish be?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar, the president of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Malik is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations on your double win, Malik.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ramu Reddy, a member of the RFI Pariwar Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India, and RFI Listeners Club members Sardar Munir Akhter from Punjab, Pakistan, as well as Deekay Dimple from Assam, India.
Last but not least, RFI English listener Ataur Rahman Ranju, the president of the Alokito Manush Cai International Radio Listeners Club in Rangpur, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Free Wheelin’” by Thierry Durbet and Laurent Thierry-Meig; “Arc en Ciel 3” by Philippe Bestion; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Un Nuit à Paris” by Kevin Godley and Lol Cream, performed by 10cc.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “France hosts summit to lure scientists threatened by US budget cuts”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 9 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 14 June podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
France is opening its arms to foreign scientists, particularly from the US, as the Trump administration pulls back from climate research. French GPs and trainee doctors are up in arms over proposals to address 'medical deserts', which they say would make the problem worse. And as Europe marks the 80th anniversary of Europe Day, Algeria commemorates the 8 May, 1945 massacre of civilians by French colonial forces.
Ever since US President Donald Trump started defunding and dismantling US scientific institutions, France has made a push to get scientists to move. In March the French minister in charge of research asked universities to fund programmes to attract American scientists. In 2017, after Trump first pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accords, Macron launched a recruitment drive aimed at climate scientists working in the US. Two of those grantees, Ben Sanderson and Philip Shulz, talk about the experience of leaving the US for France, and what the current environment is like for climate scientists today. (Listen @1'10)
With 87 percent of France considered a "medical desert", lawmakers and the government are looking to tackle doctor shortages. But the proposals – to regulate when specialists can open their private practices and require health professionals to work two days a month in areas with chronic shortages – have met with strong opposition from GPs, trainee doctors and students. Yassine Bahr, vice-president of the French junior doctors union (ISNI), and Anna Boctor, president of France's Jeunes Medecins (young doctors) union, talk about why the proposals won't solve the problem and the sense of injustice at being held responsible for a situation that is not of their making. (Listen @20'20)
On 8 May 1945, during a celebration of the end of WWII in Europe in the Algerian city of Setif, French colonial authorities shot at Algerians holding pro-independence signs. The ensuing riots then spread to neighbouring cities where the authorities unleashed a campaign of reprisals to crush the unrest – indiscriminately killing tens of thousands of Algerian men, women and children. France has yet to officially acknowledge its role in the massacres. (Listen @15'00)
Episode mixed by Cécile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Marine Le Pen’s full embezzlement sentence. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 3 April I asked you a question about Marine Le Pen, the president of the far-right French party the National Rally (RN). She, along with eight other RN Parliament members, was judged guilty of embezzling 4.4 million euros in European Union funds to pay France-based RN party staff who worked only for the RN and not on EU issues.
Le Pen and her fellow lawmakers have been banned from running for office for five years. This ban, which had previously been a rare sentence, has become commonplace since the Sapin 2 law was adopted in 2016, which made it the standard sentence for cases involving the embezzlement of public funds and was roundly supported by RN lawmakers – until now.
You were to re-read our article “RN leader Le Pen battles for political future after embezzlement conviction”, and send in the answer to this question: Aside from the ban on running for office, what else was included in Le Pen’s sentence?
The answer is, to quote our article: “Le Pen was also sentenced to four years' imprisonment, two of which will be served under an electronic bracelet, and a fine of 100,000 euros.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by the late Muhammad Shamim who lived in Kerala State, India: "Would you rather be rich but not famous, or famous but not rich?"
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Lata Akhter Jahan, the co-president of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, Bangladesh. Lata is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Lata, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Shaira Hosen Mo from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh; Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria; John Yemi Sanday Turay from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and last but not least, Saleha, who is also a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Les Jardins de L’Alhambra” by Gérard Torikian; “Stacatto” by René Aubry; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Aýa döndi” by Nuri Halmamedov and Mahtumkuli, performed by baritone Atageldi Garýagdyýew.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “How French women won, and used, their right to vote in 1945”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 2 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 5 June podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a devastating war between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo—known as Hemedti. In just two years, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced over 13 million people, and sparked what many are calling the biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.
The two rivals were once allies, having jointly overthrown Sudan’s long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019 after nearly 30 years in power. However, their alliance fractured in 2021 amid growing tensions over how to transition the country towards civilian-led democratic rule.
Most recently, on 25 March, the Sudanese armed forces announced the recapture of the capital, Khartoum. But fighting continues south and west of the capital, where pockets dominated by the RSF remain.
'No one else will': Sudan's journalists risk all to report the war
This week, Spotlight on Africa's first guest is Assadullah Nasrullah, spokesperson and communication officer forHe had been working in Sudan for two years before this war began, and now works on supporting people displaced inside Sudan by the fighting.
This week, Spotlight on Africa's first guest is Assadullah Nasrullah, spokesperson and communications officer for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Sudan. He had been working in the country for two years prior to the outbreak of war and now focuses on supporting those displaced within Sudan by the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, 's European Union director Philippe Dam outlinnes for Spotlight on Africa how the European Union could have leverage to act on many levels in the conflict, and that the EU should act.
Meanwhile, Philippe Dam, European Union director at Human Rights Watch, outlines for Spotlight on Africa how the EU could exert influence on multiple levels in the conflict — and why it must act.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French wine crisis. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
We have new RFI Listeners Club members, Jocelyne D’Errico, a Frenchwoman who lives in New Zealand, and Alexander Konak from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
Welcome Jocelyne, welcome Alexander! So glad you have joined us!
You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I’ll send you a membership number. It’s that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you’ll receive a premium prize.
This week’s quiz: On 29 March, I asked you a question about RFI English journalist Jan van der Made’s article “France’s wine industry is in crisis. Can this Nigerian consultant save it?”
Not only are people drinking less wine – sales are down and so are exports – but there are the 200 percent tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump.
But Chinedu Rita Rosa, whom Jan profiled in his article, thinks she has the solution.
You were to send in the answer to this question: What is Chinedu Rita Rosa’s solution for the troubled French wine industry?
The answer is, as Rosa told Jan: “It's time to find alternatives to the US and China, in countries such as Brazil, India and Africa ... French wine producers should have a deep understanding of the culture and tastes of new markets and adjust their products and marketing strategies accordingly. ‘You have to meet people, learn about their tastes, and adapt accordingly.’”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Sadman Shihab Shahorier, the co-chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh: “What is your most vivid childhood memory?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Tasmaul Akhter Nazma, the general secretary of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, Bangladesh. Tasmaul is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Tasmaul, on your double win!
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and Abiha Fatima, a member of the RFI Online Visitors Club in Sahiwal, Pakistan. There’s Naved Raiyan, the president of the RFI Fan Club in West Bengal, India, and last but not least, RFI English Listener Mampi Paul, also from West Bengal.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Wildlife of Tanzania” by Wuji; “Paris Cafe Ambience”; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Mount Harissa” from the Far East Suite by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, performed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “What happens now after the death of Pope Francis?”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 19 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 24 May podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the seven-time Olympic medallist Kirsty Coventry. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
We have new RFI Listeners Club members, Jocelyne D’Errico, a Frenchwoman who lives in New Zealand - and Alexander Konak from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
Welcome Jocelyne, welcome Alexander! So glad you have joined us!
You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I’ll send you a membership number. It’s that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you’ll receive a premium prize.
This week’s quiz: On 22 March,I asked you a question about Paul’s article “Zimbabwe's aspiring Olympics supremo Coventry targets development of athletes”, which profiled seven-time Olympic medalist Kirsty Coventry, the most decorated African in the 129-year history of the Games.
Kirsty Coventry was one of the candidates vying for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee, which was decided a few days after the podcast … and she won! She’s the first woman, and the first African, to hold the post. Congratulations Ms. Coventry!
You were to send in a list of the medals the swimmer won, along with the dates of the Games in which she won them.
The answer is, to quote Paul: “… in 2004 at the Athens Games, she won gold in the 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m individual medley.
In Beijing in 2008, she retained her backstroke title and claimed silver again in the 100m backstroke as well as silvers in the 200 and 400m individual medley.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Alan Holder from England’s Isle of Wight. His question was: “Do you believe that people have a sixth sense - that is, an ability to know something without using the ordinary five senses of smell, sight, taste, hearing, and touch? Can you recall any personal experiences to justify your belief?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Dipita Chakrabarty. Dipita is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Dipita, on your double win!
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club member Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India, and Paresh Hazarika, a member of the RFI United Listeners Club in Assam, India. Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Khondaker Rafiqul Islam from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Ahmad, who’s a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Koud Min” by Aurélien Chambaud and Yon Kalawang; “Hip Hotheads” by Rick Braun; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Antonio Vivaldi’s Bassoon Concerto in a minor, RV 499, performed by Daniel Smith with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Philip Ledger.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Nobel prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa dies aged 89”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 12 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 17 May podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about European military powers. You’ll hear about recent concerts featuring the music of JS Bach, as well as “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan". All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
We have new RFI Listeners Club members, all members of a student radio club in West Bengal, India, headed up by their teacher, Ratan Kumar Paul. Join me in a hearty welcome to new members Deep Paul, Dilip Meta, Sima Pal, and Rimil Paul, with of course, their teacher, Ratan Kumar Paul.
Welcome, one and all! So glad you have joined us!
You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I’ll send you a membership number. It’s that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you’ll receive a premium prize.
This week’s quiz: On 15 March, I asked you a question about our article “Macron hosts European military chiefs to discuss Ukraine security guarantees”. French President Emmanuel Macron had just met with defense ministers from Europe's five main military powers for talks on the "necessary rearmament of Europe", as well as military support to Ukraine, according to one of the French defense minister's aides.
You were to send in the answer to this question: Which five countries are Europe’s main military powers?
The answer is: France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Poland.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Which is more important, talent or hard work?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany. Helmut is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Helmut, on your double win!
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Hasina Zaman Hasi, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Solomon Fessahazion from Asmara, Eritrea, Karobi Hazarika from Assam, India, and Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The Adagio from the Concerto for Violin and Oboe, BWV 1060 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by violinist Nemanja Radulovic, oboist Sébastien Giot, and the Double Sens Ensemble; “Herr, unser Herrscher” (“Lord, our Ruler”) from the St John Passion, BWV 245 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by the Netherlands Bach Society conducted by Jos van Veldhoven; Czardas by Vittorio Monti, performed by Nemanja Radulovic with the Chamber Orchestra of Cannes, conducted by Didier Benetti; the Allegro from the Violin Concerto in d minor, BWV 1052R by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Nemanja Radulovic and the Double Sens Ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; the theme music from "I Dream of Jeannie" by Hugo Montenegro; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and traditional Greenland Inuit Chants and Drums.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Air pollution in Paris region 'cut in half' over the past 20 years”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 5 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 10 May podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
A French-German weapons manufacturer ramps up production to meet the needs of France's war economy. An encounter with France's largest supercomputer dedicated to artificial intelligence. And how the Marseillaise national anthem has contributed to reinforcing French values and ideals.
Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Emmanuel Macron said France was moving into a "war economy" – calling on weapons manufacturers in particular to produce more and more quickly. We hear from staff at KNDS, a Franco-German defence group half-owned by the French state, about how they've managed to triple production of Caesar artillery and ammunitions to deliver to Ukraine. We also talk about the challenges of funding a war economy, given France's huge deficit, with economist Virginie Monvoisin from the Grenoble School of Management. (Listen @2'20'')
As France aims to become a leader in developing artificial intelligence, it is upping its investment into building the computing power needed to run it. The Jean Zay supercomputer, at the Paris-Saclay university campus south of Paris, is one of France's most powerful, and is available free of charge for researchers. Pierre-François Lavallée, director of France's IT research institute (IDRIS), explains how the supercomputer works, its uses, and how the massive amount of heat generated by the calculations is redirected and reused as a source of energy. (Listen @18'45'')
La Marseillaise became the French national anthem 230 years ago, in 1795. Written in a few hours, on 25 April 1792, it has weathered many a storm and remains a popular symbol of revolutionary fervour against authoritarianism. It has also been reinterpreted in France and abroad to serve other political causes, such as feminism. (Listen @12')
Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about AI and the French company Lingora. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and an homage to Muhammad Shamim, the president of the RFI Golden Eagles Club. All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
We have new RFI Listeners Club members, all members of a student radio club in West Bengal, India, headed up by their teacher, Ratan Kumar Paul. Join me in a hearty welcome to new members Deep Paul, Dilip Meta, Sima Pal, and Rimil Paul, with of course, their teacher, Ratan Kumar Paul.
Welcome, one and all! So glad you have joined us!
You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I’ll send you a membership number. It’s that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you’ll receive a premium prize.
This week’s quiz: On 8 March, I asked you to listen to Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas’ Spotlight on France podcast number 124. They covered AI in the show, and the EU-backed "third path" approach, midway between the US' private tech firm-dominated model, and China's state-controlled technology.
You were to re-listen to their AI report, specifically about the French company Lingora, who recently released a large language model trained on French and European content. You were to send in the answer to these two questions: When was the company Lingora founded, and in which year did they begin work on their AI model?
The answer is, as Sarah noted: Lingora was founded in 2000; the company began working on AI in 2016.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: "Is it wrong to disobey laws?"
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Jayanta is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Jayanta, on your double win.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India; Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India, and Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh.
Last but assuredly not least, there’s RFI English listener Shaharier Sadman Shihab from Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Kashmir” by George Fenton and John Leach; “Bamboule” by Pierre Bensousan; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Yé ké yé ké” by Mori Kante, performed by Mori Kante and his ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “RN leader Le Pen battles for political future after embezzlement conviction”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 28 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 3 May podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week on Spotlight on Africa, we explore the growing movement among African musicians to produce their music on home soil rather than relying on studios and opportunities abroad, particularly in Europe.
For decades, many African artists have found that success often hinges on recording, producing, and touring overseas. However, a new generation of musicians is working to shift this dynamic, striving to develop a sustainable music industry within Africa while also supporting fellow artists in doing the same.
The conversation around this shift was a key focus at the AfriCapitales festival in Paris on 28 March.
At the event, academics from the revue Volume! presented their research on global phonographic production, examining how major recording hubs have historically shaped the music industry.
A roundtable discussion brought together scholars and professionals from Africa’s music sector to explore how digital technology and evolving industry structures are reshaping the landscape.
In a world that is increasingly interconnected yet diversely globalised, these discussions underscored the potential for African artists to reclaim their creative processes and redefine the future of music production on the continent.
Our first guest to expand on the research is the Cameroonian singer songwriter Blick Bassy.
Cameroon's Blick Bassy seeks to unite new generation of African music makers
Drawing on his experience as an African artist who has found international success, Bassy put in place a festival in Cameroon for other young music makers. The first edition took place in November 2024.
Billed as the first festival in Africa to offer training in production, Africa Prod Fest aims to encourage those starting out in the music industry to move forward with their own projects.
"The idea of the festival in Cameroon came from the process I went through myself to understand the structures of the music business," Bassy told RFI. "And now I would like to share this experience with my people in Africa."
You will also hear from the sound engineer Bey-K, who is part of the organisation of the Jambulance, a moving recording studio traveling between Senegal and Guinea, and from the Nigeria singer Cill.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the US vote at the 24 February UN General Assembly. There’s an homage to Bangladesh’s Independence Day, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 1 March, I asked you a question about the UN General Assembly vote on 24 February.
You were to re-read our article “French president Macron set to brief EU leaders over details of Trump talks”, and send in the answer to this question: With which country or countries did the US align its votes at the UN General Assembly meeting?
The answer is, to quote our article: “As the talks between Macron and Trump were taking place, the US sided with Russia in two votes at the United Nations to avoid condemning Russia's campaign against Ukraine - a shift from the stance of the previous US administration.”
The resolution, co-sponsored by Ukraine and European Union countries, condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. The US vote marked a significant policy shift, as the country aligned with Russia, Belarus, and North Korea in opposing the resolution.
The resolution was adopted with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions. Countries that abstained included India, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
The second vote was a U.S.-introduced resolution, which did not mention Russian aggression and called for a swift end to the conflict. This resolution was adopted after an amendment, proposed by France, acknowledged Russia's invasion. The amended U.S. resolution received 93 votes in favor, eight against, and 73 abstentions, with the U.S. abstaining from the final vote on its own resolution.
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What was the breaking point that made you quit a job?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: Jocelyne D'Errico, a Parisian who lives in New Zealand. Jocelyne is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Jocelyne.
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria; Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India; RFI English listeners Shihab Al Islam from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Rimil Paul from West Bengal, India.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The traditional Bangladeshi “Ki Jadu Korila”; “Ballade Russe” by E. Dermenko, played by Nicolas Kedroff; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Giant Steps” by John Coltrane, performed by Gary Bartz.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Jan van der Made’s article “France’s wine industry is in crisis. Can this Nigerian consultant save it?” which will help you with the answer.
You have until 21 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 26 April podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
The Nigerian woman helping Bordeaux wine find new markets in Africa. Confronting France's fatphobia by classifying obesity as a disease. And the story of the French video game company behind the hit game Assassin's Creed.
As French people consume less wine, and exports to China are slowing down, the wine industry – in Bordeaux in particular – is turning to new markets. Jan Van der Made meets Chinedu Rita Rosa who is helping Bordeaux winemakers shift their approach, to sell in Nigeria and other African countries. (Listen @1'30)
Obesity is on the rise in France with an estimated 10 million people living with the condition – twice the number since 1997. While France has put in place a range of measures, people suffering from obesity still face a lot of social stigma and discrimination in a country that values thinness. Anne-Sophie Joly, author of Je n'ai pas choisi d'etre gros.se (I didn't choose to be fat), and founder of an association that's advising the health ministry, shares her experience and talks about why France needs to recognise obesity as an illness. Not only would it make economic sense, it would encourage much-needed training of health professionals and a better understanding of patient suffering. (Listen @14'30)
Ubisoft has become a leader in Europe's video game industry. Created on 28 March 1986, the company is facing challenges and is banking on the release of the latest installment of its hit series Assassin's Creed to bring it out of its economic woes. (Listen @8'50)
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Camille Claudel’s sculpture. There’s a lovely spring poem from RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt, The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 22 February, I asked you a question about the French sculptress Camille Claudel. That week, after an incredible find, her lost-for-over-100-years sculpture The Mature Age was sold at auction for 3.1 million euros.
You were to re-read our article “Claudel bronze sculpture found by chance fetches €3 million at France auction”, and send in the answer to this question: Aside from The Mature Age, what are the other names of Claudel’s sculpture?
The answer is: To quote our article: “Also known as Destiny, The Path of Life, or Fatality, the work was originally a commission from the state but was never completed.”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Mogire Machuki from Kissi, Kenya: “What is the one thing you can’t do without?”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: Amir Jameel, the president of the RFI Online Visitors Club in Sahiwal, Pakistan. Amir is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Amir, on your double win !
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sultan Sarkar, president of the Shetu RFI Fan Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh; Muhammed Raiyan, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidabad, India as well as Sharifun Islam Nitu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Last but not least, RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The first movement from Antonin Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, ("American"), performed by the Cleveland Quartet; “First Sextet” from the film Claudel scored by Gabriel Yared; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “La Mauvaise Reputation” by Georges Brassens, performed by the composer.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Zimbabwe's aspiring Olympics supremo Coventry targets development of athletes”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 14 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 19 April podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
This week, Spotlight on Africa explores critical questions about the future of aid, featuring a humanitarian worker, a columnist, and an analyst, each from different parts of Africa. As the United States and Europe prioritise funding for arms and domestic affairs, we ask whether the current aid model can endure, if it must evolve, and how that change might take shape.
Since the start of the year, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has moved to drastically cut the country’s long-term aid commitments, aiming to save approximately $60 billion on overseas development and humanitarian assistance programmes.
The United Kingdom has also announced a deep cut in its budget for emergency and development aid, which it says it needs to do to develop its defence strategy. Other European countries have indicated that they might do the same.
France launches commission to evaluate overseas aid, amid far-right criticism
These decisions are already impacting emergency aid systems in many countries, including Sudan and Congo, as well as public health initiatives in nations such as Kenya and South Africa.
Sudan reels as US suspends aid amid ongoing war
Spotlight on Africa reached out to three experts involved in rethinking the future of aid.
Jeffrey Okoro is the executive director of the NGO CFK Africa in Kenya. He said that since the decision of the US government to freeze US Agency for International Development (USAID) spending in January, Kenyans working in healthcare have been hit hard. The decision has already disrupted efforts to stop the spread of diseases like HIV and tuberculosis.
"A sizeable portion of the Kenyan government funding for health counselling comes from international organisations from foreign governments," Okoro told RFI from his office in Kenya.
US grant cuts could affect two million worldwide, disrupt HIV aid in Kenya
Meanwhile, Ivor Ichikowitz, chairman of the philanthropic Ichikowitz Family Foundation, based in Johannesburg, which focuses on growth and development across the African continent, says that the decrease in aid and the rise of European investment, as discussed at a conference in South Africa recently, could, in fact, have positive results.
EU flags stronger partnership with South Africa with €4.7bn investment
We also talk to Patrick Gathara, a Kenyan columnist and senior editor at The New Humanitarian, a website covering conflicts and humanitarian issues. He argues that the aid industry has long reinforced imperial domination, and its collapse could create an opportunity to establish a new order. He explains how.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Namibia’s president–elect. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!
More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.
Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!
Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.
Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.
Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis.
Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.
Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
This week’s quiz: On 15 February, I asked you a question about Paul Myers’ article “Namibian independence leader Sam Nujoma dies aged 95”. Sam Nujoma was Namibia’s first democratically elected president; he led Namibia's fight for independence from South Africa.
You were to send in the answer to this question: Namibians have just elected a new president, who will be inaugurated on the 21st of this month. What is the name of their president-elect?
The answer is: Namibia’s president-elect is Dr. Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi - Ndaitwah. Born in 1952, Dr. Nandi - Ndaitwah will be Namibia's fifth president and the first woman to hold the position.
Speaking of Sam Nujoma, she, as Paul wrote in his article: “… paid tribute to Nujoma's visionary leadership as well as his dedication to liberation and nation-building. ‘It laid the foundation for our free, united nation,’ she added. ‘Let us honour his legacy by upholding resilience, solidarity, and selfless service.’”
In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark: “Describe a cultural monument or a nature site in your country that is not known to the world at large.”
Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!
The winners are: RFI English listener Debashis Gope from the Dakshin Dinajpur district in West Bengal, India. Debashis is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Debashis, on your double win !
Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Rasheed Naz, the chairman of the Naz Radio France Listeners Club in Faisal Abad, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Father Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon, and last but not least, two RFI English listeners from Bangladesh: Nargis Akter from Dhaka, and Sakila Musarrat from Chapainawabganj.
Congratulations, winners!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Sari” by George Fenton and Tom Leach; “Gnawa Funk Rhythm”; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Mulatu” by Mulatu Astatke, performed by the composer and his ensemble.
Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.
After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Macron hosts European military chiefs to discuss Ukraine security guarantees”, which will help you with the answer.
You have until 7 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 12 April podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.
Send your answers to:
english.service@rfi.fr
or
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
Click here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.
Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.
Despite a raft of laws and programmes in France to address the gender pay gap, women still earn less than men. Organic farmers try to adapt to a drop in demand for organic food. And the story of Ravel's Boléro – the world's most performed piece of classical music.
There are some explanations for France's 22 percent gender pay gap – women work fewer hours on average and in lower-paid jobs. But even doing the same job and putting in the same hours, women still earn 4 percent less than men, and a barrage of legal measures hasn't managed to change that. We look at what's going on with economist Anne Eydoux and lawyer Insaff El Hassani – founder of a company helping women negotiate salaries. El Hassani highlights negative images around wealthy women and how France's "female wage", dropped in 1946, still impacts the way some employers view women's salaries. (Listen @0')
France has downsized its ambitions to increase the amount of organic agriculture after a drop in consumer demand for organic food . After years of growth, especially during the Covid pandemic, inflation and a distrust in labelling have turned consumers away from buying organic produce, even as new farmers are drawn to the prospect of working in a different way. At the recent annual agricultural fair in Paris, farmers and others working in the organic sector talk about how they are adapting to the new economic reality, and the need to raise awareness of the value of organic food, beyond the price tag. (Listen @17')
France is marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of composer Maurice Ravel, whose most famous piece, Boléro, is considered an avant-garde musical expression of the machine age. (Listen @9'50'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen we’ll celebrate International Women’s Day. You’ll hear the answer to the question about the French Socialist party and the no-confidence vote, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, as well as the new quiz and bonus questions, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning ...
This week, Spotlight on Africa highlights women's empowerment across the continent, as March marks the beginning of Women's History Month, and International Women's Day on 8 March. Officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977, International Women's Day (IWD) originated from the labour movements of the early twentieth century.On 8 March, women around the world - and throughout the month in some countries - are celebrated and recognised for their social, cultural, economic, and political achievements.This occasion also serves as a call to action to accelerate progress towards gender parity.In 2025, the United Nations will mark International Women’s Day under the theme: “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”While the situation for women in parts of Africa is undeniably influenced by conflicts, disasters, and insecurity, this week the focus will remain on progress and empowerment.EmpoweringSpotlight on Africa's first guest is Magalie Lebreton Traoré, an expert in digital transitions across the African continent at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.As UNESCO leads trainings for women in AI across Africa’s five regions, Magalie joins us to discuss how women are taking the lead in shaping high-tech industries, particularly artificial intelligence.This technological leap presents significant opportunities for women's leadership and innovation.More to the point, a study published in Nature revealed that 79 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be improved or achieved through AI.To tackle gender and geographical inequalities in AI, UNESCO has made these issues a priority in its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence - the first global standard-setting framework in this field. This landmark document was unanimously adopted by UNESCO Member States in November 2021.CelebratingAnd to broaden the conversation, we also talk to a curator and two artists from Johannesburg in South Africa, who are organising a special exhibition to highlight the work of artist-mothers and women artists caring for families.Lara Koseff is a curator at INCCA,, the Independent Network for Contemporary Culture & Art in Johannesburg. She has established the second edition of 'Art After Baby', with the support of the National Arts Council South Africa.These female artists and mothers have been selected to receive support and mentorship in order to complete and exhibit a body of work in solo exhibitions at Victoria Yards in Johannesburg until the end of March.Lara Koseff, Siviwe James and Phumelele Kunene are on the line with us from South Africa. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the “Mission 300” plan. You’ll hear about the island Yap, and hear your fellow listener’s thoughts on “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers. There’s Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, too – all that, as well as the new quiz and bonus questions, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French NGOs that stopped using X, formerly Twitter. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the news articles on our site, ...
As fighting continues in South Kivu between M23 rebels and Congolese forces in the eastern regions bordering Rwanda, uncertainty surrounding the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo grows. This week, we discuss how the African Union can assist with a International Crisis Group expert and address humanitarian risks with a UNICEF worker. The conflict in the eastern DRC has experienced a dramatic escalation recently.Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf elected as AU commission chairman The city of Goma, capital of the North Kivu province, fell to M23 fighters at the end of January.The rebels are reportedly being supported by Rwandan soldiers, a claim that the government in Kigali continues to deny, despite evidence and reports of casualties among Rwandan troops.Fighting resumes in DRC's South Kivu ahead of crisis talksThe city has come to symbolise the conflict that has torn apart eastern DRC for more than three decades.The M23 has launched additional attacks in South Kivu, and despite talks in Tanzania earlier in February and a brief ceasefire, the fighting persists. As a result, millions of Congolese have been displaced, with nearly 3,000 lives lost.To explore the role of diplomacy in the country, as well as in other violent crises across the continent, my first guest is Liesl Louw-Vaudran from the International Crisis Group.She joins us from Addis Ababa, where the African Union's headquarters are located, following the release of the group’s annual report outlining the eight priorities the AU should focus on.We will also hear from civilians fleeing Goma and from Paulin Nkwosseu, the Chief of Field Offices at UNICEF for the DRC.Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French nationals imprisoned in Iran. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis ...
A French large language model adds European context and nuance to the dominant artificial intelligence being developped by US tech giants and China. Is France really being "flooded" with immigrants? The numbers say no, but the feeling remains. And the mixed legacy of a landmark law on disability and inclusion, 20 years later. Countries are looking for sovereignty in artificial intelligence and at a major AI summit in Paris this week, France and the EU backed a "third path" approach to AI – midway between the US' private tech firm-dominated model and China's state-controlled technology. With a focus on regulation to ensure trust, France is creating public/private partnerships, and encouraging companies to develop home-grown products. Linagora, an open-source software developper, recently released a large language model (LLM) trained on French and European content, in contrast to American LLMs like ChatGPT that are trained on mainly US content. While chatbot Lucie got off to a rocky start, Linagora's General Manager Michel Maudet says there's a clear need for technology focused on Europe, able to address the nuance of the continent's languages and culture. (Listen @0')French MPs recently voted a controversial draft bill to end birthright citizenship on the overseas department of Mayotte to discourage illegal immigration from neighbouring Comoros. Prime Minister François Bayrou supports the proposed measure and has called for a wider debate on immigration and what it means to be French. His earlier remarks that there was a feeling immigrants were "flooding" France have caused outrage on the left in particular. We talk to Tania Racho, a researcher on European law and who also works for an association fighting disinformation on migration issues, about the reality of immigration in France. While the data does not support claims France is overwhelmed with foreigners, people's perceptions – nourished by a fixation on migration by both politicians and media – tell a different story. (Listen @18'40'')Twenty years after the 11 February 2005 law on disability and inclusion, daily life for France's 12 million people living with disabilities has improved. But since the law underestimated the timelines and costs of accessibility, there's still a lot of work to be done. (Listen @14'30'')Episode mixed by Vincent Pora. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen we’ll celebrate World Radio Day 2025. You’ll hear the answer to the question about former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his court trials, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.RFI English listeners have been very generous with their wonderful graphics for World Radio Day that they have posted on the RFI English Listeners Forum Facebook page – there’s even a World Radio Day quiz from Anand Mohan Bain, the president of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh India – so don’t miss out!The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe ...
This week, Spotlight on Africa takes us to Marrakech, Morocco. RFI English was on the ground to cover the Moroccan edition of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which first launched in London in 2013, followed by New York in 2015, and Marrakech in 2018. Through conversations with a range of guests, we explore how Morocco has become a key platform connecting the African continent with the wider world. Since its launch in 2013, and even more so since 2018, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair has grown into one of the most significant cultural events for African art, drawing gallery owners and artists from across the continent and beyond.The galleries represent artists from all over the continent, from Ghana to South Africa, Tunisia to Angola.The fair took place in the iconic events' venue La Mamounia, in the heart of Marrakesh.Since 2024, the art fair has also had exhibition spaces for younger artists in Dada, a gathering space for art, food and music near La Medina.This year's fair was held from 30 January to 2 February, during which the entire city hosted various art events, including exhibitions at the El Badi Palace and MACAAL, a museum dedicated to contemporary African art and artists from the African diaspora.To understand how the fair built a platform for African art, RFI spoke to the fair's founder and director, Touria El Glaoui on the opening day in Marrakesh.El Glaoui shared how she frequently travels to African countries to discover new artists, events, and galleries. She also noted that new participants from across the African continent—and now even from Japan and Korea—are coming to the fair seeking representation.We also visited other sites that make the event special, including art galleries, like Loft. “We opened the gallery sixteen years ago and we are a Moroccan gallery based in Morocco but with a real openness to the international scene," Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the gallery, told RFI."We’re open to Africa. We represent African artists from its diaspora. We’ve also worked with European artists," she added. "We’re not closed off at all because, for me, there shouldn’t be any separation in art. I think that, on the contrary, we need to open up perspectives and integrate the Moroccan art market into the international stage."Our guests this week:-Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the 1:54 contemporary African art fair;-Mous Lamrabat, Moroccan-Belgian artist;-Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the Loft art gallery. Episode ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.As you know, World Radio Day is coming up on 13 February, and we’ll have the annual WRD Sound Kitchen feast next Saturday, 8 February, to get you ready for your upcoming festivities.Be sure and take a look at the RFI English Listeners Forum Facebook page – there are oodles of wonderful graphics posted by your fellow Sound Kitchen listeners – there’s even a World Radio Day quiz from Anand Mohan Bain, the president of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh India – so don’t miss out!The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your ...
How France's budget cuts will impact development work abroad and civil society at home. An inconclusive medical marijuana experiment leaves patients in limbo. And how Jewish comedian Pierre Dac used humour in the Resistance. The government’s budget for 2025, if passed, will see public spending slashed by €32 billion. While most ministries are impacted, funding for public development assistance (PDA) is facing cuts of more than €2 billion – 35 percent of its budget. Coordination Sud, an umbrella group for 180 French non-profit organisations working internationally, say they’re being disproportionately hit at a time when international solidarity efforts are needed more than ever. Elodie Barralon, the group’s advocacy officer, talks about the impact of such cuts and concerns that civil society is being rolled back in France. (Listen @0')As a three-year experiment with medical marijuana comes to an end, instead of generalising its use, as intended, authorisation has been stalled. Nadine Attal, head of the pain centre at the Ambroise-Paré hospital in Boulogne near Paris addresses the sticking points, which include France's current government chaos and the lack of political will to move forward. She sounds the alarm over the hundreds of patients enrolled in the experiment who have benefited from medical cannabis but whose health is now being ignored. (Listen @20'20'').French humourist Pierre Dac came to fame in the 1930s with a winning brand of absurdist humour that managed to get everyone laughing while ridiculing no one. When WWII broke out he turned his talents to fighting anti-semitism, Hitler, and the collaborationist Vichy regime, joining Free France's Radio Londres in 1943. He also founded a political party that defended the place of laughter and flabbiness in politics. Fifty years after his death, on 9 February 1975, he remains one of France's most popular, and humanist of humourists. (Listen @14'20'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Russia and Syria. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.WORLD RADIO DAY is coming up - it's on 13 February. As we do every year, we'll have a feast in The Sound Kitchen, filled with your voices.Send your SHORT recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr by 1 February. This year's theme is "Radio and Climate Change", but you don't have to talk about the theme – if you just want to say "hello!", that's fine, too.Be sure you include your name and where you live in your message.Most importantly, get under a blanket to record. This will make your recording broadcast quality.Bombard me with your greetings !!!!The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on ...
In this edition of the Spotlight on Africa podcast, experts and analysts delve into Africa's evolving diplomacy as the continent approaches 2025. Topics include South Africa's G20 leadership, the division within the West African bloc ECOWAS, and emerging partnerships with the US and China. How will 2025 shape up for African nations and their global partnerships? Will Africa secure a more central role in the global diplomatic landscape?To understand what's at stake on the continent, the Spotlight on Africa podcast consulted three experts in African politics and diplomacy.Cameron Hudson from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISC) in Washington DC discusses priorities for South Africa as it takes on the rotating presidency of the G20 group, and in particular its relationship to the United States. Michael Dillon from King's College, London, UK, looks at China's new strategy that aims to deepen its influence in Africa.Thierry Vircoulon from IFRI in France analyses the legacy of France in Africa, notably in the Sahel where French troops have been pushed out by military juntas of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.These countries have since established their own Alliance of Sahel States and made the decision to withdraw from the West African bloc Ecowas. Set to take effect on 29 January, security experts and members of the diaspora have voiced concern over what lies ahead.Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the climate change case at the International Court of Justice. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.WORLD RADIO DAY is coming up - it's on 13 February. As we do every year, we'll have a feast in The Sound Kitchen, filled with your voices.Send your SHORT recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr by 1 February. This year's theme is "Radio and Climate Change", but you don't have to talk about the theme – if you just want to say "hello!", that's fine, too.Be sure you include your name and where you live in your message.Most importantly, get under a blanket to record. This will make your recording broadcast quality.Bombard me with your greetings !!!!The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and ...
A big freeze in Franco-Algerian relations as domestic politics drive international diplomacy. France is full of dinosaur bones, but short on paleongolotists to dig them up. And France's law decriminalising abortion turns 50. The often fraught relations between France and its former colony Algeria have hit an all-time low after a series of disagreements over Western Sahara, the detention of a French-Algerian writer and a French-Algerian blogger accused of inciting violence. Both countries have spoken of "humiliation" and "dishonour". Arab world specialist Adlene Mohammedi talks about bilateral relations being polluted by internal affairs – notably Algiers' lack of democratic legitimacy and the increasing influence of the far right in France. And while the sorely needed level-headed diplomacy is more needed than ever, it's been run down in both countries. (Listen @2'05'')France's remarkable geological diversity means the country is prime dinosaur territory – home to fossils from all three periods of the dinosaur age. The first dinosaurs were discovered in France in the 19th century, but as paleontologist Eric Buffetaut explains, many of the major finds have been in the last 40 years, thanks to amateur paleontologists around the country. (Listen @21'25'')France enacted a law decriminalising abortion on 17 January 1975. Ollia Horton talks about the legacy of that right and how despite being enshrined in the constitution, access 50 years later is still not guaranteed. (Listen @14'40")Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Senegal’s legislative elections. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”– all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.WORLD RADIO DAY is coming up - it's on 13 February. As we do every year, we'll have a feast in The Sound Kitchen, filled with your voices.Send your SHORT recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr by 1 February. This year's theme is "Radio and Climate Change", but you don't have to talk about the theme - if you just want to say "hello!", that's fine, too.Be sure you include your name and where you live in your message.Most importantly, get under a blanket to record. This will make your recording broadcast quality.Bombard me with your greetings!!!!The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. ...
The Democratic Republic of Congo is launching an unprecedented case against the American tech giant Apple over conflict minerals. To explore the issues at hand, RFI talked to a former UN expert to discuss whether any progress has been made in curbing illegal mining. This week, we focus on the fight against the exploitation of 'blood minerals' or 'conflict minerals' in Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Conflic minerals is the term used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to describe minerals sourced from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, such as tantalum, tin, tungsten (referred to as the '3Ts'), gold, cobalt, coltan, and lithium.These minerals are essential for high-tech applications, including smartphones, electric batteries, and other advanced technology such as appliances, cars, and even wind turbines. They are predominantly found in the African Great Lakes region, especially in eastern DRC.In an effort to combat the illegal and exploitative trade of these minerals, the NGO Global Witness established a transition team several years ago.The May 2022 a report from Global Witness revealed that these minerals are used in products by international brands such as Apple, Intel, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, and Tesla.Now, with a trial underway in France and Belgium accusing Apple, many observers are hopeful that it could bring about meaningful change.The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed a criminal case against European subsidiaries of the tech giant Apple, alleging the company has illicitly used conflict minerals in its supply chain.The American company claims it no longer sources conflict minerals from Central Africa, but is it doing enough?DRC case against Apple brings new hope in conflict minerals crisisThe complaints filed against Apple have been described by lawyers involved as a matter of significant public interest.European countries, consumers, and non-governmental organisations are increasingly scrutinising the international supply chains of minerals, with calls for highly profitable companies to be held accountable.This complaint could mark the beginning of a broader wave of legal actions targeting technology companies linked to the sourcing of conflict minerals.To examine the implications of this trial, this week's guest is Gregory Mthembu-Salter, a researcher specialising in Africa's political economy and a former consultant to the UN Group of Experts on the DRC on due diligence regarding conflict minerals. He is based in South Africa.Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week The Sound Kitchen is full to bursting! We have two guest chefs with us: Ruben Myers (Paul’s son) and Mathilde Owensby Daguzan (my daughter) for a familial round-up of your fellow listener’s New Year Resolutions and Wishes, so join in the fun! Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Be Our Guest” by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman; “Auld Lang Syne”, performed by the Glenn Miller Orch, and “New Year Resolution” by M. Cross, R. Catron, and W. Parker, performed by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.The quiz will be back next Saturday, 11 January, with the answer to the question about the legislative elections in Senegal. Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear a “This I Believe” essay from RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany. Just click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear what Helmut Matt, your fellow RFI English listener, has found to be true in his life. Don’t miss it!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Butterfly Lovers” by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, performed by the National Cinema Symphony Orchestra.Next week, be sure and tune in for a special program featuring your New Year Resolutions and Wishes for 2025.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Paris Photo. There’s some Christmas cheer to be had, as well as “The Listener’s Corner” - all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across ...
Tibetans question why a French museum has renamed its collection of Tibetan art. A group of neighbours south of Paris produce the region's first olive oil. And the independence of the Comoros, without Mayotte. Tibetans and Tibetan scholars are alarmed at how Paris' Guimet museum of Asian art has categorised its art and artefacts from Tibet. Tenam and other Tibetans in exile, who have been demonstrating regularly outside the museum, talk about the importance of using the name Tibet, and scholar Katia Buffetrille questions the role of China in putting pressure on a French public institution. (Listen @2'48'') Like many residents in the town of Malakoff, just south of Paris, Vincent Chévrier had an olive tree in his garden but wasn't doing much with it. So he federated a group of fellow local olive tree owners and together they've made Born to be Olive – the first olive oil "made in Ile de France". Their collective project isn't just about making a locally grown, organic product, it's brought people together in a unique way. (Listen @17'37'')On 22 December 1974, the people of the Comoros in the Indian Ocean voted overwhelmingly for independence from France. But the island of Mayotte did not, and became France's 101st department. It's created an immigration conundrum, straining the island’s already sparse resources which were laid bare by Tropical Cyclone Chido last week. Listen @13'40'')Episode mixed by Hadrien Touraud. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear a “This I Believe” essay from RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany. Just click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear what Helmut Matt, your fellow RFI English listener, has found to be true in his life. Don’t miss it!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Butterfly Lovers” by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, performed by the National Cinema Symphony Orchestra.Next week, 4 January, be sure and tune in for a special program featuring your New Year Resolutions and Wishes for 2025.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Quincy Jones. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.The RFI English team is pleased to announce that Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listening Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, won the RFI / Planète Radio ePOP video contest, in the RFI Clubs category. Bravo Saleem! Mubarak ho!There are just two days left for you to be a part of our New Year’s Day show – get your New Year’s resolutions and/or wishes to me by this coming Monday, 16 December. Send them to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frErwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and ...
During Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s visit to France in November, he brought a delegation of young leaders to strengthen ties and attract investment in Africa’s largest economy. RFI caught up with some of them. Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Baobab Plus in Nigeria – a French-Nigerian energy distribution company – highlighted the challenges of energy access in the country."A lot of people in Nigeria don't have access to electricity, so we're supporting the government by bridging the gap," Osinowo told RFI."There’s a connection in terms of technological and financial support that is key."Osinowo said he hopes to shift Africa-Europe relations from being aid-driven to investment-focused, aiming to boost Nigeria’s economy and create jobs.“This is essential so that people don’t have to migrate and cause different migration issues around the world,” he said.Creative partnershipsUchenna Pedro, founder of the lifestyle platform Bella Naija and named one of Forbes Africa's 50 Most Influential Women, emphasised France’s potential as a partner in Nigeria’s creative industries.“French industries in my domains bring high value, and France’s belief in the arts makes it a great partnership,” said Pedro. Her platform already collaborates with French companies like L'Oréal in the beauty and fashion sectors.Pedro is also a member of the French Africa Foundation’s young leaders group, which supports initiatives connecting France with African nations.Nigerian businesses court French investors during Tinubu's landmark visitFrance as a cultural hubSinger-songwriter and activist Chioma Ogbonna, known as Cill, also praised France’s prioritisation of the arts and its thriving creative industry."Because of how the arts and the creative industry thrive here in France and how it is prioritised, it is an important destination for Africans and Nigerians especially," she said.Tinubu’s visit underscored the potential for deeper collaboration between Nigerian businesses and French investors, particularly in energy, culture, and creative sectors.Episode recorded and mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about second-hand clothing sent to Ghana. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that "one of our own" has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! It's time for you to get your New Year’s resolutions – or wishes – in the mail for our annual New Year’s Day show. We need your resolutions and/or wishes by 15 December.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the ...
Unearthing the story of the woman who documented Charles de Gaulle's liberation of Paris in 1944. The impact of climate change on alcohol content in wine, and how French consumers are reacting. And the reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral, five years after the fire. A few days before General Charles de Gaulle was due to make his triumphant entry into Paris, the three French war correspondents lined up to cover the event were captured. A young French-British journalist was chosen, in extremis, to replace them. Her name was Marcelle Poirier but despite being de Gaulle's official reporter and AFP's first female war correspondent, she and her work somehow fell into oblivion. When AFP journalist and photo editor Laurent Kalfala stumbled on a photo of her in military uniform, he embarked on a long paper-trail to dig up her fascinating story. His documentary reveals a feminist with a flair for strong human stories, and who mysteriously waited 40 years to tell her own. (Listen @1'50'')Warmer summers in France's wine-growing regions have pushed up the sugar content in grapes, which is leading to more alcoholic wine. Wines that used to be 11 or 12% alcohol even a decade ago are now pushing 15% today, and customers are taking notice. Winemakers and visitors to a recent wine fair talk about the tension between the impacts of global warming on wine and a trend towards drinking less alcohol. (Listen @21'30'')As Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral reopens to the public, five years after the 2019 fire that destroyed much of its wooden and metal roof and toppled the spire, Ollia Horton meets local residents and business owners who are looking forward to things going back to normal. (Listen @14'15'') Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Alan Holder from Isle of Wight, England, and Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: "Nunca es Suficiente" written by Natalia Lafourcade, Daniela Azpiazu, and Anthony Lopez, sung by Natalia Lafourcade; “Lake Como” by Giselle Galos, performed by Sweet People, and “Dance Little Lady, Dance” by Gerry Shury and Ron Roker, sung by Tina Charles.The quiz will be back next Saturday, 7 December. Be sure and tune in!
Harmful stereotypes about Africa in the global media are costing the continent billions each year and shaping damaging perceptions, campaigners are warning. A recent report explored the economic impact of biased media narratives, linking them to lost investment opportunities and higher borrowing costs for African nations. “Negative narratives about Africa have real consequences for people’s lives and futures,” said Abimbola Ogundairo, campaign lead for the NGO Africa No Filter, which produced the report and works to promote balanced storytelling about the continent.The organisation's latest research found these biases cost African economies $4.2 billion annually in lost investment opportunities.It found that persistent portrayals of poverty, conflict and corruption have far-reaching consequences, from deterring investment to increasing borrowing costs for African nations.Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked.Investors deterredUsing case studies and data analysis, the report examined how media narratives influence investment, particularly during election periods. It compared African countries to their global peers and quantified the costs of misrepresentation.The report also quantified how biased media coverage correlates with sovereign bond yields – a critical financial indicator.It found that even nations with strong democratic institutions are often framed through lenses of instability and corruption – reinforcing negative stereotypes and overshadowing progress.The Spotlight on Africa podcast explores this issue, featuring interviews with both Ogundairo, who is from Nigeria, and the acclaimed filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, from Mauritania.Both emphasise the need for African voices to take control of the continent’s narrative.Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the COP16 Biodiversity Summit. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, and music chosen just for you by our ace “mixer”, Vincent Pora. Of course, there’s the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that "one of our own" has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! It's time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions – or wishes - for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, or what you hope to see happen in 2025, go ahead and send it to us. We’ll need your resolutions and/or wishes by 15 December.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news ...
Controversy around the latest edition of the Académie Française dictionary. How France is processing the re-election of US President-elect Donald Trump. The first disaster to prompt waves of international solidarity. The Academie Française, guardian of the French language since 1735, has issued the 9th edition of its official dictionary, with 21,000 new words compared to the 8th edition of 1935. President Macron has praised the academy's steady pace, which "prevents it from giving in to the temptations of ticks and trends". Writer Frederique Vicot, one of the "immortels" on the dictionary commission, talks about how writers, historians and scientists have pooled their talents over the decades to get the best definitions possible. But the dictionary has its detractors – a group of linguists have slammed the opus as useless and outdated given the time it takes to publish. Florent Moncomble from the "Community of Appalled Linguists" outlines why both the choice of terms, and the academy's methodology, are problematic. (Listen @0') Donald Trump's recent election to a second term as President of the United States came as a shock to many in France, who'd been less than enthusiastic about his first term in office. Trump's intent to impose import tariffs is set to impact the economies of both France and Europe more widely, and his approach towards Ukraine runs against France's unwaving support. Celia Belin, head of the Paris office of the European council on Foreign Relations, talks about what France needs to do to face a second Trump presidency, and reflects on the impact his election will have on France's far right. (Listen @19'50'') The collapse of the Malpasset dam in the south of France, on 2 December 1959, decimated the Reyran river valley. More than 400 people died and the town of Frejus was cut off for days. The disaster prompted a wave of fundraising and solidarity, in what is considered the first example of international solidarity following a catastrophe. (Listen @15'30'') Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Chicago Marathon. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.It's time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution - or resolutions if you are really ambitious! - by 15 December.Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you for a few minutes, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that "one of our own" has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news ...
This week's Spotlight on Africa dives into Cop29’s critical discussions on climate change – focusing on food systems, green energy funding and who should pay for climate disasters. With talks underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators and experts are grappling with solutions to the growing crisis. Zitouni Ould Dada, representing the FAIRR Initiative – a network raising awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in the food sector – underscores the need to transform global food systems.“Since Cop15 in Paris and Cop26 in Glasgow, good progress has been made towards building sustainable and resilient agri-food systems,” he said. “Cop29 is a key moment to accelerate the transformation of food production.”He calls on policymakers to strengthen climate commitments, integrate agriculture into national plans, and create policies to attract sustainable investment.Financing green energy and addressing climate disasters are key issues at this year’s summit.Seyni Nafo, spokesperson for the African negotiators group and chair of the Green Climate Fund, coordinates the African Union Adaptation Initiative. He shared his perspective with RFI’s Christophe Boisbouvier.Speaking from Baku, Nafo explored the question of responsibility for funding climate recovery in the most affected regions.The negotiations come during what is expected to be the hottest year on record, underscoring the urgency of Cop29’s agenda.Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the troubled relationship between France and Algeria. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.It's time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution - or resolutions if you are really ambitious! - by 15 December.Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you for a few minutes, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that "one of our own" has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile ...
After a ban on single use plastic food containers, France tackles shipping packaging in its fight to reduce waste. A stand-off between mussel farmers and spider crab fishers in Brittany. And the 1924 sardine strike that set the example for women demanding labour rights. France produces 2.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year, most of which does not get recycled. In the ongoing battle to reduce waste, a 2021 law is intended to phase out single use packaging by 2040. We go to a packaging expo to see how this will happen and meet people being pushed to the front lines of waste reduction. (Listen @3'45'')Bouchot mussel farmers in northern France are sounding the alarm about spider crabs devastating their crops. Warming waters have led to a four-fold increase in crab numbers, a prized marine resource, but which threatens the future of the industry. A mussel farmer talks about the impact, and a marine scientist presents solutions. (Listen @19'47'')A hundred years ago this month, women and girls working in sardine canning factories in Brittany launched a six-week strike that has gone down in history as one of the earliest examples of women successfully organising to defend their labour rights. The granddaughter of one of the strikers describes its legacy. (Listen @12'20'') Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Marine Le Pen’s embezzlement trial. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.It's time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution - or resolutions if you are really ambitious! - by 15 December.Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you for a few minutes, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners! And we are so pleased that "one of our own" has made it into the running: Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Listeners Club, is one of the 10 nominees in the RFI Clubs category! Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” ...
African contemporary art are attracting increasing interest thanks to a packed season stretching from Europe to Africa. Artists and curators from across the continent and the diaspora reflect on the impact of cultural exchanges beyond their borders – from London to Paris, Luanda to Dakar. October and November are set to host a series of events celebrating African art across the continent, in Europe and even farther afield.Spotlight on Africa dives into perspectives from diverse African cultures, focusing on the voices and visions of the diaspora.RFI journalists Ollia Horton and Melissa Chemam take us to the heart of two major art fairs: Paris’s Also Known As Africa (AKAA) and London’s 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair.Listeners will hear from Victoria Mann, founder and director of AKAA, and artist Christelle Clairville, whose work brings Caribbean influences to the dialogue around African identity.French-Belgo-Congolese artist Tiffanie Delune, exhibiting in London, shares her journey through the art world.Curators Grada Kilomba and Helio Menezes will weigh in from the Sao Paulo Biennial in Brazil. Meanwhile, ahead of the Dakar Biennale, French-Algerian artist Dalila Dalleas Bouzar discusses her preparation and the importance of the event to her work.Episode mixed by Hadrien Touraud and Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the number of political groups in France’s National Assembly. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.It's time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution - or resolutions if you are really ambitious! - by 15 December.Mark your calendars now for 12 December, 6 PM Paris time – that’s when the winners of the ePOP video competition will be announced, live on the ePOP Facebook page. My good pals Max Bale and Gaël Flaugère, who run the Planète Radio department that sponsors ePOP, invited me to come on the show and talk to you for a few minutes, in English. So plan to stay up late or get up early on 12 December, beloved listeners!Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the new plan for gender equity at France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There’s a recap of this year’s Nobel Prizes, “The Listener’s Corner”, and plenty of good music - all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.It's time for you to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for our annual New Year’s Day show. If you’ve already made up your mind about what you’ll aim for in 2025, go ahead and send it to us … if not, be sure you send us your resolution - or resolutions if you are really ambitious! - by 15 December.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this ...
This week's podcast focuses on textile waste from fast fashion. As cheap clothes from China, Asia and Europe increasingly end up in West Africa, pollution is rising – particularly in Ghana. RFI spoke to Greenpeace Africa investigators to understand the scale of the issue and how to combat it. Ghana is being swamped by millions of unwanted clothes from the West, creating an environmental disaster as textile waste piles up across the country.The scale of damage to public health and the environment has been laid bare in a new Greenpeace report that exposes the devastating impact of discarded clothing on communities and ecosystems in Ghana. About 15 million items of second-hand clothing arrive in Ghana each week. Nearly half cannot be resold.The unsellable clothes end up in informal dumps or are burned in public washhouses, contaminating the air, soil and water."The situation is catastrophic. These clothes are literally poisoning our communities," said Sam Quashie-Idun from Greenpeace Africa, speaking to RFI.The report shows how Ghana has become a dumping ground for the world's unwanted textiles, with devastating consequences for local ecosystems."What we're seeing is environmental racism. The Global North is using Ghana as its trash can," said Helen Dena of Greenpeace Africa.The flood of cheap, disposable fashion reflects broader problems with global waste management and environmental justice.To explore this issue further, RFI spoke to Sam Quashie-Idun and Helen Dena from Greenpeace Africa. Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the new role for Algeria’s military. There’s a poem written by RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt, “The Listener’s Corner”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” - all that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have ...
Why songs in French are attracting new audiences in non-francophone countries. How are French schools using screens in classrooms? And the history of France's Nobel prizes. The Paris Olympic Games and Paralympics gave French-language songs huge exposure, building on a growing interest in listening to songs in French on streaming platforms. But what kind of music are non-French-speakers listening to and why? A new exhibition at the recently opened Cité Internationale de la langue française asks the question. Its curator, the music journalist Bertrand Dicale, based the exhibit on the idea that songs reveal who were are, and he talks about what popular songs reveal about France. He also highlights some surprising differences between French and foreign audiences, whereby stars like Aya Nakamura and Juliette Gréco have enjoyed huge success abroad despite being scorned at home. (Listen @0'00)France lags behind many countries in the use of technology in classrooms and there is no clear policy from an ever-changing education ministry. But the disorganisation may be buying educators time to consider the consequences. A report commissioned in the spring by President Emmanuel Macron advised placing limits on young people's use of smartphones and social media, and some schools are testing a smartphone ban this year. The report also pointed to a lack of coordination between authorities in determining how technology should be used in schools. A group of educators founded a collective Pour une éducation numérique raisonnée (For a well-reasoned digital education), which has raised concerns about the push to digitise textbooks and get students to use screens. We visit a class taught by one of its members, and see how technolgoy is – and is not – used. (Listen @22'00)In the midst of Nobel season, a look at some of France's 71 prizes, from the first ever Nobel Peace prize in 1901, to the five won by members of the Curie family for physics and chemistry. (Listen @15'00)Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the number of medals won by French Paralympians in the triathlon events at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan". All that, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, ...
Following a month filled with key summits and continued trade negotiations across Africa, this week's edition of Spotlight on Africa examines the growing rivalry between China and Western nations as they vie for business opportunities on the continent. This week, our focus shifts to the dynamics of Chinese-African-Western relations.In September, as the United States pursued investments in nuclear energy projects in Ghana and Kenya, the China-Africa forum concluded with a series of new agreements between China and a number of African countries. These deals spanned key sectors, including industry, agriculture, natural resources, and renewable energy.China’s new strategy in Africa: is the continent getting a fair deal?Chinese President Xi Jinping also announced that Beijing will allocate $50 billion (€45 billion euros) to Africa over the next three years.However, China's overall investments in the continent have declined over the past year, creating an opening for both the US and Europe, who are both eager to re-establish their economic presence in Africa.Russia has also entered the picture.But what does Africa realy need?To explore this, Jan van der Made and Melissa Chemam spoke with experts, including historians Daniel Large and Michael Dillon, as well as Igor Ichikovitz from the Ichikowitz Family Foundation.Episode mixed by Erwan Rome Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the number of Paralympians in the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner”, great music, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio ...
A shamanic ceremony in Paris prepares human remains to return to French Guiana. French villages finally get street names. And the 1970s court case that changed France's approach to prosecuting rape. Native Americans from French Guiana and Suriname were recently in Paris to demand the restitution of the remains of six of their ancestors who died after being exhibited in so-called human zoos. Corinnne Toka Devilliers, whose great-grandmother Moliko was exhibited at the capital's Jardin d’Acclimatation in 1892 but survived, describes holding a shamanic ceremony at the Museum of Mankind to prepare her fellow Kali'na for the voyage home. But there are still legal obstacles to overcome before the remains can leave the Parisian archives where they've spent the past 132 years. (Listen @3'30'')Until recently, French villages with fewer than 2,000 residents did not need to name their streets – but legislation that came into effect this summer now requires them to identify roads to make it easier for emergency services and delivery people to find them. While not all villages have jumped at the opportunity, we joined residents in a hamlet in the south of France as they gathered to decide their new street names. And geographer Frederic Giraut talks about how the law is impacting the culture and heritage of small, rural localities. (Listen @21'53'')The closely watched trial of a man accused of drugging his wife and inviting others to rape her while she lay unconscious at their home in southern France has become a rallying cry for those who say society needs to change the way it thinks about sexual assault. Fifty years ago, another rape case caused similar outcry – and led to changes in how France prosecutes and defines rape. (Listen @13'25'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Léon. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, great music, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du ...
With a prolonged drought affecting the supply of hydroelectricity all over southern Africa, a growing number of people are turning to solar to fill the energy gap. Spotlight on Africa focuses this week on progress made in Zambia. While floods are devastating West Africa, about 68 million people in southern Africa are suffering the effects of an El Nino-induced drought which has wiped out crops across the region. Nearly 68 million suffering from drought in southern AfricaZimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zambia are facing severe drought conditions, leading to widespread devastation. The impact is stalling economic growth and raising serious concerns about food security in the region. Zimbabwe to cull elephants to tackle drought, food shortagesIn Zambia, the drought that has gripped southern Africa since early this year has led to rolling power cuts in a country that relies heavily on hydropower.Some inhabitants, , however, have already turned to solar power as an alternative.To discuss how it can help, we speak this week with John Keane, CEO of the UK-based charity SolarAid, from the Zambian capital Lusaka. He explains how sales of solar products have increased by more than 540 percent since the beginning of 2024, and what the social enterprises are doing to spread awareness among Zambians and avoid the use of charcoal or candles. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Rwanda’s July presidential and legislative polls. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” - all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time ...
How the Paris Paralympics have boosted interest in inclusive sports in France. A look back at the origins of the first international games for deaf athletes, 100 years ago. And why it’s difficult, but necessary, for France’s deeply divided National Assembly to embrace the art of compromise. The Paralympics in Paris shone a light on disability and the challenges disabled people in France face in getting access to sport. Novosports, one of only 40 sports clubs in the capital open to players with disabilities, is entirely focused on inclusive sports, where disabled and able-bodied people can train together. Club founder Jerome Rousseau talks about developing inclusive volleyball, and club members talk about the importance of opening sport up to everyone. (Listen @)Decades before the Paralympic Games were born, the world's first multi-discipline competition for athletes with a disability took place in Paris in the summer of 1924. Reserved for deaf competitors, the International Silent Games were a landmark in the history of inclusive sport and laid the foundations for today's contests. Historian Didier Séguillon, curator of an exhibition on the Games at the National Institute for Deaf Young People, discusses their origins and legacy. (Listen @)Since recent parliamentary elections in France failed to give any political party a ruling majority, the three main blocs – the left-wing NFP alliance, the centre-right Ensemble coalition and the far-right National Rally – have been at loggerheads. The new prime minister has to form a unity government, but this involves compromise on all sides – a notion that's often equated in France with "giving in". Laure Gillot-Assayag, a researcher in political science and philosophy, argues that in such a politically divided landscape, France needs a culture of compromise more than ever. Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the standing committees in France’s National Assembly. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and bushels of good music – all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Only a few days are left to submit your video to the ePOP competition. The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes 12 September. We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio ...
Some 24 million Algerians vote on 7 September to elect their next president, with incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune the clear favourite of only three candidates. If Algeria has enjoyed economic and social stability in his five years of mandate, human rights organisations warn of a decrease of freedom and rights. This week, we focus on the presidential election in Algeria, scheduled for 7 September, with a potential second round two weeks later, if none of the candidate reaches 51 percent in the first round.The campaign ended on Tuesday 3 September. Most experts expect incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune to win again, while only two challengers have been allowed to run: Abdelaali Hassani of the moderate Islamist party, the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), and Youcef Aouchiche of the centre-left Socialist Forces Front (FFS). Few surprises in store as Algeria's presidential election nearsThe opposition has, however, complained of intimidation with dozens of people arrested last month over alleged election fraud.Opposition leader Fethi Ghares was even detained during the last week of the campaign, accused of "insulting the president" and spreading disinformation online.Meanwhile, Algerian officials are tightening restrictions on civil liberties, Amnesty International reports. The human rights group says that the authorities' actions aim to limit citizens' rights to free speech, peaceful protest, and form associations.To understand how opponents, political parties and civil society navigate the civic space, we have with us Nadège Lahmar, the consultant on Algeria & Tunisia for Amnesty. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about voter turnout in France’s recent snap legislative elections. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and bushels of good music - all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes 12 September. We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the National Rally’s campaign promises. We’ll re-visit the Olympic Games, there’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and bushels of good music - all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes 12 September. We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec rfi” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice ...
Decolonising Beauty is a campaign designed by the producton company Zikora Media to educate the public and celebrate the rich tapestry of indigenous and local beauty customs across Africa. This week we speak with its founder, Chika Oduah. In a world increasingly dominated by Western beauty standards promoted through pop culture and the global beauty industry, the Decolonising Beauty campaign seeks to challenge narrow perceptions and showcase the multifaceted beauty traditions in Africa.The campaign uses a multi-platform approach to reach a broad audience of English and French speakers in Africa and around the world.A series of initiatives from the campaign will be announced until the end of the year involving photographers, artists, poets, media makers and content creators.Zikora Media & Arts founder Chika Oduah tells us more.Read also: French lawmakers vote in favour of bill to ban hair discriminationEpisode mixed by Cécile PompéaniSpotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear what Rodrigo Hunrichse, your fellow RFI English listener, has found to be true in his life. Don’t miss it! Hello everyone!Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear what Rodrigo Hunrichse, your fellow RFI English listener, has found to be true in his life. Don’t miss it!Here’s Rodrigo’s essay:Seize the moment, cherish loved ones, make a good impression, avoid toxicity, plant seeds, harvest in time, write/ report regularly, study/ inform yourself, make good, love, find someone to love you back, question important things, rest regularly, good deeds should return, bad ones too, don't judge until having good understanding of facts, don't take their words for a fact: verify, don't mind popular opinion, save for the uncertainty, remember good/bad people in your life so you'll be remembered similarly, find a belief and a belonging so you have peers to support and be supported, no one is perfect especially you that know yourself, take care of yourself so to age with dignity, it's never too late!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “People Are Strange”, by Jim Morrison and Robby Krieger, performed by The Doors. The quiz will be back next Saturday, 24 August. Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Hossen Abed Ali, Karuna Kanta Pal, and Jayanta Chakrabarty.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “How Long”, written and performed by Jackson Browne; “Top of the World” by John Bettis and Richard Carpenter, performed by The Carpenters, and “Mademoiselle Chante le Blues” by Didier Barbelivien, sung by Patricia Kaas.Be sure and tune in next week for a “This I Believe” essay written by RFI Listeners Club member Rodrigo Hunrichse.
RFI's Spotlight on Africa met with artist Gavin Jantjes to chat about his To Be Free! A Retrospective 1970-2023. The exhibition traces his journey as "a creative agent of change" from South Africa to Europe, celebrating his multifaceted roles as painter, printmaker, writer, curator and activist. In this episode we hear from the artist and from Hoor Al-Qasimi, director of the Sharjah Art Foundation and the president of the Africa Institute, Sharjah, UAE, who helped organise the London retrospective.Jantjes's formative years in Cape Town coincided with the early years of South African apartheid, an his journey has since embodied a quest for artistic emancipation, with a freedom not bound by the Eurocentric gaze or expectations of black creativity.For Jantjes, this quest has meant a life of itinerant exile manifesting in multiple careers.Structured into chapters, To Be Free! explores his engagement with anti-apartheid activism from the 1970s to the mid-1980s, his transformative role at art institutions in Europe, his compelling figurative portrayals of the global black struggle for freedom, and his recent transition to non-figurative painting.This retrospective also provides insights into Jantjes’ curatorial initiatives, written contributions, and wider advocacy, which had a significant impact on both African and African diaspora art on the global contemporary art scene.It coincides with the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa.The exhibition is at the Whitechapel Gallery, London (12 June – 1 September 2024), after opening at the Sharjah Art Foundation from 18 November 2023 to 10 March 2024, and was organised in collaboration with The Africa Institute, Sharjah.Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
Feast your ears on listener Bidhan Chandra Sanyal’s “My Hero” essay. All it takes is a little click on the “Play” button above! Hello everyone!This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Hero” essay by listener Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from yourvery own personalexperience. Or write about a book that changed your perspective on life, a person who you admire, festivals in your community, your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on-the-air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!Send your essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frOr by postal mail, to:Susan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceI look forward to hearing from you soon!Here's Bidhan Chandra Sanyal’s essay: Hello, I am Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India. Today I would like to share with you the story of a man whom I greatly admire, Kailash Sharma.Kailash Sharma was born on January 11, 1954, in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, India. He is an electrical engineer by profession, but he did not work as an engineer – instead, he engaged in social service work.Appalled by the plight of child slavery across South Asia, in 1980 Sharma founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan – the Save Childhood Movement – to fight against the evil of child labor and slavery which has been socially accepted and widely practised in the region for generations.As the saying goes: "The farmer's child or the king's potter all have work in this world." But a child's work should be tailored to children, in the home.Far too often, harsh reality takes them on another path. Disrespect, neglect or severe rule towards children are not right. When a child is forced to take the lead in financial hardship, ...
Feast your ears on listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon’s “Transformative Journey” essay. All it takes is a little click on the “Play” button above! Hello everyone!This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear an essay by listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from yourvery own personalexperience. Or write about a book that changed your perspective on life, a person who you admire, festivals in your community, your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on the air – read by you–you’ll win a special prize!Send your essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frOr by postal mail, to:Susan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceI look forward to hearing from you soon!Here's Ashik Eqbal Tokon’s essay:The Transformative Journey, Inspired by Pather Panchali As a child growing up in the bustling megacity of the 1980s, I was accustomed to the constant hum of trains, the clanging of trams, the honking of buses, and the rhythmic peddling of rickshaws. My world was a mosaic of concrete, electricity, radio broadcasts, and black-and-white television screens. It was a life saturated with modern conveniences and rapid movement, where nature seemed distant, relegated to small parks and occasional glimpses of the sky between towering buildings. However, this perception shifted dramatically when I encountered a short story extracted from the novel Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The tale of Apu and Durga's discovery of the train in their remote Bengali village captured my imagination with its vivid descriptions and emotional depth. The scene where they run through lush fields, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of the train, resonated deeply within me. This moment became etched in my mind, igniting a spark of curiosity and longing for a world beyond the ...
The Paris Olympics are officially open, and athletes from Africa are competing in a broad range of disciplines. In this episode of the podcast, we look at what to expect from the African teams. In total, more than 200 delegations and 10,000 athletes are participating in 36 sports at the Paris Games. RFI's sport editor Paul Myers discusses how African athletes from all over the continent are likely to perform.Who are the African athletes to watch out for at Paris Olympics?Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
Feast your ears on listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon’s “Transformative Journey” essay. All it takes is a little click on the “Play” button above! Hello everyone!This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear an essay by listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write about a book that changed your perspective on life, a person who you admire, festivals in your community, your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on the air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!Send your essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frOr by postal mail, to:Susan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceI look forward to hearing from you soon!Here's Ashik Eqbal Tokon’s essay:The Transformative Journey, Inspired by Pather Panchali As a child growing up in the bustling megacity of the 1980s, I was accustomed to the constant hum of trains, the clanging of trams, the honking of buses, and the rhythmic peddling of rickshaws. My world was a mosaic of concrete, electricity, radio broadcasts, and black-and-white television screens. It was a life saturated with modern conveniences and rapid movement, where nature seemed distant, relegated to small parks and occasional glimpses of the sky between towering buildings. However, this perception shifted dramatically when I encountered a short story extracted from the novel Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The tale of Apu and Durga's discovery of the train in their remote Bengali village captured my imagination with its vivid descriptions and emotional depth. The scene where they run through lush fields, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of the train, resonated deeply within me. This moment became etched in my mind, igniting a spark of curiosity and longing for ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Eurosatory weapons show. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and bushels of good music - all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr – tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how "time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frMore tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well ...
2024 is a big election year for the world and especially for Africa, and in July all eyes are on Rwanda. Rwandans will cast their ballots on Monday in an election where President Paul Kagame is expected to secure another term, facing the same opponents he defeated in 2017.Kagame, who has effectively led Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, confronts challenges from two other candidates: Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana.The 66-year-old incumbent is lauded for steering Rwanda's economic resurgence post-genocide, with GDP growth averaging 7.2 percent from 2012 to 2022. However, his administration faces criticism for suppressing political dissent domestically and alleged involvement in neighboring Congo's conflicts.Kagame's previous electoral victories have been overwhelming, securing over 93 percent of votes in 2003, 2010, and 2017, with his last win nearing an unprecedented 99 percent.In contrast, his current rivals Habineza and Mpayimana garnered less than one percent each in the previous election.Rwanda's National Electoral Commission received a total of nine presidential candidacy applications. Phil Clark, Professor of International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS University of London talks to Spotlight on Africa about what's at stake in the election.Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the European Parliament elections. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan – all that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr – tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how "time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frMore tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Tiananmen Square. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and lots of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr – tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how "time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frMore tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with ...
France is reviving its industrial farming of hemp – 'green gold' – in the search for more sustainable, energy-saving building materials. French publishers are flocking to romance, as a new generation of authors are writing for a new and growing audience of young women readers. And when Paris hosted the 1924 Olympics 100 years ago. Hemp farming nearly died out in France in the 1970s but is making a comeback in textiles and the construction industry. Fast-growing, pesticide-free, and a good absorber of CO2, the plant is proving to be an ally in the fight against climate change. Franck Barbier, head of Interchanvre, talks about cannabis sativus's bright future on a tour of the Planète Chanvre mill in Aulnoy. And Jean-Michel Morer, mayor of Trilport, shows us how his town is using hemp in buildings as part of its commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. (Listen @3'10'')Romance literature has long been looked down on for its simple language, basic story tropes and steamy sex scenes. But French publishers are taking note as a new generation of authors, inspired by English-language best-sellers, are writing for a growing audience of young women, many of whom are newcomers to books. Publisher Benita Rolland, of Hugo publishing, talks about developing the genre for the French market, and CS Quill, who started out as a reader before becoming a popular romance author, talks about connecting with her fans. (Listen @21'50'')As Paris prepares to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, a look back on the last time the city held the Games in 1924. Those Olympics were a smaller, more eclectic and more masculine event, which nonetheless marked a turning point and brought the Games closer to what they are today. (Listen @14'30'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Roland Garros French Open Tennis Tournament. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and lots of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr – tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how "time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frMore tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, ...
Displacement takes many forms, from refugees forced into exile to returnees who find themselves strangers what was once home. In this episode, we speak to aid workers about the very different experiences of refugees in Sudan and Mauritania, and hear from an artist who draws on his own migrations between France, Algeria and beyond for inspiration. According to the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, more than 120 million people are forcibly displaced today by war, violence and persecution.It is an unprecedented number, one the organisation calls a "terrible indictment on the state of the world".Sudan alone has 9.9 million internally displaced people, as well as South Sudanese refugees who escaped civil war and now find themselves caught up in conflict once again. Aaron Adkins of the International Organisation for Migration discusses the complex needs of people repeatedly forced to flee.Meanwhile Maribeth Black from the UN's World Food Programme describes how Mauritania has successfully managed to integrate refugees, providing an example for other countries in Africa and beyond.Finally, we head to the Mo.Co museum of modern art in Montpellier, in the south of France, to meet the French-Algerian artist Kader Attia at his new exhibition, "Descent into Paradise".He is inspired by his own story of migration, multiple identities, and his main theme: how to repair past traumas through art.Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the possible alliances for South Africa’s ANC political party. There’s some poetry as a starter dish, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and “Music from Erwan” from Erwan Rome. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how "time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frMore tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” ...
As France heads into snap parliamentary elections with the prospect of the far-right National Rally winning a majority, what powers would its prime minister have, and what would change in France? Also, a look at previous presidents who dissolved parliament and risked getting a result they didn't like. And the story of Jenny Sacerdote – France's Roaring Twenties haute couture designer, whose mould-breaking designs are finally being revived. France’s far-right National Rally (RN) could well win a majority in the upcoming snap legislative elections, which would mean the party’s leader, Jordan Bardella, would become prime minister. How would a far-right government rule France? Economic journalist Romaric Godin lays out the RN’s economic policy based on national preference, while political scientist Nicolas Tenzer worries about shifts in France’s foreign policy and its relationship with the outside world. And Arnaud Schwartz of the France Nature environment NGO questions the party’s commitment to withdraw from solar and wind power in favour of nuclear. (Listen @0')Jenny Sacerdote built up a huge fashion empire in the early part of the 20th century, clothing the likes of the Empress of Japan and silent movie star Mary Pickford with her elegant but comfortable silk garments. "Jenny's grey suit" was as famous in the US as Chanel's "little black dress". She was also a pioneer in her approach to entrepreneurship and defending workers' rights. And yet she fell into oblivion after World War II. Designer Anne Vogt, author of a biography of Sacerdote, talks about breathing new life into this forgotten icon through her label La Suite Jenny Sacerdote. (Listen @20'10'')France’s snap elections are the sixth in the country’s post-war history. The most recent examples suggest that President Emmanuel Macron may not get the outcome he wants. (Listen @14'24'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the disinformation campaign around the European Union’s “Green Deal” campaign. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner”, and plenty of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Responding to this week’s bonus question “Whom do you consider more important – family, or friends?”, RFI Listeners Club member Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany sent a poem. Helmut wrote: “I have written a poem about what friendship and friends really are. It's in German and I can't translate the verses - but I can translate the meaning: FriendsPeople come, people go.People's actions move being.Nothing that exists can exist forever,Big worries become small. We hope for the new year.That everything will be better.Secret wishes will come true.Peace is coming to earth. Faith in the power of love.It alone will be eternal.How it creates hope in the heart.Only its power will set us free. Friendship will only be revealed,When the world leaves you alone.It holds in distress and in danger,And is firm in all times. Life in the world is short.So let the false friends go.Only what keeps the strength in us,Will last for all time. Existence lacks eternity,When everything fades, everything goes.But our hearts grow wide,When friendship lasts until death. Thank you, Helmut! The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone ...
This week, we are addressing the issue of reparations for historical injustices, including slavery, colonial violence, and war crimes. Calls for compensation are gaining momentum, particularly in the Global South, with a strong focus on the Caribbean and Africa. These reparations could take various forms, primarily financial compensation.Activists argue that former colonisers should compensate former colonies and that different perpetrators should provide reparations to various victims. This includes compensation for slavery and addressing losses and damages related to climate injustice.In light of the recent European elections and the upcoming parliamentary elections in France and the UK, these questions could soon be reframed and gain prominence in public debate and international negotiations. Additionally, the African Union has designated reparations as a key issue for 2025.To learn more about the feasibility and types of reparations being demanded, I spoke with Nasim Salad, a senior associate at The Advocacy Team, a public affairs consultancy.The group has collaborated with think tanks like The One Campaign and Development Reimagined, and it has recently produced a report to suggest how to come up with concrete financial plans for potential reparations. Nasim Salad has insight into the different forms of financial plans for reparations. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the last-minute film added to the Cannes Film Festival line-up. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, the latest from the Roland Garros French Open, and plenty of good music. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!The ePOP video competition is open! The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.You do not need fancy video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry. You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how "time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frMore tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec ...
The United States played a key role in the Allied effort to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis, but not everyone sees it in the same light. As France marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, an American veteran reflects on the differing ways the US and France remember the war. Meanwhile, historians recall the large number of civilians killed during the Allied invasion and explain why US soldiers were not always welcomed as heroes. As French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes world leaders, the real stars of the commemorations are the surviving veterans themselves – the men who landed on the Normandy beaches on 6 June 1944 and started liberating France from Nazi occupation. The youngest of the remaining D-Day veterans are now in their late 90s. Alan Shapiro, 99, was too young to take part in the landings, but joined the European Allied forces in the autumn of 1944 and flew transport carriers in the US air corps. He's struck by the love and recognition he's received in France, where war was a lived experience rather than a distant newsreel. He came to France through the association Retour des veterans en Normandie (Veterans Back to Normandy), based in the village of Créances. Its founder, Valerie Gautier, talks about the lasting need to show gratitude for D-Day and WWII veterans. (Listen @4'20)The story of D-Day and its aftermath is told differently depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on. American historian Mary Louise Roberts discusses how France has been erased from the US perspective on the landings. Meanwhile French historian Emmanuel Thiébot, who directs a museum in Normandy dedicated to civilians during WWII, explains why Allied soldiers didn't always get a hero's welcome in towns that had been bombed in preparation for the invasion. And local survivor Henri, whose fiancée and uncle were killed by Allied bombs, recalls the mixed feelings he had about the troops sent to liberate France. (Listen @15'55)Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about plundered art in French museums. There’s a quick trip to Switzerland, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!ePOP News: The early bird gets the worm …RFI’s ePOP video competition will open on 5 June. There will be more information in the coming days, but you can already start to plan your video.The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.So put on your thinking caps and start planning your video! Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist. If you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
In this episode of Spotlight on Africa, Melissa Chemam discusses the recent elections in South Africa and the possibility of the ruling ANC losing its overall majority, potentially forcing it into a coalition government. On 29 May, South Africans participated in parliamentary and provincial elections in the most fiercely contested vote since the end of apartheid in 1994.After 30 years in power, the African National Congress, once led by Nelson Mandela, could lose its majority.With Tchepo Moloi, a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, Gareth Stevens, vice-chancellor of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and William Gumede, political analyst, also at the University of Witwatersrand, we examine how the past 30 years have led to this pivotal moment and how a coalition government could transform South Africa's political landscape.We will also hear from curator Aude Leveau Mac Elhone, who has organised the exhibition Brazil and Africa, a Shared History in Gorée, Dakar, Senegal, along with the artist Aline Motta. Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
Feast your ears on listener Rodrigo Hunriche’s “My Ordinary Hero” essay. All it takes is a little click on the “Play” button above! Hello everyone!This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Ordinary Hero” essay by listener Rodrigo Hunrichse from Chile. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly striving to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write in with your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on the air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!Send in your musical requests, your secret “guilty” pleasure (mine’s chocolate!), your tricks for remembering things, your favourite quotations and proverbs, descriptions of the local festivals you participate in, your weirdest dream, the book you are reading and what you think about it, or just your general all-around thoughts to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frOr by postal mail, to:Susan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceI look forward to hearing from you soon!Here's Rodrigo Hunrichse's essay: “My friend Jorge "Tito" Vargas Rocha is my ordinary hero, because he’s been accepting me (I'm hard to handle) for counseling/ following my advice for 15 years (he's a little stubborn as well), but after my perseverance he's been delivering now as senior. We are examples and we help each other: I even took him in for nine months after a fire burnt his home. I consider him my brother. In his youth, he was a good athlete (rowing, weightlifting, skiing, etc) and student (three careers at the University), reader, and builder... and the reason I'm learning French in my middle age: he attended Alliance Française in his childhood, was referred to as a "bonne homme", was an exchange student in Michigan, USA, where he certified in High School too! My Hero!His French is better than ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Sudan conference in Paris. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers – who also cooked up “Music from Paul” for us this week - and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!ePOP News: The early bird gets the worm …RFI’s ePOP video competition will open on 5 June. There will be more information in the coming days, but you can already start to plan your video.The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.So put on your thinking caps and start planning your video! Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist. If you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
South Africa is holding general and provincial elections on 29 May. In this episode of Spotlight on Africa, we look at young people and the elections and how the country has changed since the end of apartheid in 1994. First, we talked to the director of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, Ivor Ichikowitz, who outlines the impact of corruption in South Africa and why the youth vote will be important. We also talked to Mary Paccard and Vincent Jackson, two South Africans living in France, who discuss how and why they campaigned for the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, from abroad. Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Nike and the Olympic medals. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!ePOP News: The early bird gets the worm …RFI’s ePOP video competition will open on 5 June. There will be more information in the coming days, but you can already start to plan your video.The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects.So put on your thinking caps and start planning your video! Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist. If you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
How student protests in support of Palestinians at Paris's political science institute are different from those in the US, a look at France's growing disaffection with Europe, and the long birth of the Channel Tunnel linking France to Britain – 30 years old this week. Student protests against Israel's war in Gaza came to a head in the past week, when the president of the prestigious Sciences Po university called the police to forcibly clear out an occupation of the Paris campus' main building. Some have called the protests an imitation of what is happening in the United States, but the scale, scope and politics are a bit different. Students talk about why they have joined the protest movement, their shock over reactions by government and police, and compare today's mobilisation with student protests of the past. (Listen @0'00)On Europe Day, and with only a month to go before EU elections, surveys are showing France is an increasingly eurosceptic nation – only a quarter of the population place their trust in Europe and its institutions, and even fewer are optimistic about the EU's future. The disaffection with Europe comes as polls also show the far-right, populist National Rally is tipped to oustrip President Macron's ruling party in the elections. Laetitia Langlois from Angers University examines what's behind growing eurosceptism in France and what it means for President Emmanuel Macron. (Listen @16'30)The Channel Tunnel turns 30 years old this week. Officially opened on 6 May 1994, it was the culmination of two centuries of dreaming about a land link between France and the UK. (Listen @9'30)Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about diplomatic relations between China and France. There’s a salute to the month of May, “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton's “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!ePOP News: The video competition will open on 5 June. Time to start thinking about your video entry … more news in the coming days, but you can start to reflect on your subject. I certainly expect to see a billion entries from the RFI English community!Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist; if you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about India’s humanoid space robot. There’s listener news and “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, lots of good music, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist; if you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
Why French youth are once again under fire as the government vows to crack down on violent crime. The staying power of Ionesco's The Bald Soprano in one of Paris's smallest theatres. And why French women won the right to vote so much later than many of their European neighbours. In recent weeks President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal have been looking for ways to tackle what Macron has called a wave of ultraviolence sweeping the country. They've put the focus on young people, but not everyone agrees with the assessment. Critics have denounced the government proposals as reactionary, fuelling yet another "war" on youth. Sociologist Laurent Mucchielli, who says statistics do not show any rise in violent crime committed by youngsters, talks about why France regularly targets young people, and how it is often linked to electoral politics. (Listen @2'15'')The Bald Soprano and The Lesson, by Romanian-French avant-garde playwright Eugène Ionesco, have been running at the tiny Théatre de la Huchette in Paris five times a week non-stop since 1957. Two million people have flocked to watch the plays, which are performed in their original staging and set. But what's it like for the 45-member company, some of whom have been acting in Ionesco's absurdist universe for more than 30 years? We went along to the 20,024th performance to find out. (Listen @18'50'')French women obtained the right to vote on 21 April 1944, later than most other countries in Europe. Historian Anne-Sarah Moalic talks about the long road to equal suffrage, which required patient activism along with a bit of geopolitical chaos. And a woman who voted in France's very first elections open to all adults, in April 1945, recalls the excitement and pressure of her maiden trip to the ballot box. (Listen @11'05'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. There’s a surprise guest with good news, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, a delicious dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist; if you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
The delayed March presidential vote in Senegal confirmed the country remains a beacon of democracy in a region facing increasing instability. RFI looks at how the peaceful victory of Bassirou Diomaye Faye and mentor Ousmane Sonko stands to influence the politics of neighbouring Sahel nations. This edition of Spotlight on Africa looks at the vast and diverse West Africa region, from Senegal to Benin to Niger and Mali.It's a big election year for Africa in general, with no fewer than 16 countries heading to the polls.These include a complicated parliamentary vote in Togo on 19 April, general elections on South Africa on 29 May, presidential elections in Algeria in September, and presidential elections in Ghana in December.But for Sahel nations Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, elections appear a distant dream as the military juntas in power delay processes for a return to civilian rule.Many hope the inspiring outcome of the Senegalese election can galvanise the region.Speaking to RFI about the polls are former Senegalese diplomat Babacar Ndiaye and Nigerien researcher Seidik Abba.Meanwhile Yvonne Ndege, of the International Organisation for Migration, looks at the issue of migration on the continent.And finally Azu Nwagbogu, curator of the Benin pavilion for the Venice Biennale, speaks to RFI's Ollia Horton ahead of the event's opening on Saturday.Read also:Senegal sets March date for delayed presidential election Insecurity erodes chances of return to civilian rule in Niger and MaliEpisode mixed by Erwan Rome.Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about French girls, maths, and the role model in a recent French film. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, a delicious dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist; if you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Africa Cup of Nations trophy. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, a delicious dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz and bonus question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist; if you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: You’ll hear about the European final from one of the world’s most prestigious cooking competitions. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear about a European “cook-off”: 20 young chefs from Europe compete for the chance to make it to the international finals of the cooking competition founded by the beloved French chef, Paul Bocuse. The quiz will be back next Saturday, 6 April. Be sure and tune in!
How France's new hardline position on Russia marks a major shift away from decades of pro-Russia policies. The fight to make hair discrimination illegal. And why VAT – a tax introduced 70 years ago – is so important to French finances, despite being deeply unequal. French President Emmanuel Macron has recently done a U-turn on Russia: having argued against humiliating Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he has now become one of President Vladimir Putin’s biggest critics. Journalist Elsa Vidal, the head of RFI’s Russia service, author of La fascination russe (The fascination with Russia), talks about France’s long history of Russophile foreign policy and how it has been coloured by a certain anti-Americanism. It led to complacency – even blindness – over Putin’s increasingly autocratic rule. (Listen @0'30)France's parliament has begun debating legislation against a form of discrimination that's often overlooked: prejudicial treatment on the basis of hair. The bill is inspired by laws in the United States, where anti-racism campaigners have long argued that black people face unfair pressure to change their natural hair. Artist and activist Guylaine Conquet, who first came up with the idea for the French bill, explains why France is taking a different approach from the US: her proposal would classify hair discrimination as discrimination on the basis of physical appearance, not race. That's in line with France's universalist, "colour-blind" approach to racial discrimination, but also broadens the application of the law to everyone. (Listen @21'10) France was the first country to introduce a Value Added Tax (VAT), on 10 April 1954. 70 years later, the tax brings in more than half of France's revenue, and far more than income tax. Economist Julien Blasco explains that while VAT is regressive, it serves to fund crucial social welfare programmes. (Listen @16'30)Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India, Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany, and Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Aaj Na Chhodenge” by Rahul Dev Burman, sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar; Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten, performed by the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by the composer, and “Sun is Shining” by Bob Marley, performed by Bob Marley and the Wailers.The quiz will be back next Saturday, 30 March. Be sure and tune in!
This is a big election year for Africa, with 16 countries heading to the polls. Close attention is being paid to the delayed presidential vote in Senegal – a West African beacon of democracy that is facing increasing instability. RFI spoke to author and economist Ndongo Samba Sylla in the capital Dakar. RFI is renewing its Spotlight on Africa podcast, and the first episode zeroes in on one of the continent's biggest news stories.Senegal was plunged into political crisis when President Macky Sall unexpectedly postponed elections that had been due to take place by the end of February.Protests erupted from those supporting opposition candidates, as well as from all corners of civil society. The polls were finally rescheduled for 24 March.Voters say they're worried about unemployment and a lack of opportunities for young people – many of whom are quitting the country in search of a better life elsewhere.Ndongo Samba Sylla helps us to better understand where the unrest has taken the heaviest toll – and what's really at stake in Sunday's election.Also read:Senegal sets March date for delayed presidential election Senegal president calls off February 25 election Episode mixed by Guillaume Buffet. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the delayed presidential election in Senegal. There’s a history lesson about Lithuanian’s love of books (and their language), there are your answers to the bonus question on “The Listener’s Corner”, and of course, a delicious dessert from Erwan Rome on “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook News: There’s a “new and improved” Facebook page for you, the RFI English Listeners Forum. It’s for everyone who reads and listens to us and wants to connect with others, so ask to join, and I’ll sign you up!The RFI Listeners Club page and the RFI English Clubs page no longer exist; if you belonged to the RFI English Clubs page and not the RFI Listeners Club page, you’ll need to ask to join. I promise I won’t click “Decline”
Four years after the start of the first Covid lockdown in France, what has been the impact? What's stopping more men getting vasectomies in France. And why not everyone wants to accept that Rosa Bonheur, the most famous female painter of the 19th century, was a lesbian. For 55 days, starting 17 March 2022, French citizens were confined to their homes as part of the government's approach to controlling the then little-understood virus sweeping the planet, which we now know as Covid-19. Historian Nicolas Mariot, co-author of a book about the lockdown, looks into the reasons behind why a majority of people in France accepted the harsh curbs on personal freedom, and asks why there has not been a broader reckoning about the impacts. (Listen @ 2'40) Vasectomies are rare in France. The procedure that cuts the tubes in men's testicles that carry sperm, serving as a permanent form of birth control, was only legalised in 2001. Urologist Vincent Hupertan describes the reservations patients and doctors have about the vasectomies, which have to do with both French culture and how the health system works. And we hear from one man before and after his vasectomy, who was told by his doctor to rethink it in case he ever planned to remarry a younger woman. (Listen @ 17'00)Rosa Bonheur, born 16 March 1822, was probably the best-known female painter of the 19th century. Writer Anna Polonyi talks about how Bonheur's paintings of animals are attracting fresh interest from people curious about her personal life, notably her decades-long relationship with a woman. Yet some of the people in charge of guarding her legacy refuse to say that she was lesbian. Polonyi's web documentary series, The Rosa Bonheur Case, explores Bonheur's life and how queer artists are represented. (Listen @ 10'15)Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French farmer’s political action campaign and the other European farmers who have joined in. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment” and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan” – all that and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counseled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners' musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Sultan Mahmud from Naogaon, Bangladesh, Hossen Abed Ali from Rangpur, Bangladesh, and Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Prezident oldida qo'shiq kuyladi” by Mohisharifa Matchonova, performed by Aida; “Heart of Gold”, written and performed by Neil Young, and "Gypsy Queen" by Chris Norman, performed by Norman and Smokie.The quiz will be back next Saturday, 9 March. Be sure and tune in!
How a wave of #MeToo allegations against French directors is shaking up the cinema industry; the Cinémobile movie theatre bringing culture to the countryside; and the satirical news rag that appears just once every four years, on 29 February. Seven years after the #MeToo movement shook Hollywood, Judith Godrèche and other actresses in France have broken the omertà around sexual abuse within the French movie industry, accusing several prominent directors of assault. Investigations are underway. Bérénice Hamidi, a specialist in the performing arts at Lyon University, talks about the extent to which this marks a turning point in French cinema culture, which for decades has fostered the idea that artists have "a free pass" to transgress the rules, and that the artist cannot be separated from his art. (Listen @0')With unrest still rumbling among farmers, France's new culture minister says she wants people in rural areas to have more access to culture. A third of the French population lives in rural communities and Culture Minister Rachida Dati has launched a national consultation on schemes to serve them – schemes like the Cinémobile, a lorry that transforms into a cinema and visits small towns across central France. It's been running for more than 40 years and despite entertainment being easier than ever to find online, something about the mobile movie theatre keeps audiences coming back. (Listen @18'08)French administration has not always made it easy for people born on 29 February – a date that occurs just once every four years. But the satirical Bougie du sapeur newspaper has embraced and indeed lives for the date. Founded in 1980, its previous edition was on 29 February 2020. Editor Jean d'Indy talks about using humour to look at the news of the past four years in this year's edition. (Listen @12')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompéani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Françoise Giraud. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook news: As you know, there are two different Facebook pages for you – one is the RFI English Clubs page, reserved for members of the official RFI English Clubs, and the other is the RFI Listeners Club page, open to all RFI Listener Club members.It is confusing, and every day I must decline membership to listeners who mistakenly go to the English Clubs page instead of the Listener Club page.So we’ve decided to merge the two pages into one: The RFI English Service Listener Forum. You will need to re-apply to the page by answering some questions (which if you don’t, I will decline your membership request). Soon, the RFI English Clubs and the RFI Listeners Club pages will be closed.It will be less confusing and there will be more radio lovers to interact with, so don’t be sad!Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counseled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Africa Cup of Nations. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook news: As you know, there are two different Facebook pages for you – one is the RFI English Clubs page, reserved for members of the official RFI English Clubs, and the other is the RFI Listeners Club page, open to all RFI Listener Club members.It is confusing, and every day I must decline membership to listeners who mistakenly go to the English Clubs page instead of the Listener Club page.So we’ve decided to merge the two pages into one: The RFI English Service Listener Forum. You will need to re-apply to the page by answering some questions (which if you don’t, I will decline your membership request). Soon, the RFI English Clubs and the RFI Listeners Club pages will be closed.It will be less confusing and there will be more radio lovers to interact with, so don’t be sad!Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counseled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came ...
Happy World Radio Day! Today we’ll celebrate WRD with your greetings and thoughts. There’s the answer to the question about France’s film submission to the Academy Awards, “The Listener’s Corner”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counseled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Belgium and the EU presidency. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.World Radio Day is just around the corner (13 February), and we’ll cook up a mighty fine banquet to celebrate. What’s the main course? Your greetings, of course! So get under your blanket with your phone – believe me, the blanket will make your recording broadcast quality – and record your World Radio Day greetings for us. Please, not too long, though. You must get it to us by 5 February. Send your recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frErwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counseled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it”. She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that ...
No quick fix for French farmers who have been protesting by laying siege to Paris. And it's just the latest in a long string of farmers' demonstrations over the last 100 years. Plus, why French girls are faring worse at maths than boys, and what to do about it. Farmers from across France have been rolling their tractors towards Paris to protest against their high costs, low revenues and cheap food imports that undercut their business. The protest movement touches on several fundamental issues such as inflation and high costs, climate change policies, food sovereignty, and how France relates to the rest of the world. A farmer in Normandy talks about his soaring costs and why paperwork linked to environmental regulations is keeping him from doing his job. And economists weigh in on the underlying problem facing French farmers – how to keep their small, mostly individual farms afloat while satisfying consumer demand for cheaper food. (Listen @0')These are by no means the first farmer protests in France. The country has seen many memorable demonstrations over the past century – including a winegrowers' revolt that mobilised 800,000 people, and the hijacking of British lorries carrying imported meat that caused a diplomatic incident with the UK. (Listen @9'50'')France produces some of the world's top mathematicians, but its elite is 80 percent male – hardly surprising given half of schoolgirls give up maths aged 17, compared to just one quarter of boys. As a recent study shows girls falling back in maths from the first year of primary, we look at what's going wrong and what needs to change. Sociologist Clémence Perronnet, author of a new book on girls and maths, talks about the gender bias and how to help girls overcome it. We also hear from mathematician Colette Guillopé of the femmes et mathématiques association about the nonsensical idea that "maths is only for boys". (Listen @16'10'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about COP 28. We’ll travel to a 250-year-old festival in Japan, hear your answers to the bonus question on “The Listener’s Corner”, and enjoy a twist on music by Chopin on “Music from Erwan”. All that and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music… so be sure and listen every week.World Radio Day is just around the corner (13 February), and we’ll cook up a mighty fine banquet to celebrate. What’s the main course? Your greetings, of course! So get under your blanket with your phone – believe me, the blanket will make your recording broadcast quality – and record your World Radio Day greetings for us. Please, not too long, though. You must get it to us by 5 February. Send your recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frErwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. There’s “On This Day” and “The Listener’s Corner”, loads of great music, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.World Radio Day is just around the corner (13 February), and we’ll cook up a mighty fine banquet to celebrate. What’s the main course? Your greetings, of course! So get under your blanket with your phone – believe me, the blanket will make your recording broadcast quality – and record your World Radio Day greetings for us. Please, not too long, though. You must get it to us by 5 February. Send your recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frErwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the ...
A critique that highlights the gap between France and its ideals. Protests to try and block the new "racist" immigration reforms. And the story of Françoise Giroud, journalist-turned-minister in the 1970s. France is a country of impossible ideals, built on the myth of a Revolution fought to secure Liberté, Égalité and Fraternité, but the reality is that not everyone benefits. This is journalist Nabila Ramdani's take in her new book, Fixing France, which dissects what she sees as France’s failures, both historical and recent, and reflects on how to fix them. Ramdani is well-placed to write about the subject – having run into barriers to working in journalism or publishing in France because of her North African background, she went on to live, work and flourish in the US and the UK, and wrote the book in English. (Listen @3'30'')The government's hardline immigration reform was passed on 19 December thanks to the backing of the conservative right Republicans and far right National Rally, both of which added on provisions that differentiate between the rights of the French and non-EU foreigners living or moving here. Ahead of a court decision on whether the reform respects the French constitution, migrants, left-wing politicians, unions and activists have taken to the streets to denounce what they deem is a "racist" law, unworthy of the French republic. (Listen @19'55'')Françoise Giroud, who died on 19 January 2003, was a "grande dame" of French journalism, having co-founded L'Express and edited the weekly magazine for over 20 years. As feminism gathered momentum in the 1970s, she joined the government as "secretary of state for the feminine condition" – the first cabinet position dedicated to women's affairs. (Listen @13'45'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French investigative reporter Albert Londres. There’s listener news and “The Listener’s Corner”, loads of great music, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.World Radio Day is just around the corner (13 February), and we’ll cook up a mighty fine banquet to celebrate. What’s the main course? Your greetings, of course! So get under your blanket with your phone – believe me, the blanket will make your recording broadcast quality – and record your World Radio Day greetings for us. Please, not too long, though. You must get it to us by 8 February. Send your recorded WRD greetings to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frErwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the presidential candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, loads of great music, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener’s musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India, Karuna Kanta Pal, also from West Bengal, Alan Holder from Britain’s Isle of Wight, and Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The French traditional children’s song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”; “Jamaica Farewell”, a traditional Jamaican folk melody with lyrics written by Irving Burgie, and sung by Harry Belafonte, and “Time to Say Goodbye” by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto, sung by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.The quiz will be back next Saturday, 6 January (2024!) Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, there’s a special Christmas program from us to you. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Merry Christmas!Here’s what you heard on this week’s program: “Young at Heart” by Johnny Richards and Carolyn Leigh, sung by Jimmy Durante; the anonymous poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, read by members of Britain’s Actors Benevolent Fund, and the traditional Christmas carol “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, sung by the Gracias Choir conducted by Eunsook Park.Be sure and tune in next week, 30 December, for a program of listener’s musical requests.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the record-breaking floods in northern France. There’s “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Swedish Academy. There’s interesting information about building with bamboo, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my ...
How British people in France have been navigating visiting and living in France since Brexit effectively ended their visa-free travel to Europe. What to do with the human remains in French museums? And the story behind Louis XV's third mistress, the Comtesse du Barry, and how her name got associated with foie gras. British people, no longer citizens of the European Union after Brexit, are stuck with the same rules as any other non-EU visitors: without a visa, they can only spend 90 out of 180 days in France. That's a sore spot for many of the roughly 86,000 Brits who owned second homes in France when the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016. As part of the contentious immigration bill being debated in parliament, the French Senate considered making it easier for non-Europeans who own a second home to spend time in France – but ultimately decided that Brits shouldn't get special treatment, nor should people who can afford to buy a second home. Emma Pearson, host of the Talking France podcast and editor of The Local France, talks about what what kind of choices British people are facing after Brexit, whether they want to visit or stay longer term. (Listen @1'05)France has the largest collection of human skulls in its museums and public institutions – some collected in dubious ways. Returning remains to descendants is part of reckoning with colonial history, but it has been been hampered by a law designed to keep French public museum collections intact. Lawmakers, supported by historians and pushed by descendants and states that want these relics back, are finally passing legislation that will facilitate the return of human remains. Corinne Toka-Devilliers of the Moliko Alet+po association talks about tracking down the skeletons of her ancestors, who were brought to mainland France from French Guiana in 1892 to be displayed in a human zoo, and historian Klara Boyer-Rossol talks about how human remains got into French collections, and the best way to return them. Interviews conducted by Anne Corpet and Hodane Hagi Ali. (Listen @18'15)The Comtesse du Barry died on 8 December 1793, executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. We look at the story of Louis XV's third official mistress, and how her name became associated with tinned foie gras. (Listen @13')Episode mixed by Stephane Defossez.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Liberia’s presidential elections. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the mid-October elections in Poland. There’s “The Listener’s Corner”, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University ...
The man trying to save France's emblematic Gaulois doré rooster from oblivion. How online platforms are rivaling charity shops as thrifting and second hand products take off. And the story of Albert Londres, who left a lasting mark on French journalism. Since the Middle Ages, the Gallic rooster has been a leading symbol of French identity – found on everything from coins to sports jerseys to church weathervanes and Made in France products. But the breed of chicken itself, la Gauloise Dorée, has been abandoned in favour of those with higher productivity. Convinced this ancient, feisty and elegant rooster is part of French heritage, Damien Vidart set up the Conservatoire du coq gaulois in 2021 to make sure the breed is not only preserved, but thrives. His hard work is already paying off. (Listen @0')The secondhand market is booming in France, as taboos against buying and wearing used clothes fade. Online platforms like Vinted have made it easier to sell and buy, but they have impacted traditional charity shops, like Emmaus, which has a large network of thrift stores in France and uses the income for back-to-work schemes. Researcher Eva Cerio, of IAE Angers, talks about the appeal of consuming sustainably and the downside of making some extra money through the secondhand market. (Listen @17'30'')On the eve of the the 90th Albert Londres journalism prize, a look at the man considered one of the founders of investigative journalism in France, who continues to inspire journalists today. (Listen @12'35'')Episode mixed by Donatien Cahu.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French / Mongolian joint venture. There’s a moment of nostalgia in store for you, “The Listener’s Corner” and “Ollia’s Happy Moment” with Ollia Horton, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear a “This I Believe” essay from photograph collector, curator, and consultant WM Hunt. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear the thoughts of WM Hunt on what makes a photograph great. Don’t miss it!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Für Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy.The quiz will be back next Saturday, 18 November. Be sure and tune in!
France is feeling the shockwaves of the war in Gaza with a rise in Islamophobia and a wave of anti-Semitic attacks that have got the public and politicians worried. Also, bikers rev up to fight school bullying. And the African-American fighter pilot who flew for France in WWI because the US would not take him. The Israel-Hamas war has been imported into French society and politics, with the left unable to agree on how much to denounce Hamas, and the far right using the conflict to further bolster its support for Jews – an about-face for the party of Jean-Marie Le Pen, who famously dismissed the Nazi gas chambers as a "detail" of WWII. Nonna Mayer, a researcher at Sciences Po and the CNRS specialising in the far right, anti-Semitism and racism, talks about the rise in anti-Semitic attacks in France, why Marine Le Pen is championing Jews, and whether the left-wing coalition can survive its differences over the war in Gaza. (Listen @0')One in 10 kids in France will get bullied at school and after a recent series of teenage suicides, the government has rolled out a raft of measures to help prevent such tragedies. As part of national anti-bullying day, on 9 November, we look at the role members of U.B.A.K.A (Urban Bulldogs Against Kids’ Abuse) are playing in the fight against school bullying. 76-year old Bernard Mignot, a biker and former bodyguard who set up the French chapter of U.B.A.K.A in Brittany in 2015, talks about going into schools to help kids open up and share bikers' values of respect for one another, and oneself. (Listen @20')As France commemorates the 105th anniversary of the end of WWI, on Armistice Day, 11 November, we talk about Eugene Bullard, who made history by becoming the first black American to fly a fighter plane; but he flew for France, not for the United States, where racial segregation kept him out of the Air Force. (Listen @14'40'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French linguist Jean-François Champollion. There are reflections on keeping time, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Australia and the Rugby World Cup 2023. There’s a scary Halloween interlude, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French city close to Nîmes. We’ll welcome new RFI Listeners Club members, hear your answers to the bonus question on “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, and plenty of good music. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about trade between Bangladesh and France. There’s “On This Day”, “The Listener’s Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my ...
Is a referendum the answer to France's deadlock on immigration reform? Childless by choice in the European country with the highest birthrate. And the story of Félicette – the first cat to fly into space. After the reform of the pension system, the next thorny political issue is immigration, with parliament set to start debating a bill in November. But finding a compromise on such a polarising issue will be difficult. President Emmanuel Macron has floated the idea of a referendum, which could allow people to have their say on France's immigration policies. Amanda Morrow talks about the bill and why a referendum on the issue could be problematic. (Listen @2'50'')Women in France are having fewer babies and the birthrate, while still the highest in the EU, is at its lowest since the end of WW2. A small but increasing number of women are choosing not to have children, but they're accused of being selfish and contributing to France's decline. Bettina Zourli, 31, who launched the instagram account #jeneveuxpasdenfant (I don't want kids) in 2019 to connect with other childfree women, talks about never wanting to be a mother in a country where motherhood is idolised. (Listen @18'55'')In the early days of the space race, France became the first – and only – country to launch a cat into space. A trained feline astronaut named Félicette completed her mission on 18 October 1963, but her success was short-lived. (Listen @10'32'')Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Balimaya Project. There’s a look at how an 104-year-old woman just broke a world record, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and of course, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the floating solar power plant in Ghana. There’s “On This Day”, the “Listeners Corner” with Melissa Chemam, and of course, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your ...
Police officers join a sociology degree programme and are asked to reflect on their role in society. A French start-up banks on insect protein to feed livestock and pets more sustainably. And the Frenchman whose claim to have cracked the code of hieroglyphics in the 19th century allowed him to decipher the Rosetta Stone. After the riots in June and July, following the fatal police shooting of a young man at a traffic stop, the role of the police in France came under scrutiny. Issues of racism come to the fore with observers lamenting that relations with the public –- notably with young residents of disadvantaged city suburbs, or banlieues – have not improved in the two decades since the 2005 riots. A handful of police officers have been offered the opportunity to reflect on their role in society in a new degree programme offered by the University of Amiens. Sociologist Elodie Lemaire talks about giving police new intellectual 'weapons' to confront a changing world, and the police officer students talk about their motivations for wanting to question their profession in a university setting. (Listen @3'00'')French start-up Ÿnsect is preparing to open the world's largest vertical insect farm in the north of France, breeding mealworms to provide insect protein ingredients for pet food, animal feed and fertiliser, to help ease environmental strain on global food production. We visit the company's first farm, launched in 2016, to look at their model for reinventing the food chain, and Ynsect's co-founder Antoine Hubert talks about how developing the pet food market could make the French less reticent about eating insect-based foods. (Listen @20')On 27 September 1822, French linguist Jean-François Champollion announced that he had cracked the code of hieroglyphics, the Ancient Egyptian writing system that had puzzled scholars for centuries. The breakthrough revolutionised our understanding of one of the world’s oldest civilisations. (Listen @14'20'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. You’ll meet RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam, who is taking over the “Listeners Corner” while Paul Myers is away, there’s a challenge from listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon, and of course, Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about strawberries and cream at the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament. You’ll take an aural trip to Mexico for the country’s Independence Day, join Paul Myers for the “Listeners Corner”, and groove on Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps ...
How France shifted its approach to heatwaves after nearly 15,000 people died in the summer of 2003. An urban planning concept gets picked up by conspiracy theorists. And the first TGV that started France's expansion of high-speed rail travel. The world has just had its hottest three months on record. But France's worst heatwave in memory was 20 years ago, in 2003. In August that year nearly 15,000 people in France died from heat, more than any summer since. The disaster permanently changed how the country deals with heatwaves – and now, as climate change makes extreme heat more frequent and more intense, it's having to change tactics again. Historian of public health Richard C Keller, who wrote a book about the victims of 2003, looks back at what France has learned. (Listen @1'30)When Carlos Moreno conceived of the 15-minute city, he did not expect to be pulled into the world of conspiracy theorists. The Paris-based sociologist came up with a new concept of urban planning to try to create neighbourhoods where all services – for work and leisure – lie within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home. The city of Paris has embraced the concept, but elsewhere it has been picked up by people who say that it is part of a plan to limit people's movements and confine them to open-air prisons. (Listen @16'25)France's first high-speed train line was inaugurated on 22 September 1981, with an orange-and-white "train à grande vitesse" – or TGV – making the trip from Paris to Lyon. It started an era of reducing travel times and chasing speed records. (Listen @12'10)Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Sophie Lavaud. There’s “On This Day”, the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a history of Cuban music from our sound engineer Erwan Rome, which originally aired 31 July 2021. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.This week’s quiz: The Sound Kitchen is taking a short break. The quiz will be back on 9 September. Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: "La Linda" by Manuel Saumell, performed by Frank Fernández; “El Cadete Constitucional” by Jacobo Rubalcava, performed by the Orquesta Belisario López; “Rompiendo La Rutina” by Aniceto Diaz, performed by Paulina Alvarez with the Gran Orquesta Típica Nacional; "Los Marcianos" by Rosendo Ruiz Jr., performed by the Orquesta América de Ninón Mondejar; “Bonito y Sabroso” by Benny Moré, sung by the composer with his orchestra; "Cuando digo futuro" by Silvio Rodriguez, performed by the composer with his ensemble; "Chirrin-Chirran" by Juan Formell, performed by the Orquesta Los Van Van, "La protesta de los chivos" by José Luis Cortes, performed by the Orquesta NG la banda, and “En Honor al Valor” by César Pedoso, performed by Pupy y los Que Son Son.To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Southern African Economic Partnership Agreement. There’s a California travelogue, the “Listeners Corner”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear music requested by your fellow RFI English listener Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “La bohème” by Charles Aznavour and Jacques Plante, sung by Charles Aznavour; “His Eye is on the Sparrow” by Charles H. Gabriel and Civillia Durfee Martin, sung by Mahalia Jackson, and the Polonaise Brilliante in C Major, Op.3 by Frédéric Chopin, performed by Lynn Harrell, cello, and Pauline Yang, piano. The quiz will be back next Saturday, 19 August. Be sure and tune in! To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners' musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear requests from your fellow RFI English listeners Hossen Abed Ali, Pradip Basak, and Jnyanendra Nath Phukan.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Borderline” written and performed by Chris de Burgh; “I Ain’t Worried”, written by Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, and Tyler Spry, performed by One Republic, and an original composition by Jnyanendra Nath Phukan: “Perfection”.Be sure and tune in next Saturday for another special Music in the Kitchen, featuring listeners’ musical requests. To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners' musical requests. Just click on the “Play" button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear requests from your fellow RFI English listeners Princess Honour Serena Dokubo,Pradip Basak, and Heimer Sia.Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me atthesoundkitchen@rfi.frHere’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Anybody” by Burna Boy; “Into the Groove” by Madonna and Stephen Bray, sung by Madonna, and “Trying to be cool” by Chris Mazzalai, Laurent Brancowitz, Thomas Croquet and Frederic Moulin, played by Phoenix. Be sure and tune in next Saturday, for another special Music in the Kitchen, featuring listeners musical requests. To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, Erwan Rome takes you to Cuba for a musical journey of “Son Cubano”, Cuba’s most recognisable musical style, in a programme that originally aired 16 October, 2021. Just click on the "Play" button and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Nengón” by Cambrón Jr. performed by Cambrón Jr y su Changüi; the traditional tune "Kiriba" played by Baracoa Güirito; "Changüí Changüisero" by José Rodriguez, performed by the Grupo Changüí de Guantánamo; “Sucu Suca para Ti” byMongo Rives, played by La Tumbita Criolla de Mongo Rives; “Son de la Loma” by Miguel Matamoros, performed by the Trío Matamoros; "Tumba Palo Cucuyé" by Arsenio Rodriguez, played by Arsenio Rodriguez y su Conjunto; "Echale Salsita" byIgnacio Piñeiro, performed by the Septeto Nacional de Ingnacio Piñeiro; “Son para un Sonero” by Adalberto Alvarez, performed by Conjunto Son 14; “Lo que me paso en la Guagua” by Adalberto Álvarez, played by Adalberto Álvarez y su Son, and “El swing del son” by Pancho Amat, performed by Pancho Amat y Su Cabildo del Son. The quiz will be back on Saturday, 9 September.To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Women’s Singles 2023 Roland Garros winner. There’s a poem from RFI listener Adeloya Opaluwah, the “Listeners Corner”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved ...
As the dust settles on a week of intense urban violence triggered by the police shooting of a young man in the northern working-class suburb of Nanterre, we look at the causes and what, if anything, has changed in these poorer, multi-racial neighbourhoods since the 2005 riots. What role has police violence played in the worsening relations between the state and banlieues residents? And the life and music of singer-poet-anarchist Léo Ferré. The fatal shooting of Nahel Merzouk by a police officer in the town of Nanterre on 27 June sparked a wave of violence, with mainly young men attacking symbols of the French state such as schools and town halls, damaging private property and looting shops and supermarkets. The unrest recalls the 2005 riots – also triggered by police violence against French youth of colour from the banlieues. Nearly 20 years later, little has changed, laments sociologist Julien Talpin. He argues that the violence during those eight nights was more political and far less random than the government and police portrayed it to be. (Listen @0')Relations between France's police force and banlieues residents have worsened since 2005. There is mistrust on both sides – with young people seeing themselves as ready targets of racially motivated police violence and officers feeling they are disrespected and under attack. While the French government denies there is systemic racism within the police, studies have shown the contrary. Political Scientist Jacques De Maillard, who studies the police in France and elsewhere, says racial profiling and racist attitudes are part of how the police function, but neither the authorities nor officers themselves are willing to recognise this. (Listen @13'50'')Leo Ferré, one of France’s most important and admired singer-poets, died on 14 July 1993. Ever the rebel, he wrote and interpreted songs that shocked and broke taboos in the 1960s – whether denouncing torture in Algeria or celebrating female genitalia. His raw passion on stage and way with words earned him a huge place in the ballad tradition known as French "chanson". (Listen @27'30'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French D-Day veteran. There’s information on The Sound Kitchen listener essay contests, the “Listeners Corner”, and lots of good music. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Roland Garros tennis tournament. There’s “On This Day”, the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, ...
How Rouen, a city on the Seine, far from the open sea, became France's largest grain port; denim production returns to its place of birth in Nimes; and the story of Alice Guy, the world's first woman director, forgotten by history. French wheat exports got a boost with the war in Ukraine, and most are shipped out of Rouen, a port on the Seine, 100 kilometres away from the open sea. Manuel Gaborieau, head of agribuisness for Haropa, which manages the port, explains the historical and logistical reasons for an inland port. At the Simarex terminal, grain director Cédric Burg and operations manager Yannick Jossé talk about getting grain from field to boat, and how the war in Ukraine has impacted operations. (Listen @0')Jeans were first manufactured in the US by Levi Strauss in 1873, but the denim fabric they're made from was first woven in the 17th century in the southern French town of Nimes. Guillaume Sagot has returned to his home town to take denim production back to its roots. We visit him at the Ateliers de Nîmes workshop to see how they're using traditional savoir faire to make durable jeans with a lighter carbon footprint. Lisa Laborie-Barrière, curator at the Musée du Vieux Nimes, reflects on links between Nimes and Levi Strauss. (Listen @17')Alice Guy, born in Paris on 1 July 1873, was the first woman film director and is widely acknowledged with making the first narrative film in 1896. But her contributions to the history of cinema were largely forgotten – even ignored – during her lifetime. (Listen @11'40'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the film Insh’Allah a Boy. There’s “On This Day”, the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Marine Le Pen and the recent far-right demonstration in Paris. There’s an homage to loving fathers and the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my ...
How to get New Caledonians talking to each other; the incompatibility of being gay and a football player in France, and the naval officer who turned his world travels into fiction. In the face of political deadlock over the status of the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, pro-independence and loyalist parties are struggling to even talk to one another. Caledonian journalist and writer Jenny Briffa has spent a good part of her life trying to get conversations going between the archipelago's different ethnic communities, and recently wrote a triptych of plays around the three independence referendums held in 2018, 2020 and 2021. She talks about the territory's colonial legacy, its shared cultures, and how she sees herself as a white Caledonian, born of French parents. (Listen @0')Football remains a very macho sport in France, and failure to fit the straight, virile mould can lead to harassment, insults or worse. Ouissem Belgacem quit his career as a rising football star aged 20 when he realised he could never be an openly gay player. He finally came out publicly in his book Adieu ma honte (Farewell to my shame) in 2021, which inspired a recently released documentary series. While he's no longer in the football world, he hopes to become a role model – something he never had – for today's players. He talks about needing to wear a 'heterosexual mask' as a player, and how little that has changed since he left the sport 15 years ago. (Listen @19'38'')Acclaimed writer Pierre Loti, who died on 10 June 1923, had a long career as a naval officer. He's in a long line of French public figures to have tried their hand at writing fiction, though with far less success. (Listen @15'25'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Ostend energy summit. There’s an update on RFI’s Planète Radio ePOP video competition and the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the meaning of “pataphysics”. There’s a meditation on bird song, a poem from listener Adeyola Opaluwah, the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and Ollia’s “Happy Moment”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: ...
The village of Oradour-sur-Glane continues to memorialise the massacre of 643 of its inhabitants by the Nazis in 1944. Are shortages of an abortion drug in France linked to the anti-abortion movement in the United States? And the French doctor who helped identify HIV in the early days of the Aids epidemic. On 10 June 1944, Nazi troops entered the buccolic village of Oradour-sur-Glane in central France and massacred 643 men, women and children. They then burnt it to the ground. Later that year, General Charles de Gaulle declared Oradour a ‘martyred village’, giving instructions that its state of destruction should be conserved as a permanent reminder of Nazi barbarity. Babeth Robert, the head of the village's remembrance centre, talks about life among the ruined remains. Benoit Sadry, the head of the association of families of victims of the massacre, reflects on family history and the need to conserve the site against the ravages of time. (Listen @0')As the US Supreme Court in April was considering a case to de-authorise the use of mifepristone – one of two drugs used in medication abortions – many abortion providers in France were experiencing a shortage of misoprostol, the other drug. Isabelle Louis of the Planning Familiale, which provides abortions in the Paris area, talks about the shortage and its impact on patients. Pauline Londeix, of the Observatory for transparency in drug policies, says the scarcity is likely part of a longer-running problem of medecine shortages in general. But the timing, given what's happening in the US, is hard to ignore. (Listen @21'38'')On 20 May 1983, a group of French scientists published a paper in Science identifying the virus that caused Aids. Jessica Phelan speaks about the discovery and its origins in a sample taken by a doctor in Paris, Willy Rozenbaum. (Listen @13'25'')Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about French President Emmanuel Macron at the Nexus Institute. There’s a little info on spinning gorillas (yes, you read that correctly), the “Listeners Corner” with Paul Myers, and Erwan Rome’s “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear music written and performed by the Women in Jazz South Florida collective – a program that originally aired 23 October 2021. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Bye Bye to the Blues” by Gustav Czik and Joan Cartwright, sung by Joan Cartwright; “Seabound” by Sunnie Paxson, played by Sunnie Paxson on the piano with her ensemble; “Differences” by Afrikkanitha, with Afrikkanitha, vocals, and her ensemble; “Move on Down the Line” by Gustav Czik and Joan Faulkner, sung by Joan Faulkner with her ensemble; “Narayana Buena Vista Social Club” by Radha Botofasina, performed by the composer; “Don’t Stop Givin’ Love” by Mimi Johnson, sung by Mimi Johnson with her ensemble, and “Sweet Return” by Joan Cartwright, performed by the Freddie Hubbard Kool Jazz All-Stars.
The CDs featured on the program can be ordered from the Women in Jazz South Florida website.
The Sound Kitchen will be back next week, 27 May.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the CFDT trade union and Macron’s pension reform. You’ll meet Paul Myers – who is our new “Listeners Corner” host - and get happy with Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listener's musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear a program dedicated to the French singer Marie Laforêt – an idea from RFI English Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Mon amour, mon ami”, written by André Popp and Eddy Marnay, sung by Marie Laforêt; "Ivan, Boris et Moi", written by Eddy Marnay and Emile Stern, sung by Marie Laforêt, and "Viens Viens”, written by Sven Linus and Howard Riddiford Barnes, and sung by Marie LaForêt.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 13 May. Be sure and tune in!
Why French unions are so prominent despite record low membership. How Tintin defied critiques of racism, sexism and anti-Semitism to remain one of France's favourite comic strip characters. And the 1920 beauty pageant that evolved into Miss France, watched by millions each year.
France's leading trade unions have seen a recent increase in membership after organising weeks of strikes and protests against the government's unpopular pension reform. But union membership in France – at around 8 percent – is among the lowest in western Europe. Researcher Marie Menard talks about the raison d'etre of French unions and how they still manage to punch above their weight. (Listen @2'10'')
Forty years after the death of his creator, and nearly a century after he first appeared in a comic strip, Tintin remains one of France's most beloved characters. The 24 albums featuring the young Belgian reporter's adventures with his dog Snowy sell half a million copies a year in France. Comic book sellers talk about how they're mainly bought by adults nowadays. And Renaud Nattiez, author of Faut-il bruler Tintin? (Should we burn Tintin?) reflects on why, despite critiques of Tintin, author Hergé is still so popular. (Listen @18'10'')
Miss France was born on 10 May 1920 as 'La plus belle femme de France' (France’s most beautiful woman) – a competition judged by cinema goers. It has evolved over the years, and while it has been criticised by feminist groups, the beauty pageant continues to pull in both contestants and television viewers. (Listen @11'30'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the alleged French bank dividend arbitrage trading scheme. There’s the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick and “Music from Erwan” with Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Namuli horseshoe bat. There’s the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick and “Music from Erwan” with Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St ...
France's pioneering 2017 law that made French-based multinational companies responsible for human rights and environmental violations wherever they do business. Also, a Franco-Vietnamese theatre director brings Vietnamese history to life on stage. And the first same-sex marriage remembered 10 years after it became legal.
The collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh a decade ago led to France passing a duty of care law in 2017, making French-headquartered multinationals responsible for human rights violations and environmental damages throughout the supply chain. Nayla Ajaltouni (@naylaajaltouni) of the collective Éthique sur l’étiquette says the French initiative has helped spur on a similar law at the European level, but feels the business-friendly Macron government is not as ambitious as it should be in ensuring labour and human rights come before business as usual. (Listen @2'08'')
Franco-Vietnamese activist Tran To Nga has spent years pushing for the chemical companies that produced Agent Orange – a herbicide used by the United States during the Vietnam war that caused cancers and birth defects – to be held responsible in French courts. Director Marine Bachelot-Nguyen was inspired by Tran’s story and created a one-woman show, Nos corps empoisonnés (Our poisoned bodies), based on her life and activism. She talks about making theatre as a way of reaching audiences who might not otherwise listen. (Listen @22'07'')
France legalised gay marriage on 23 April, 2013. 10years later, Vincent Autin (@VincentAutin), half of the first ever same-sex couple to tie the knot in France, reflects on the legacy of the law. And lawyer Florent Berdeaux (@florentberdeaux) talks about how the right to marry also opened up the right to divorce, which is arguably even more important. (Listen @13'50'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Fespaco. There’s a celebration of the Bengali New Year, as well as the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick and “Music from Vincent” with Vincent Pora. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is next Thursday, 20 April, so get your video in today!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French departments under water restrictions as of early March. There are musings on spring and – of course- the music that makes us think of it, as well as the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Vincent” with Vincent Pora. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know ...
France's evolving relationship with China; allowing women time off for period pain; and why artist Pablo Picasso never became French.
France has historically had good relations with China, but as Europe has been looking to distance itself from the People's Republic, France has had to follow suit. RFI's Jan van der Made talks about French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China this week, and the shifting relationship between the two countries. (Listen @2'20'')
After Spain passed a law allowing women to take up to two days off each month for pain related to menstruation, France is being encouraged to do the same. The town of Saint Ouen, north of Paris, has put in place paid menstrual leave for city employees, to allow them to take time off, and to raise awareness of what is often a taboo subject. But not everyone agrees with the measure. (Listen @18'37'')
Pablo Picasso, who died on 8 April 1973, spent his entire adult life in France and a host of exhibitions are planned to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. France claims him as a national treasure, but it rejected his 1940 request for French nationality. (Listen @12'20'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about comic book author Marguerite Abouet and her non-profit organization in Côte d’Ivoire. There’s the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and music for April Fool’s Day. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about transportation-caused CO2 emissions across the European Union. There’s the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, “Music from Erwan”, and a new poem written and read by listener Ibironke Oyewole from Lagos, Nigeria. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, ...
Is the French government denying people their democratic rights by passing its controversial pension reform without a vote in parliament? No, says a constitutional expert, but it has led to a political crisis. Fighting eco-anxiety by searching out France's eco-optimists. And a Napoleonic law that limited how you could name your child.
France's last remaining hostage, journalist Olivier Dubois, is finally released (Listen @0'00)
The French government used article 49.3 of the constitution to push through its contested pension reform without a final vote in parliament. Opponents to the reform say the use of the article is a denial of democracy. Political scientist Christophe Boutin says while it's perfectly legal, the way it was used remains problematic. (Listen @3'15'')
Longtime journalist Dorothée Moisan (@domoisan) quit her job to focus on the environment, but found herself depressed and overwhelmed by what she learned about climate change. To ease her eco-anxiety, she set out to meet people who managed to overcome theirs, and wrote about them in her book, Les Ecoptimistes. They each have their own approach. (Listen @18'05'')
Tired of revolutionaries calling their children Liberté or Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul of France, passed a law on 1 April 1803 allowing children to be given names from religious calenders, or named after historical figures. The law was overtunred in 1993, even though some would like to see it return. (Listen @12'43'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners' musical requests. Just click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Hossen Abed Ali from Rangpur, Bangladesh, Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India, and Catherine Paèz, who lives in Las Palmas, one of the Canary Islands off of the coast of Spain.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: Diana Gordon, John Kirby, Fousheé, Matthew Castellanos (Steve Lacy): “Bad Habit”; Bobby Hebb: (Boney M) “Sunny”; Eddie Rocksteady (composer) "Sing a Song".
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 18 March. Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the summit in Paris on Lebanon. There’s the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, “Music from Erwan”, and a call to submit essays to The Sound Kitchen essay contests. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our ...
How French farmers are adapting since the war in Ukraine halted grain and seed exports. Why we need to buy fewer clothes if we want the fashion industry to be sustainable. And the voice of Ernest Renan – one of the big thinkers of 19th century France, famed for his biography of Jesus.
An impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a drop in grain exports around the world, as Ukraine was a major producer before the war. Farmers in France - Europe’s largest grain producer – have shifted their production to make up some of the difference. At the annual ‘Salon de l’Agriculture’ agriculture fair in the south of Paris, Laurent Rosso, director of the French vegetable oil and protein trade association, talks about how French grain farmers have increased their sunflower crops, for animal feed and cooking oil, and France is looking for self-sufficiency. And as the cost of wheat has increased, farmers might be discouraged planting other grains. Cédric Truphemus, a producer of petit epautre, or small spelt, in the high Alps, says not enough farmers in the region are planting, and cannot meet the demand. (Listen @1'15)
The fashion industry does not have great green credentials: not only is it responsible for at least four percent of global carbon emissions, the dyes and chemicals involved in garment-making are damaging to both the environment and to human health. Fashion shows, such as the recent Fashion Week in Paris, are the most visible part of the fashion industry, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. The big problem is the growth of 'ultra fast fashion', which floods the market with cheap garments with short shelf-lives. Catherine Dauriac, a fashion journalist, author and country coordinator of the global non-profit Fashion Revolution, talks about the urgent need to make fashion more sustainable. It begins with buying less but better and repairing the clothes we already have. (Listen @17'50)
France is marking the bi-centenary of the birth of historian and philosopher Ernest Renan. Renowned for works such as the "Life of Jesus" and "What is a nation?" his voice was recorded by Gustave Eiffel in 1891 in one of the earliest audio recordings in France. (Listen @12'00)
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about France’s proposed pension reform. There’s the “Listeners Corner”, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Sierra Leone’s new gender equality bill, as well as the “Listeners Corner” and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April 2023 – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the e-scooter referendum in Paris, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April 2023 – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people … you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” on the upper left-hand ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen we celebrate World Radio Day with listener greetings! You’ll hear the answer to the question about France’s hunting laws, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April 2023 – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see ...
How French educators are grappling with new AI-based technology, like ChatGPT, and how it will affect teaching, evaluating and learning. Voltuan, the most-recognised man on French demos, talks about life as a full-time activist. And the 17th century origins of France's pension system.
Faced with a growing number of students in France submitting papers written by the chatbot ChatGPT, the prestigious Sciences Po university recently banned its use as part of its policy against fraud and plagiarism. But artificial intelligence is here to stay and French educators are having to get to grips with it. Computer science professor Jean-Gabriel Ganascia (@Quecalcoatle) tested out a text generator to write a column in a research magazine and was quite impressed with the results. Thierry de Vulpillières (@tdevul), founder of a startup that proposes AI-based learning tools to teachers, says French teachers and professors will now need to rethink how they test and evaluate students. (Listen @0')
At the front of most big demos in Paris you'll see a man with his arms outstretched in a V-shape holding up a huge sign with a brightly coloured catchy slogan in big capital letters. 'Placard man', as French media have dubbed him, has attended hundreds of marches as part of the convergence of struggles – climate justice, social justice, women’s rights, animal rights, and of course, pension reform. Jean-Baptiste Reddé, who goes by the name of Voltuan (@Voltuan), talks about committing his life to activism, what it's like to be so visible, and coming up with his slogans in Parisien cafés. (Listen @19'18'')
France's pension system, where working people pay for the pensions of current retirees, was founded in 1945 at the end of World War II. But the very first pensions go back to the 17th century, when Louis XIV signed edicts for the navy and ballet dancers – the first of which was 450 years ago, on 22 September 1673. (Listen @14'15'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the late Brazilian football icon, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. There’s info about the International Day of Human Fraternity, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April 2023 – but don’t put it off! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read the ePOP entry guidelines – as well as watch videos from previous years – go to the ePOP website.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the World Cup winner. There’s info about the Chinese New Year, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, listener news, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is coming up! It starts soon – we’ll have precise information for you in the coming days – but don’t get left behind! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and prepare your subject, so you’re ready to go when the competition opens, which is very soon. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read about past competitions and watch some of the videos from previous years, go to the ePOP website.
It’s time to think about World Radio Day, too – it’s on 13 February, and this year’s theme is “Radio and Peace”. We’ll have a great big WRD celebration on The Sound Kitchen, with your greetings to your fellow radio lovers around the world.
Once you have decided what you want to say, get under a blanket (it makes for better sound) and record your greeting on your phone. Send it to us as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Don’t wait until the last minute!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis ...
A majority of French people disapprove of the government proposal to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64-years-old. Women could come off worse than men, and it will involve addressing senior employment, which France does not do particularly well. And how the Paris Peace Accords, marking a temporary end to the Vietnam war, were signed 50 years ago in the French capital.
The French government's proposed pension reform, which would raise the minimum retirement age has unleashed a new wave of strikes and protests, drawing a record 1.3 million people into the streets on 18 January. Some opponents say everyone will loose out in the reform, though an official report suggests women may fare worse by having to work on average seven extra months – compared to five for men – in order to even out the gender imbalance. On the street, women expressed anger at being asked to work longer in what are already difficult jobs. (Listen @58'')
Opposition parties on the hard left and hard right are opposed to the reform, but some members of the ruling coalition are also expressing concern. MP and former environment minister, Barbara Pompili, has said that she cannot vote on the legislation as it stands, and is pushing for amendments to make it fairer, especially for people who started working young, and for older workers. (Listen @10'27'')
France has a problem with employing seniors – people aged 55 and over – and this could become an even bigger issue if the retirement age is raised to 64. Hervé Boulhol, senior economist at the OECD, says that contrary to popular opinion previous increases in retirement have not led to more unemployment among seniors. (Listen @14'50'')
The agreement to end the Vietnam war was signed in Paris on 27 January 1973, after nearly five years of difficult negotiations between the US and communist North Vietnam. France was a logical place to hold the peace talks because of its historical links to Vietnam – a French colony until 1954. (Listen @22'40'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the film “The Blue Caftan”. There’s “On This Day”, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, listener news, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is coming up! It starts soon – we’ll have precise information for you in the coming days – but don’t get left behind! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and prepare your subject, so you’re ready to go when the competition opens, which is very soon. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read about past competitions and watch some of the videos from previous years, go to the ePOP website.
It’s time to think about World Radio Day, too – it’s on 13 February, and this year’s theme is “Radio and Peace”. We’ll have a great big WRD celebration on The Sound Kitchen, with your greetings to your fellow radio lovers around the world.
Once you have decided what you want to say, get under a blanket (it makes for better sound) and record your greeting on your phone. Send it to us as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Don’t wait until the last minute!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about France’s nuclear reactors. There’s the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, listener news, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
The ePOP video competition is coming up! It starts soon – we’ll have precise information for you in the coming days – but don’t get left behind! Start now!
The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people …you are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and prepare your subject, so you’re ready to go when the competition opens, which is very soon. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!
To read about past competitions and watch some of the videos from previous years, go to the ePOP website.
It’s time to think about World Radio Day, too – it’s on 13 February as always, and this year’s theme is “Radio and Peace”. We’ll have a great big WRD celebration on The Sound Kitchen, with your greetings to your fellow radio lovers around the world.
Once you have decided what you want to say, get under a blanket (it makes for better sound) and record your greeting on your phone. Send it to us as an attachment in an e-mail to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Don’t wait until the last minute!
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in ...
Long-awaited recognition for France's colonial infantry corps. Who are the French victims of the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange? Napoleon III's transformation of France.
The "tirailleurs Senegalais" – riflemen from former French colonies in west Africa who fought in the French army – will be allowed to claim their French state pensions while living permanently in their countries of origin. The change in rules marks a shift in recognition for their heroism and coincides with the release of "Les Tirailleurs" starring Omar Sy. Yoro Diao, one of the few surviving soldiers, talks about the fight for recognition, and his pride in defending his country’s former colonial ruler. (Listen @2'15'')
Some 50,000 to 60,000 people in France lost money in the collapse of the American cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Lawyer Ronan Journoud (@cryptoavocat) is advising some of the victims. Several of them lost their life savings. (Listen @19'23'')
We look at the complicated legacy of France's first president and last monarch, Napoleon III, 150 years after his death on 9 January 1873. He expanded France's colonial empire, renovated Paris, and died in exile in England. (Listen @)14'30")
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the mascot chosen for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. There’s the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, listener news, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” on the upper left-hand side of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight in the UK, Prithwiraj Purkayastha from Assam, India, and Heimer Sia from the Philippines.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me, Susan Owensby, at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” by Frank Loesser, sung by Nancy Wilson; “Elizabethan Serenade” by Ronald Binge, performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ernest Tomlinson; “Manush Bhojo, Manush Pujore, Manuseri Paay, Folbe Tomar Sorbo Tirther Fol!” by Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya, performed by the composer and Dohar, and “Heartbeat” by Xavier Boyer and Pedro Resende, performed by their group, Tahiti 80.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 7 January. Be sure and tune in!
This week you’ll be treated to a story: “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, read by Julie Harris. There’s Christmas music too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear a special Christmas program, so tune in!
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” by Irving Berlin, sung by The Drifters, and the traditional carol “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”, sung by Nat King Cole. The story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry was read by Julie Harris.
Next week there’s a Music in the Kitchen show for you – music requested by you, the listeners. Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the two newly elected leaders at the COP27 conference. There’s the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” on the upper left-hand side of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight in the UK, Prithwiraj Purkayastha from Assam, India, and Heimer Sia from the Philippines.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me, Susan Owensby, at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” by Frank Loesser, sung by Nancy Wilson; “Elizabethan Serenade” by Ronald Binge, performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ernest Tomlinson; “Manush Bhojo, Manush Pujore, Manuseri Paay, Folbe Tomar Sorbo Tirther Fol!” by Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya, performed by the composer and Dohar, and “Heartbeat” by Xavier Boyer and Pedro Resende, performed by their group, Tahiti 80.
The quiz will be back on Saturday, 7 January. Be sure and tune in!
Unpicking France's win against Morocco in World Cup semi-final; finding "ethical" alternatives to force-fed foie gras; and why it's worth reading Marcel Proust, 100 years after his death.
After France beat Morocco in the World Cup semi-final, Paul Myers looks at whether it makes sense to see it as a face-off between Morocco and its former colonial power, and what a win in the final against Argentina on Sunday would mean for France – which first won the football tournament in 1998. (Listen @0')
Foie gras is a delicacy found on many French tables during the festive season. But the process of making it, which involves force feeding geese or ducks to increase their liver size, can be seen as a form of animal cruelty. French scientist Remy Burcelin has discovered a way for geese to naturally fatten their livers, and his company is experimenting with making foie gras without force feeding. Meanwhile vegan chef Julie Bavant shows us how to make faux gras, or fake foie gras and talks about why it is appealing to vegans and meat-eaters alike. (Listen @19'50'')
French writer Marcel Proust, who died 100 years ago this year, spent 14 years writing his 3,000-page opus 'A la recherche du temps perdu' (In search of lost time) – hailed as one of the greatest works of 20th century European literature. Reading it is a daunting task, but Josh Landy, author of 'The World According to Proust' says it's well worth the effort. (Listen @8'45'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Brazil’s president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. There’s “On This Day”, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” on the upper left-hand side of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about RFI English correspondent Victor Moturi. There’s “On This Day”, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner”, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” on the upper left-hand side of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for ...
As France's parliament passes a bill that would enshrine the right to abortion in the constitution, a new film explores the time before it was legalised in 1975. The curator of Père Lachaise in Paris on life and biodiversity in France's most famous cemetery. And Walt Disney's 11th century French roots.
France might be on the way to becoming the first country to have abortion rights protected in the constitution, after a recent vote in the National Assembly passed with a large majority. Not everyone thinks it is necessary – legal scholar Gwenaele Calves says abortion rights are already well protected in France. Meanwhile a new film, Annie Colère (Angry Annie), tells the story of the MLAC (Movement for the freedom of abortion and contraception) whose work carrying out illegal abortions in the early 70s helped pave the way for the law legalising abortion in 1975. (Listen @0')
Three million people flock to Paris' Père Lachaise cemetery every year, drawn to the tombs of Frederic Chopin, Jim Morrison and other famous people buried there. But it's also home to an increasing amount of wildlife, including foxes. Laura Angela Bagnetto spoke with cemetery curator Benoît Gallot (@benoit_gallot), author of La vie secrète d’un cimetière (The secret life of a cemetery) about living in the famed graveyard and its rich biodiversity. (Listen @16')
Walt Disney was born on 5 December 1901 in the US, but his distant ancestors hailed from Normandy and gave him his name. (Listen @11'50'')
Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark; Mahesh Jain from Delhi, India, and Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “The Fog is Lifting” by Carl Nielsen; “Dreams” by Stevie Nicks, performed by Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, and “Bei mir bist du schön” by Sholom Secunda and Jacob Jacobs, played by Gino Tedesco and Chris Conz.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 3 December. Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Ballon d’Or. There’s “On This Day”, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and the new quiz question, too. So click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea ...
A north-south divide over bullfighting, which holds an important cultural spot in many parts of southern France, but which opponents say is animal cruelty. A French climate activist on why blocking roads and interrupting opera performances is the only way to get attention. And the 9th-century Viking attack on Paris.
The corrida tradition is long and strong in many parts of southern and south-western France, but a lawmaker from the north of the country says it's immoral and wants to get it banned outright. A corrida in Vauvert, near Montpellier, where teachers and students from the Arles bullfighting school were performing, suggest the issue might be more nuanced. Afficionados object to a Parisian vision of how they should or should not celebrate their culture. The violence inherent to bullfighting is also what makes it so powerful. (Listen @2'07'')
Climate activists have taken to throwing things at famous paintings in European museums, to capture the public's attention over what they see as an existential threat. While French paintings have not been hit (so far), homegrown French activists Dernière Rénovation (Last renovation) have been using direct action or acts of civil disobedience to highlight the very specific issue of housing renovation. The housing sector is the second-biggest producer of greenhouse gas emissions in France, after transportation, and the group wants the government to pass more ambitious legislation to push homeowners to better insulate their buildings. To increase pressure on the government, they started in the summer by interrupting the Tour de France. Since then, they have regularly blocked highways around the country. Victor talks about interrupting an opera performance, and why such acts of civil disobedience are necessary. (Listen @20'00'')
The Viking siege of Paris that started on 24 November, 885 was the beginning of the end of the unified Carolingian Empire, setting in place the future shape of the France we know today. (Listen @16'12'')
Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the strike by French distribution depot workers at TotalEnergies and Esso-Exxon Mobil. There’s the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, “Music from Erwan”, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureates. There’s the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, “Music from Erwan”, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Italy’s recent general elections. There’s some spooky music for Halloween, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about “homemade” Roquefort. There’s “On This Day”, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our ...
A Paris art gallery embraces NFTs as a new form of expression, that can also make collectors very rich. A biopic of Simone Veil disappoints critics but brings the life of an inspirational woman to a new generation. And the story of the "father of forensic science" whose landmark fingerprint technology caught a murderer for the first time in 1902.
The NFT market is rife with speculation, though the technology is winning over some digital artists and collectors. A Parisian art gallery has started putting on hybrid shows, with NFTs displayed on a screen alongside oil paintings and prints. Alla Goldshteyn, of the Goldshteyn-Saatort gallery, which shows and sells urban art, talks about the thrill of experimenting with NFTs. While some collectors are out to make money, software engineer and NFT collector Gaspard Tertrais (@gaspard_ter) talks about the added appeal of owning something no one else has in the virtual world. (Listen @2'30'')
The French biopic 'Simone, le voyage du siècle' (Simone, a woman of the century) traces the life of Holocaust survivor and politician Simone Veil. Director Olivier Dahan talks about depicting the Holocaust on screen and the need to introduce younger people to an extraordinary woman in French history. The film has been panned by many cinema critics, including Eric Schwald (@eric_schwald). But viewing it with his teenage son delivers a different perspective and shows the importance of passing on her life and its lessons to the younger generation. (Listen @23')
On 24 October, 1902, a murderer was arrested and convicted on the basis of fingerprints, thanks to a method devised by Frenchman Alphonse Bertillon. His long-term reputation as the father of anthropometry was somewhat sullied, however, following his involvement in the Dreyfus affair. (Listen @17'35'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Alice Diop. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and plenty of good music. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Kenyan Raila Odinga’s presidential aspirations. There’s “On This Day”, the bonus question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and lots of good music. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate ...
As the French National Assembly gets younger and more female, some lawmakers say it's time MPs on maternity leave were replaced. Opera singers bring love, tragedy and dialogue to French city streets with free concerts in unexpected places. And the man behind Paris' Wallace fountains, which turn 150 this year.
France has a reputation for supporting new parents, with fully-paid maternity leave and a month of paternal leave, but it does not apply to everyone. Because they are appointed, and not employed, members of the National Assembly can stop and start work when they want, but they are not replaced. So when they are absent – whether it is for giving birth or long-term illness – they lose their vote. MP Mathilde Hignet (@mathildehignet), who is pregnant with her first child, has introduced a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to be replaced by their deputies when they are on maternity leave. Will anyone oppose such a proposal? (Listen @2'40'')
Opera singers and musicians from the Calms collective are shaking up opera's image – taking it back to its roots in popular culture by performing in the streets. Conceived in Marseille in the wake of the Covid lockdown of 2020, the Opéra Déconfiné project has now spread to other cities. For eight weeks each summer, professional singers give free weekly mini-concerts in working class areas in a number of French towns, drawing in new audiences. (Listen @14'40'')
For 150 years 'Wallace' fountains have provided Parisians with clean, free drinking water. Laura Angela Bagnetto talks about Sir Richard Wallace, who generously supported Parisians during the Franco-Prussian war and donated the first 50 fountains to the city in 1872. (Listen @8'45'')
Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about French Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne’s expectations for French businesses before the winter. There’s the Bonus Question and the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the difference between India and China’s investment policies on the African continent. There’s the Bonus Question, listener news and “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would ...
France's fascination with Queen Elizabeth II and the British monarchy; being a Russian artist in France in the wake of the Ukraine war; a Parisien house marks two decades of helping journalists in exile.
Some seven million French people watched coverage of the funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, that ended nearly two weeks of mourning and accolades for the British royal family. France's interest in the Queen and the British monarchy seems incongruous, given that France is the land of the Revolution and overthrew its own monarchy in 1789. Catherine Marshall, professor of British history and politics, talks about what draws French people to the Queen, and why the French might be wistful for their own monarch. (Listen @0')
France’s large Russian diaspora includes many artists and intellectuals who’ve built on cultural ties laid down in the late 18th century by enlightenment philosopher Diderot and Empress Catherine the Great. But the war in Ukraine has put a strain on relations – inciting calls for cultural boycotts. Russian-born painter Masha Schmidt talks about setting up the ArtetPaix (Art and Peace) project to encourage aid to Ukraine, and why the closeness of Franco-Russian cultural ties may limit the cancelling of Russian artists. (Listen @13'30'')
The Maison des journalistes (Journalists' house) is celebrating 20 years of helping persecuted journalists settle into exile in France. (Listen @9'10'')
Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the opposition political party that joined Macron’s party to pass spending legislation. There’s the Bonus Question, the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the créole created by the Bushinenge people. There’s the Bonus Question, the “Listeners Corner” with Michael Fitzpatrick, and lots of good music. All that, and the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate ...
As France faces an energy crisis, opposition to wind turbines is slowing a shift to renewables. Making sheep cheese in the land of Roquefort. The Revolutionary origins of the left-right political divide.
France has warned about power cuts this winter after Russia cut off gas supplies to most of Europe in response to sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine. While France's nuclear-heavy energy mix should help it weather the storm, half of the country's reactors are offline, raising the spectre of blackouts. This could be an opportunity to further develop renewable energies, such as wind power, says Yves Marignac (@YvesMarignac), a nuclear expert with the Negawatt think tank. The nuclear lobby and political right are fuelling opposition to windfarms but Marignac says the time is right for a shift and that the French are ready to heed calls for energy sufficiency providing they apply to everyone. (Listen @40'')
France's famous Roquefort blue cheese has been made in the Aveyron region for centuries, but production has dropped in recent years as French cheese eating habits change. People are turning their noses up to stronger, raw milk cheeses, while still looking for local products. Some farmers in Aveyron, long encouraged to produce milk exclusively for Roquefort, are starting to make their own cheese. Remi Seguin has been making cheese on the sheep farm he inherited from his parents, using techniques they taught him, and is enjoying success. (Listen @15'55'')
The left-right political divide dates back to the time of the French Revolution, on 11 September 1789, when members of the constituent assembly chose to sit on different sides of the chamber during a vote on whether or not to give Louis XVI the power of veto. (Listen @11'50'')
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. There’s the Bonus Question, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, “Listeners Corner”, and The Sound Kitchen mailbag. All that, and the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Fatmata Binta, the winner of the prestigious 2022 Basque Culinary World Prize. There’s music (ok, sound) from the Black Hole (no kidding!), the Bonus Question, “Listeners Corner”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a replay of a show aired on 20 August 2020, featuring musical favourites from RFI English journalists Rosslyn Hyams and Laura Angela Bagnetto. Just click on the “Audio” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s quiz: The quiz will be back next week, 27 August.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Life on Mars” by David Bowie; “Weeping Willow” by Alton Ellis, and “Hang on Little Tomato” by Patrick Abbey, China Forbes, and Thomas Lauderdale, performed by Pink Martini.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a replay of a show aired on 15 August 2020, featuring musical favourites from RFI English journalists Angela Diffley and Paul Meyers. Just click on the “Audio” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s quiz: The Sound Kitchen is taking a short break. The quiz will be back on 27 August.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Let’s Call This” by Thelonious Monk, performed by the Thelonious Monk Quartet with Joe Gordon and Harold Land, performed Live at the Blackhawk in 1960; “Both Sides Now” written and performed by Joni Mitchell, and “Both Sides Now” in an arrangement by Vince Mendoza of Claude Debussy’s “Clouds”, sung by Joni Mitchell.
Another summer special, where we look back on what has been called the world's first green hydrogen production plant. And a first-hand account of gay conversion therapy, which has since become a crime in France.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the G7’s PPII project. There’s the Bonus Question, “Listeners Corner”, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a replay of a show aired on 9 November 2019, featuring musical favourites from RFI English journalists Alison Hird, Jan van der Made, and Christina Okello. Just click on the “Audio” button above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s quiz: The Sound Kitchen is taking a short break. The quiz will be back next week, 6 August.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Feelin’ Good” by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, sung by Nina Simone; “Coyote”, written by and sung by Joni Mitchell; "Rondo" from the Pathetique piano sonata no 8 in c minor, op 13 by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by pianist Alfred Brendel; “My Favorite Things” from the musical The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, sung by Julie Andrews; "Buona sera, mio signore" from Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Giacomo Rossini.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the winners of France’s Molière theatre awards. There’s the Bonus Question, the “Listeners Corner”, and news from the Bhutanese cinema. All that, and the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our ...
A special summer episode, in which we update last October's conversation with Jacqueline Jencquel, a member of the French Association for the right to die with dignity (ADMD). She talks about planning her own death and what needs to change in French law. Also, from the archives, a look at pastry chefs preparing Christmas cakes... in August.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the documentary at Cannes that won an Honorary Golden Palm. There’s also the Bonus Question, the Listeners Corner, and “Music from Erwan”. All that, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Rangelands Initiative Africa. You’ll hear about the ePOP competition from RFI’s Planète Radio, there's lots of good music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the three countries which have applied for membership in the European Union. There’s “On This Day”, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, plenty of good music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, ...
Reflecting on the end of the trial of those involved in the 2015 Paris attacks; developing quidditch in France, where some are wary of a sport involving a broom between the legs. And the day that Haiti was forced to pay its former slave masters for its independence.
The trial of the 20 men involved in the 2015 terror attacks in Paris, which left 130 people dead, ended this week after nearly ten months. 19 of the 20 defendents were found guilty of all terrorism-related charges. Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the commando that carried out the attacks, was sentenced to a whole-life term of 30 years in prison. RFI's Michael Fitzpatrick, who has been following the trial since it started in September 2021, talks about how the defendents evolved and what the trial taught him about the rule of law in France. (Listen @2'40'')
Quidditch, the fictional game featured in the Harry Potter books, has developed into a real life sport played in 40 countries. While France has only a few hundred players in a dozen or so teams, the national team won the IQA European Games title in 2019 and will be heading back to defend it in Ireland at the end of July. At a recent practice session, Team France members talk about their love of the game – the only gender-mixed contact sport – and why the broom is an essential ingredient. (Listen @17'45'')
On 11 July 1825, Haiti agreed to pay 150-million gold francs to France to avoid going to war with its former colonial ruler. The payment was deemed necessary to compensate slave owners for losing their ‘property’ after the Haitian revolution. The country is still suffering from the results of this massive independence debt. (Listen @12'15'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Sultan Sarkar from Naogaon, Bangladesh, Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India, and Rakesh Rao, from Tamil Nadu, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Hey My Love” by Andrei Socoliuc played by Deep System; “Pilu Dadra” by Kaushiki Chakroborty, sung by Nath Besar Balam, and “Daddy Cool” by Franck Farian and George Reyam, from the group Boney M.
The quiz is back next Saturday! Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Karuna Kanta Pal and Pranab Kumar Ray, both from West Bengal, India, and Samuel Francis from St. Catherine, Jamaica.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Jamaica Farewell” by Irving Louis Burgie, sung by Harry Belafonte; “Walking Back to Happiness” by John Schroeder and Mike Hawker, sung by Helen Shapiro, and “New Day” by Linda Womack, Cecil Womack and Michael Sembello, sung by George Benson.
More listener requests next Saturday! Be sure and tune in!
France's famously good public healthcare system is in crisis, as emergency services warn of shutdowns over the summer due to lack of staff. Graduates of prestigious AgroParisTech university make waves by turning their backs on an industry they say is "waging war on the living world". The annual Fête de la musique all-day music festival turns 40.
French hospital A&E services are threatening to shut down over the summer due to staff shortages. The French emergency services association estimated a few weeks ago that 120 emergency rooms are facing difficulties – more than half of which have closed partially, at night or at weekends. Healthcare workers warn that this crisis is just the visible manifestation of the collapse of France's renowned healthcare system. Public hospital staff talk about burnout and lack of resources, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic, as the government says it is looking to overhaul the system. (Listen @1'50)
During their graduation ceremony, eight students at AgroParisTech – an elite university that trains the country's top agro-tech engineers – announced they were "swerving" away from the industry they'd spent years preparing for. In a speech that made waves in one of France's most important economic sectors, they denounced studies that were contributing to social and ecological devastation. One of the deserters, who lives in the ZAD (Zone to defend) in Notre Dame des Landes, near Nantes, talks about investing her knowledge and energy into collective, anti-capitalist projects and why others could follow suit. (Listen @14'50'')
On 21 June 1982, the French Culture Minister Jack Lang launched Fête de la musique as a cure for morosity and a showcase for France's known, and less known, musical talent. Forty years later the all-day music festival has spread to 120 countries. (Listen @10'05'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusen, Denmark, Warie Porbeni from Barcelona, Spain, and Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: "Hymn to Freedom" by Oscar Peterson, performed by the Oscar Peterson Trio; “Bodyguard” by David Hinds, played by Steel Pulse, and "La Goualante du Pauvre Jean" by Marguerite Monnot and René Rouzaud, sung by Aurore.
More listener requests next Saturday! Be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the fines imposed on Poland by the European Union. There’s “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, oodles of RFI Club news, plenty of good music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel ...
A first-time candidate for parliament campaigns for the newly unified left. Why a Frenchman has set up camp in one of Gustav Eiffel's ancient plane trees. France marks the jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.
One of the most interesting parts of the upcoming parliamentary elections in France is the way the famously splintered left has come together. For the first time since the 1970s the left is unifying, rallying behind hard left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who hopes to become prime minister. Mélenchon’s France Unbowed party has joined forces with the Greens, Socialists and Communists to form NUPES – New Popular Ecological and Social Union – with the different parties fielding just one common candidate per constituency. In Paris' 7th district, the NUPES candidate is lawyer Caroline Mecary. A newcomer to party politics, she never expected to run for a seat in parliament but is approaching the task with energy and conviction as she tries to unify disparate parts on the left in her first ever campaign. (Listen @0')
Thomas Brail, an arborist from the south of France, has set up camp in a 200-year-old plane tree at the foot of the Eiffel tower. The tree is one of three planted in 1814, before the Eiffel was built, but which were protected by Gustav Eiffel himself. Their existence is threatened, however, by a development project backed by City Hall in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Brail, founder of the National Tree Surveillance Group (GNSA), says France needs to do more to protect trees – "our allies" in the fight against climate change. (Listen @12'45'')
France is joining in Britain's celebration of Queen Elizabeth's jubilee – marking the 70-year reign of a francophile monarch who has made more visits to France than any other foreign country. (Listen @8'55'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the recently formed leftist political parties’ coalition competing in France’s upcoming legislative elections. There’s “On This Day”, plenty of good music, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Paris Marathon. There are musings on doing nothing and the happiness it can bring, plenty of good music, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is ...
Does France's new female Prime Minister mark a victory for feminism? Marseille's creeks (Calanques), faced with degradation, limit visitors. The battle in 1643 that shifted influence in Europe from Spain to France.
Elisabeth Borne, the second female prime minister in France's modern history, bears the official title of "premiere ministre" the feminisation of “premier ministre”. President Emmanuel Macron was under pressure to appoint a woman, and someone with a more left-leaning profile than her predecessor, Jean Castex – a nod to the leftists and Greens who voted for him to block far-right Marine Le Pen. There's plenty of debate over Borne's left-wing credentials and whether she will usher in a more women-led government. Political journalist, Lea Chamboncel (@ChamboncelLea), host of the POPOL podcast and author of a book on women in politics, talks about why Borne's gender is, sadly, still news, and her own mission to get more women's voices heard in French politics. (Listen @0')
Every year, tens of thousands of people flock to the picturesque inlets – known as Calanques – along the Mediterranean coast, eroding the cliffs and damaging vegetation. In a first for France – and Europe – the national park managing the Calanques is limiting access to those closest to Marseille, introducing a permit during the summer months. Isabelle Martinetti visits the area to see how it will impact locals and tourists alike. (Listen @20'05'')
The French army snatched victory from its Spanish rival on 19 May 1643 in the Battle of Rocroi. Gary Girod (@girod_gary) of the French History Podcast explains the importance of the battle that marked the beginning of the end of Spanish dominance on the warfield, and the rise of France in Europe under the reign of Louis XIV. (Listen @12'53'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the American film CODA. There’s “On This Day”, plenty of good music, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: My beloved music ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Hilder Nursery and Primary School. You'll take a tour of a "GreenLab" house in Dallas, Texas, hear "Ollia’s Happy Moment” and “Music from Erwan” - and of course, there's the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Mikhail Baryshnikov from the True Russia Collective. There’s information about Planète Radio’s ePOP video competition which you should all enter, great music, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter. The deadline is tomorrow, 1 May – so get your video in today!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that reaches out to remote populations around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, Planète Radio is holding a video competition on environmental issues. The theme of this year’s competition is “Show how they feel”: You are to create a 3-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures, and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything yet have seen it all - those who are already living with these changes that deteriorate their quality of life.”
Your project can be intergenerational: Get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening to their surroundings or to the place where they grew up. RFI's ePOP video awards shine a light on Africa's environmental crises Your project can also be about how you, or people your age, feel about climate change, given that your future will be affected by this phenomenon.
Gather the words of those around you who are confronting the environmental crisis in their daily lives, investing, researching, and questioning the urgency of deploying solutions to face it.
Prizes for this year’s competition include equipment grants from 1,000 to 4,500 euros, as well as ePOP promotion ...
Back by popular demand! This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a re-play of a special treat: RFI English journalists Zeenat Hansrod and Michael Fitzpatrick share their musical favourites with you. Just click on the arrow in the photo above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s quiz: The Sound Kitchen is taking a short break. The quiz will be back next Saturday, on 30 April.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi” by Gulzar and R. D. Burman, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar, and Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings”, performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein.
Don't forget - it's ePOP time!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that reaches out to remote populations around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, Planète Radio is holding a video competition on environmental issues. The theme of this year’s competition is “Show how they feel”: You are to create a 3-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures, and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything yet have seen it all - those who are already living with these changes that deteriorate their quality of life.”
Your project can be intergenerational: Get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening to their surroundings or to the place where they grew up.
Your project can also be about how you, or people your age, feel about climate change, given that your future ...
The two presidential candidates faced off in a three-hour debate Wednesday in which they tried to convince undecided voters. Did it work? Leftist Mélenchon voters on what to do in the second round. And the first woman elected to office in France in 1925.
In the last leg of France's 2022 presidential election, incumbant Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen finally faced off in a debate, aimed at getting undecided voters on side in Sunday's second round runoff. Le Pen tried to show she was in touch with the people and their problems, and the leader of a rehabilitated far right ready and able to govern. Macron, often criticised for being lofty and arrogant, aimed to highlight fundamental differences between him and his rival, notably on Europe and the Muslim veil, and show that the choice of president will have a major impact on France. Did it convince anyone? (Listen @0')
As well as the two candidates, a third important figure in this election remains the leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. After winning 22 percent of the vote in the first round, the question of where those votes go in the runoff has led to him being called a kingmaker. He called for voters to block Le Pen, but stopped short of endorsing Macron, and his party voted overwhelmingly to abstain or cast blank ballots. Who are these voters, and what is driving their decisions? (Listen @11'15'')
Follow RFI's coverage of the 2022 presidential election here.
If Marine Le Pen wins, she would become France's first female president, nearly a hundred years after the first woman was elected to any office. On 3 May 1925, Joséphine Pencalet was elected to the city council in the Brittany town of Douarnenez. But because women were not yet allowed to vote, her time in office was short-lived. (Listen @8'30'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
Back by popular demand! This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a replay of a special treat: RFI English journalist Paul Myers and former RFI English journalist Angela Diffley share their musical favourites with you. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
This week’s quiz: The Sound Kitchen is taking a short break. The quiz will be back on 30 April.
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Let’s Call This” by Thelonious Monk, performed by the Thelonious Monk Quartet with Joe Gordon and Harold Land – performed Live at the Blackhawk in 1960; “Both Sides Now” written and performed by Joni Mitchell, and “Both Sides Now” in an arrangement by Vince Mendoza of Claude Debussy’s “Clouds”, sung by Joni Mitchell.
Don't forget - it's ePOP time!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that reaches out to remote populations around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, Planète Radio is holding a video competition on environmental issues. The theme of this year’s competition is “Show how they feel”: You are to create a 3-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures, and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything yet have seen it all - those who are already living with these changes that deteriorate their quality of life.”
Your project can be intergenerational: Get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening to their surroundings or to the place where they grew up.
Your ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. There’s information about Planète Radio’s ePOP video competition which you should all enter, and great music from composer, singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that reaches out to remote populations around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, Planète Radio is holding a video competition on environmental issues. The theme of this year’s competition is “Show how they feel”: You are to create a 3-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures, and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything yet have seen it all - those who are already living with these changes that deteriorate their quality of life.”
Your project can be intergenerational: Get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening to their surroundings or to the place where they grew up. RFI's ePOP video awards shine a light on Africa's environmental crises Your project can also be about how you, or people your age, feel about climate change, given that your future will be affected by this phenomenon.
Gather the words of those around you who are confronting the environmental crisis in their daily lives, investing, researching, and questioning the urgency of deploying solutions to face it.
Prizes for this year’s competition include equipment grants from 1,000 to 4,500 euros, as well as ePOP promotion kits and other goodies.
For competition ...
Yellow Vest militants hope to vote Macron out of office. How younger generations are shifting their relationship to voting. And the WWI spy who lobbied successfully to shut down France's brothels in 1946.
Candidates running in the first round of presidential elections this Sunday have made the rising cost of living and loss of purchasing power a key campaign issue. Prices are going up, driven by soaring petrol and energy costs. President Emmanuel Macron, who is running for re-election, knows only too well how angry people can get over fuel hikes: his attempts to introduce a tax on diesel sparked the Yellow Vest protest movement in November 2018 that turned into a revolt against him. While the Covid lockdown in March 2020 put an end to weekly protests, the Yellow Vest did not die out and some militants see the election as a way of finally getting shot of Macron. Agnès and Nathalie joined the Yellow Vests in Chartres, and feature in a documentary film about the movement, Un peuple (A French Revolution), by Emmanuel Gras. They talk to us about how their lives have changed since 2018 and why the battle is far from over. (Listen @2'56'')
Macron is leading in the polls but the key to winning the 2022 presidential election will depend a lot on voter turnout, which has been steadily decreasing in most French elections in the last two decades. However, political scientist Vincent Tiberj (@vtiberj), editor of a recent book of essays about voting behaviour in France, Extinction de vote (Vote extinction), points out that abstention rates vary, depending on the election and the issue at hand. He talks about how voting has changed drastically in France over the last couple of generations. (Listen @23'20'')
On 13 April 1946, France closed its 1,400 brothels, thanks to a woman named Marthe Richard. Prostituted as a teenager, she went on to have a particularly varied and colourful life – as a pilot, spy and politician. (Listen @16'45'')
This episode was mixed by Nicolas Doreau.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about International Women’s Day, plus a look at an extraordinary woman from India, Dr. Hemalatha Nomula. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, “Music from Erwan”, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that reaches out to remote populations around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, Planète Radio is holding a video competition on environmental issues. The theme of this year’s competition is “Show how they feel”: You are to create a 3-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures, and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything yet have seen it all - those who are already living with these changes that deteriorate their quality of life.”
Your project can be intergenerational: Get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening to their surroundings or to the place where they grew up.
Your project can also be about how you, or people your age, feel about climate change, given that your future will be affected by this phenomenon.
Gather the words of those around you who are confronting the environmental crisis in their daily lives, investing, researching, and questioning the urgency of deploying solutions to face it.
Prizes for this year’s competition include equipment grants from 1,000 to 4,500 euros, as well as ePOP promotion kits and other goodies.
For competition guidelines and more information about the four different categories you can enter, click here.
You can ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the specific effects on France due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There’s an Eiffel Tower mini-history lesson, The Sound Kitchen mailbag, "Music from Erwan", and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, Planète Radio is holding a video competition on environmental issues. The theme of this year’s competition is “Show how they feel”: You are to create a 3-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures, and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything yet have seen it all - those who are already living with these changes that deteriorate their quality of life."
Your project can be intergenerational: Get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up.
Or your project can be about how you feel, or your contemporaries, whose future will be affected by climate change. Gather the words of those around you who are confronting the environmental crisis in their daily lives, investing, researching, and questioning the urgency of deploying solutions to face it.
Prizes for this year’s competition include equipment grants from 1000 to 4500 euros, as well as ePOP promotion kits and other goodies.
For competition guidelines and more information about the four different categories you can enter, click here.
You can also write to us at english.service@rfi.fr if ...
France's presidential candidates court the hunting vote; how France is welcoming Ukrainian refugees; and Roland Barthes – ahead of his time in thinking about non-binary identity and language.
Hunting is France's third most popular pastime, after fishing and football, and the country's 1.1 million licence holders see themselves as a political force. Presidential candidates have been pushed into addressing hunting after some high-profile accidents led to calls to curb – or even ban – it. Several were recently invited to address the French federation of hunters (FNC) and lay out their policies. Hunter Denis Plat (@platdenis), editor of the online hunting magazine J'aime la chasse (I love hunting), defends the tradition and says it's far more socially and politically diverse than its image. Faced with what they see as an attempt "to destroy a certain way of life", hunters are ready to fight back. (Listen @1'58)
France is prepared to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion, with citizens offering spaces in their homes and donating clothes, toys and other basic necessities. Paris has set up a Ukrainian welcome centre to help people get temporary residency papers and find housing. We visit the centre at the Porte de Versailles and meet people arriving in France for the first time, not as tourists, but as refugees. Their welcome is strikingly different from the one refugees from other countries have received in France, says Emmanuel Olliver, director of the French Salvation Army. (Listen @19'20)
French intellectual and essayist Roland Barthes, who died on 26 March 1980, is remembered for his ground-breaking work on semiology, but he also anticipated the question of non-binary identity and language. (Listen @15'15)
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French Gold medallists in this year’s Winter Olympics. There’s all you need to know about the Hindu festival Holi from RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty, Music from Erwan, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the first World Radio Day celebration. RFI English journalist Zeenat Hansrod will help us celebrate Independence Day in Mauritius, her home country, and there's The Sound Kitchen mailbag, with music composed and performed by listener Warie Porbeni. All that and the new quiz question, too, so tune in! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, ...
Dissecting the nationalist and racist language of presidential candidate Eric Zemmour, France's push to label nuclear energy as green. And the origins of family aid policies that have supported France's high birth rate for over 90 years.
One of France's 12 presidential candidates is the unashamedly xenophobic, anti-Islam writer and political pundit Eric Zemmour, whose popularity partially stems from his way with words. Using literary and historical references, he puts a positive spin on some of France’s more difficult historical moments, praising colonialism or claiming the Vichy regime protected French Jews. Semiologist Cécile Alduy (@cecilealduy), author of La langue de Zemmour (The language of Zemmour), has dissected the structure of his discourses. She talks about how this enables him to advance his political and ideological ambitions and how he has differentiated himself from the other far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. (Listen @3'10'')
Even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine – which has called Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas into question – energy prices were soaring in France. As Europe now looks for alternatives to gas, France's reliance on nuclear as its major energy source puts it in a unique position. President Emmanuel Macron recently touted nuclear as the way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and has backed a European Commission proposal to label nuclear energy a “green” investment. But some climate activists have called this greenwashing. French Greens MEP Marie Toussaint (@marietouss1) says France's dependence on nuclear hinders a real revolution in its energy economy, and will hamper its long-term emissions goals. (Listen @19'20'')
The "allocations familiales" or family allowance is a cornerstone of France's social benefits system. The monthly stipend is universal and increases with the number of children. The benefits were officially introduced with a law on 11 March 1932, though their roots go back to WW1 when France's declining birth rate became a cause for concern. (Listen @13'30'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
In this week's The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear about French president Emmanuel Macron’s priority heading the EU Council. Fellow listener Hans Verner Lollike talks about Ukraine, and we'll play Ukraine’s National Anthem. We'll look at International Women’s Day with a music request from Sultan Sarkar, Ollia’s Happy Moment, and on Music from Erwan, an excellent all-woman Cuban son ensemble. All that and the new quiz question, too, so tune in! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Nobel Peace Prize-winning NGO, Médicins Sans Frontières. There’s news about the Baha’i festival Ayyam-i-Ha, information on palindromes and ambigrams (!), and contemporary music from Cuba on Music from Erwan. All that and the new quiz question, too, so tune in! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me ...
Imams-in-training learn about the roots of their religion, and the specific French context of an 'Islam of France'. Breaking the glass ceiling as women entrepreneurs push for more startup funding. And the journalist who called on Parisians to rise up for democracy during the French Revolution.
The French government has innagurated the first Forum of the Islam of France to figure out how to structure a so-called 'Islam de France' – Islam of France. One question is whether to give Imams an official status, via formal training, as a tool to fight against radicalisation. Three institutions in France currently provide this kind of training, including the Al Ghazali Institute in the main Paris Mosque, which trains Imams and Mourchidates – the equivalent for women. For the students, the training is a way to better understand their religion within a French context, governed by the principles of laicité. (Listen @2'45'')
In the early days of his presidency, Emmanuel Macron pledged to turn France into a startup nation, setting up a 5-billion-euro fund which has made good on his hope for France to have 25 so-called "unicorns" – billion-dollar companies – by 2025. The number was reached ahead of schedule, but only one of them was formed by a mixed group. Women entrepreneurs struggle to raise capital to scale up their business, but the Sista collective aims to close the gender finance gap in France's startup world. Marine Wetzel, co-founder of a femtech startup Imana Care (an app to help women with hormonal imbalance), talks about the challenges of getting financing and what Sista is doing to help. (Listen @14'50'',)
Camille Desmoulins, born 2 March 1760, was a renowned journalist and pamphleteer who spoke out in favour of a Republic in the runup to the Revolution and used his oratory skills to spur Parisians to storm the Bastille. He was also one of the first people in France to defend freedom of expression. (Listen @9'45'')
This episode was mixed by Nicolas Doreau.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Senegal's national fish and rice dish, thiebou dieune. There’s some interesting information about “second-wave feminism”, a really great bass guitar player featured on Music from Erwan - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would ...
This week The Sound Kitchen is offering up a delicious community meal: listeners from all over the world sent in their recorded World Radio Day greetings, and you sure don’t want to miss out on that. You’ll hear the answer to the question about the official working languages at the United Nations and a wonderfully ironic choice for Valentine’s Day on Music from Erwan - and of course, there’s the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you ...
Does French work culture tolerate bullshit jobs for the sake of work/life balance? Developing a vegan egg in a country with no strong vegan culture but an egg-heavy cuisine. How Moulinex helped free French women from their culinary shackles.
When American anthropologist David Graeber coined the term 'bullshit jobs' in a 2018 book, his definition rested on self-reporting: if someone feels their job is pointless, then it is. His argument was that bullshit jobs are a product of capitalism, which requires everyone to work. The concept took off in popular culture around the world. But Franco-German journalist Nicolas Kayser-Bril (@nicolaskb), who has worked his share of bullshit jobs, noticed it had not been picked up by academics. So he researched and wrote his own book, Imposture à temps complet: Pourquoi les bullshit jobs envahissent le monde (Full time imposters, why bullshit jobs are taking over the world), in which he refined Graeber’s definition. Turns out bullshit jobs are 'opaque' and 'unclarifiable', and France is full of them. (Listen @3'20'')
France is known more for its butter croissants and egg-based creams than for its vegan cooking, but a startup is hoping to change that. Two female scientists have developed Le Papondu (Not laid), an entirely plant and mineral-based egg that cooks just like a chicken egg. The market for vegan and vegetarian food in France remains small, but it is growing, as are allergies in children which partly motivated the young scientists to hatch their vegan alternative. And how do they taste? (Listen @21')
On 16 February 1932, French industrialist Jean Mantelet patented the ‘moulin-legumes’, a food mill intended to help his wife in the kitchen. His company went on to create the first electric appliances in France, and in 1957 it became Moulinex, which advertised itself as 'liberating women in the kitchen with the press of a button'. (Listen @16'48'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Samuel Francis from Jamaica, Tanima Tanne from Narayanganj, Bangladesh, and Sultan Sarkar, the president of the Shetu RFI Fan Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Wind Beneath my Wings” by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar, sung by Bette Midler, “The Cuckoo” by Louis Claude Daquin, performed by György Cziffra, and “Ainsi soit-il” by Chrystelle Nammour, sung by Chrystelle Nammour with guitarist Raphh Aël.
France's biggest-ever court case continues with dramatic interventions from witnesses and defendents. A bill to criminalise bullying at school and university raises questions. The 19th century roots of growing anti-intellectualism in France.
The trial of 14 men accused of taking part and planning the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks is now at the halfway point. RFI journalist Michael Fitzpatrick has been covering the trial from the outset, and has written about it as a “ritual” of justice. He talks about the drama inherent in such a ritual, and the impact the trial has had on survivors of the attacks and families of victims – many of whom are participating as 'partie civil' (civil party). Their desire to put their suffering and grief into public record may well extend the trial beyond May, when it was scheduled to end. (Listen @0'00)
Around one out of 10 children in France have experienced some form of harassment at school and a draft bill going through parliament would make bullying in schools and universities a criminal offence. But is this an adapted response? At a centre outside of Paris to help bullied kids, parents and children talk about feeling helpless faced with harassment which has pushed some children to take their own lives. (Listen @16'50'')
Intellectuals play an important role in public life in France, but a certain anti-intellectualism is growing, with critiques of race and gender studies in universities, and nationalists positioning themselves against leftist universalism. The negative connotation is not new however and can be traced back to the 19th century, in an article published on 1 February 1898 in the midst of the Dreyfus Affair. (Listen @11'10'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1241973975).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from India, Ralf Urbanczyk from Germany, and Muhammad Nasyr from Nigeria.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: "Aaj bikeler dak-e to-mar chitthi pelam" by Shri Jatileshwr Mukhopadhay and Shri Prabir Majumder, sung by Monidipa; “Un Jour en France” by Bernard Cantat and Noir Désir, and “Nos vies parallèles” by Frédéric Chateau and Thierry Surgeon, sung by Anggun and Florent Pagny.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Sultan Mahmud from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Fred Waterer from St Catherine, Ontario, in Canada.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: "Je suis Greque" by Joe Dassin, Richelle Dassin, and Pierre Delanoë, sung by Melina Mercouri; "They Don’t Care About Us" by Michael Jackson, and "Le temps passe" by Stomy Bugsy and Doc Gyneco, performed by Johnny Hallyday, Stomy Bugsy, Doc Gyneco, and Passi.
Which Macron vowed to "piss off" the unvaccinated and why? The 17th century female playwrights around Molière, as France marks his 400th anniversary with pomp and circumstance. The African kingdom that made France tremble in the 19th century, until its king surrendered.
President Emmanuel Macron shocked France when he used a curse word to describe his Covid strategy to put pressure on the unvaccinated, calling them irresponsible and non-citizens. Research suggests that such a confrontational approach is more likely to push people away from vaccination, so the message could be counter-productive. Unless, that is, he was addressing a different audience. Political scientist Philippe Moreau Chevrolet (@moreauchevrolet) says Macron’s strategy may pay off electorally in the short term, but it comes at a price. (Listen @0')
17th century playwright Molière is a school curriculum staple in France and his plays are performed all around the world. As France marks the 400th anniversary of his birth, people are battling to appropriate his legacy – either nostalgic for a bygone glorious era or trying to establish his contemporary 'Republican' credentials. Moliere's satirical works poked fun at authority, and he denounced violence against women. But actor, director and researcher Aurore Evain (@auroreevain) cautions against calling him a feminist. She speaks about the influence of female actors around Molière and her discovery of 17th century women playwrights who influenced both him and his work. (Listen @16'50'')
When France returned the Benin Bronzes in November 2021, it was returning treasure from the Dahomey kingdom, which fell on 15 January 1894 when King Behanzin surrendered to the French army after two wars. Today he is remembered as the monarch who made French tremble, but his kingdom, and the treasures in it, were also a product of the slave trade. (Listen @11'25'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani and Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1241973975).
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the mysterious sound recorded by RFI English journalist Laura Angela Bagnetto. You’ll learn about a young man’s effort to reduce de-deforestation in Sierra Leone, hear some great Music from Erwan, and of course, there's the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India, Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany, and Anne Anika from Narayanganj, Bangladesh.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Petite Fleur” by Sidney Bechet, sung by Pétula Clark; “Souvenir de Herkulesbad, Walzer Op. 124” by Jakob Pazeller, performed by the Hungarian State Orchestra conducted by János Ferencsik, and “Come Rain or Come Shine” by Harold Arlen and Johnny Marker, sung by Dinah Washington.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear our annual listener New Year Resolution show, co-hosted by my daughter Mathilde (as always!) There’s music by request, notes on good things that happened in 2021 (there were some, really!) and a special New Year musical gift from The Sound Kitchen’s sound engineer, musician Erwan Rome. Of course, there’s the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all! Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts! In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Sweden’s Prime Minister. There’s lots of Christmas music and cheer, listener letters, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the colour of blue in France’s flag. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, lots of good music – and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in ...
Inclusive writing and gender-neutral language divide France. The merits of homesharing across generations. And the trial that started the Dreyfus affair, kicking off a left-right split that's still felt today.
The recent addition of the gender-neutral pronoun 'iel', a contraction of "il" (he) and "elle" (she), into the Petit Robert's online dictionary became a national drama, fuelling very vocal opposition to inclusive writing. Its opponents present it as a threat not only to the French language, but the country’s core values. French is a gendered language, and the masculine takes precedence, but academics and linguists have been working on how to write in a less gender-biased way. Raphaël Haddad (@raphaelhaddad), author of a guide to inclusive writing and whose company teaches local authorities and corporations how to use it effectively, talks about its development, despite the pushback. And literature “professeuse” Eliane Viennot explains how inclusive language is in fact a French tradition. (Listen @1'45'').
The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the downside of living alone – with elderly people on their own and isolated students in small studios especially hard hit during lockdowns. Some housing programmes have brought these two groups of people together through the concept of intergenerational living, matching elderly people with a spare room in their homes with young people looking for accommodation in cities short on affordable student housing. Parisien roommates Jeanne and Brigitte were matched by Pari Solidaire, which has seen a gradual increase in demand for this kind of housing, after a drop last year due to the health crisis. (Listen @18'20'').
Jewish army captain, Alfred Dreyfus, was sentenced to life in prison on 22 December 1894 for allegedly selling military secrets to Germany. It was the start of a decade-long crisis, which came to be known as the Dreyfus affair. It split France politically and brought deep-seated anti-Semitism to the surface. The results of both still resonate in France today. (Listen @14'05'').
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French singer/songwriter Georges Brassens. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, “Music from Erwan”, lots of good music - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the percentage of people over 50 years old in France’s hospitals with Covid-19 infections. There’s a tribute to the wonderful Josephine Baker, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, lots of good music - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is ...
A visit to the world's first green hydrogen production plant, in western France. Major delays in IVF for all women, months after legalisation. And the Canut revolt of 1831 – the first workers' protests of the industrial revolution.
Is hydrogen the energy of the future? Some say the future is now. Lhyfe, a startup in Brittany in western France, has opened what it says is the world's first green hydrogen production plant, extracting the gas from water using electricity generated from local wind turbines. CEO Matthieu Guesné says when he started talking about green hydrogen in 2017, no one paid attention. Today, France is investing billions in the technology. We visit the plant and take a ride in a hydrogen vehicle in Nantes, whose transit authority, Semitan, is experimenting with the technology. (Listen @3'26'')
France passed a law this summer allowing single women and lesbian couples to get fertility treatment, previously reserved for heterosexual couples. Single women seeking IVF used to have to go abroad, often to neighbouring Spain or Belgium. There's been a surge in demand since the new law came into effect but the system is unable to keep up. Eloïne Fouilloux, vice-president of support group Les enfants d’arc en ciel, talks about staffing shortages in French fertility clinics and the cultural taboo against sperm and egg donations, which contributes to the problem. (Listen @18'37'')
In 1831, after an uprising of Canut silk workers in Lyon, King Louis Philippe cracked down, crushing one of the first workers' protests of the industrial era. (Listen @13'50'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about female genital mutilation. There’s “On This Day”, The Sound Kitchen mailbag, lots of good music - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the theme for this year’s Panafrican Film Festival of Ouagadougou. There’s “On This Day”, “Music from Erwan”, The Sound Kitchen mailbag, lots of good music - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your ...
An experimental centre near Bordeaux offers Alzheimer's sufferers more freedom and less medication; debate over whether a translator's identity matters following the Amanda Gorman controversy, and France honours Josephine Baker – performer, Resistance hero and civil rights activist – with a place in the Pantheon.
The Covid pandemic showed the limits of caring for the elderly within nursing homes, raising concern over how they are treated, especially those with Alzheimer's – a incurable form of dementia, often accompanied by anxiety and depression. During France's first lockdown in the spring of 2020, some patients were confined to their rooms to protect them from infection, adding to their sense of isolation and confusion. The Village Landais Alzheimer in Dax, south of Bordeaux, is experimenting a very different, non-pharmacological approach, providing 120 patients with the chance to carry on living as much of their ordinary daily life as possible within a vast but secure setting. A visit to the village offers a glimpse of what Alzheimer's care could end up looking like in France, if research concludes it is effective. (Listen @1'20'')
Translation is very visible in France: most movies and TV series are dubbed, and large numbers of books are read in translation. The spotlight was recently shone on the work of translators following controversy over who would translate Amanda Gorman – the 22-year-old African-American spoken-word artist who presented her poem The Hill at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2020. The white poet chosen by the Dutch publisher stepped down from the job after questions were raised about why a black artist had not been picked. Literature professor and translator Thiphaine Samoyault talks about why it made sense to choose Marie-Pierre Kakoma, aka Lous and Yakuza, a 24-year-old Belgian-Congolese performer, for the French translation, and why a translator's identity matters. She also talks about the inherent violence in translation, the subject of her most recent book, 'Translation and violence'. (Listen @20'12'')
Josephine Baker was the most successful American entertainer working in France in the 1920s and '30s. She was also a Resistance heroine and civil rights activist. On 30 November she will become the sixth woman, and the first black woman, to enter the Pantheon – France's mausoleum of 'great men'. In deciding to honour her, President Emmanuel Macron called Baker a figure of reconcilliation for France. (Listen @15'30'')
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Spotify (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the percentage of classrooms closed due to Covid-19. There’s “On This Day”, “Music from Erwan”, lots of good music - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr. Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Germany’s September federal elections. You’ll hear about two women artists who aim to spread hope through their art, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Harkis in France. There’s a wonderful listener essay by Bhashkar Paul on the theme “My Ordinary Hero”, “Music from Erwan” - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear music written and performed by the Women in Jazz South Florida collective. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – ...
How France is dragging its feet in returning African art and artefacts housed in its museums. An advocate of euthanasia talks about fighting for the right to die when and how she wants. And Georges Brassens, the "French Woodie Guthrie", continues to thrill with his free-spirited songs, full of word play, 100 years after his birth.
The France-Africa summit, held regularly since the early 1970s, has long been seen as continuing 'Franceafrique' – the networks of influence France has in its former African colonies. This year's event, held in Montpellier, was different. Instead of African leaders, hundreds young people from across the continent interacted with President Macron. A key subject was the restitution of art and objects looted during the colonial wars. Laura Angela Bagnetto, host of the Africa Calling podcast, talks about France's commitment to returning objects, which many at the summit consider is going too slowly. She speaks with Nigerian cultural historian Oluwatoyin Sogbesan (@digiculture4art), who says all objects, not matter how ordinary, are important for African countries to connect to their history. (Listen @0')
The issue of assisted dying, or euthanasia, has long been debated in France. It remains illegal here, despite recent efforts to pass laws to the contrary. Some people who want to end their lives, and have the financial means, go to neighbouring countries like Switzerland or Belgium, where assisted suicide is legal, though highly regulated. Jacqueline Jencquel, 77, a member of the French Association for the right to die in dignity (ADMD), talks about setting a date for her own death, counselling and advising others and why the law in France needs to change. Listen @15'10'')
France is marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of singer-poet Georges Brassens, whose free sprit and way with words make him as popular as ever. (Listen @10'10'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, Erwan Rome takes you to Cuba for a musical journey of “Son Cubano”, Cuba’s most recognisable musical style. Enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the neighbourhood in Brussels where the 15 November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks were planned. There’s “On This Day”, some great music from Mexico as well as “Music from Erwan” - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is ...
A historic vote in parliament as French MPs unanimously approve a bill criminalising conversion therapy for LGBT+ people; no quick fix for Paris's growing crack cocaine problem; and the changing face of elite school ENA, founded 76 years ago this week.
France made history this week when MPs from every political party voted to ban conversion therapy for gay and transgendered people, a practice which the UN has compared to torture. Many victims in France suffer the scars of psychological trauma. Benoit Berthé (@TheSiward) co-founder of the collective Rien à guerir (Nothing to heal), talks about the satisfaction in helping getting attitudes to change in France and his own experience of being forced into psycho-spiritual sessions by his devout Catholic parents, who were persuaded he would happier as a heterosexual. (Listen @0'00)
Paris is facing a new crack crisis, with groups of homeless addicts making life hell for residents and businesses in the city’s northeast and its surrounding suburbs. As the city and the national government throw responsibility for the problem back and forth, France’s approach to drugs and addiction is showing its limitations. Are addicts victims in need of medical treatment, or criminals in need of punishment? France’s 1970 drug law says both, which makes it difficult to put in place risk reduction programmes, like drug consumption rooms – that have been used elsewhere for decades. (Listen @18'35)
France’s Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA), founded by Charles de Gaulle at the end of World War II, was an emblem of meritocracy at the outset. But the graduate school, famous for training presidents and senior civil servants in the art of governance, gradually became a symbol of elitism. Emmanuel Macron promised to close it in the wake of the Yellow Vest crisis, but has now settled for a reform and a change of name. (Listen @14'05)
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the number of Afghans who applied for asylum in France in 2020. There’s a birthday tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, news from listeners, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, “Music from Erwan” - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about the coup which unseated Chad’s Hissène Habré. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, listener news, Music from Erwan - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St ...
How journalists are covering the 2015 terror attacks trial. The artists who have an important role in bringing French courtrooms alive. And France recognises Harkis' suffering, offering hope for reparations, nearly six decades after the end of the Algerian war of independence.
Jihadists who planned and carried out the 2015 Paris attacks are being tried in France's biggest ever court case. Twenty people are on trial, including the only surviving member of the commando unit which killed 130 people in multiple attacks on the evening of 13 November 2015. Many more were injured and traumatised. Journalist Michael Fitzpatrick talks about the challenges of covering the historic nine-month trial, and resisting the temptation to let the accused take centre stage. (Listen @2'20)
Cameras and audio recording equipment are not allowed in French courtrooms, so any visuals coming out of a trial are illustrations made by one of a few dozen courtroom artists working in France today. Joris Le Drain talks about using oil paint to honestly portray what is happening, and Dominique Lemarié compares her experience as a court artist in the US and in France over the last 40 years. (Listen @ 8'15)
France has officially recognised and asked for forgiveness for the suffering of the Harkis, Algerian Muslims who fought with the French army during the 1954-1962 Algerian independence war and were then abandoned. President Emmanuel Macron's declaration, a few days before the annual Harki Day on 25 September, has broader ramifications for Franco-Algerian relations, and for the president himself. (Listen @19'25)
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about Zambia’s new president. There’s a “sonic postcard” from the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France, where RFI hosted the winners of the Planète Radio ePOP video competition, which included the first anglophone winner, Adita Prithika Subramanian from Tamil Nadu, India. There’s listener news, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners Prothama Prome from Narayanganj, Bangladesh; Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim, Germany; and Shivendu Paul from Murshidabad, India.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Blue Light Yokohama” by Kyohei Tsutsumi and Jun Hashimoto, sung by Aurmi Ishida; “Grand Fantasy on Polish Airs” Op. 13 by Frederic Chopin, performed by Artur Rubinstein and the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, and “Aye Tobi Shohochori” by Rabindranath Tagore, sung by Somlota.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, the 18th of September, co-hosted by Adita Prithika, the president of the RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tamil Nadu, India – and the winner of the 2020 ePOP video competition (RFI Clubs category) sponsored by RFI’s Planète Radio department. You’ll hear the answer to the question about Zambia’s new president, and all about the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, which is where we are right now! Be sure and tune in!
Why are people protesting the Covid health pass in France? Challenging terroir by growing lavender outside of Provence. The birth of Le Canard Enchainé, the weekly that has brought down politicians and holds power to account.
Spotlight on France is back! During the summer break the Covid health pass became an integral part of French daily life. The government argues that encouraging people to get vaccinated against the virus is necessary to avoid another lockdown. It seems to have worked: vaccination rates are up and the fourth wave has remained under control in mainland France. But a small but vocal minority oppose the pass and have been protesting weekly since July. While the government and much of the media paints them as fringe anti-vaxers, the movement is broader than QAnon conspirationists and vaccine sceptics. We met people at a recent demonstration in Paris to hear why they they are so opposed. (Listen @0'40'')
France’s traditions are linked to the land – wine has its terroir, cheese has its protected appellation. Lavender has long been associated with the southern region of Provence, in the foothills of the Alps, north of Marseille. For two centuries the purple flower has been cultivated intensively for its oil, used in the perfume and pharmaceutical industry. In eastern Aveyron, some 250 kilometres to the west of Provence, sheep farmer Laurent Fages has discovered that the terrain in his area is also perfectly suited to growing lavender. (Listen @18'30'')
The first issue of Le Canard Enchainé, one of France's last investigative newspapers, came out on 10 September 1915. It was aimed at countering pro-military propaganda being spread in mainstream media during WW1. Known for its independence, it remains a significant force in French public life. (Listen @14')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about the Best Actress laureate of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. There’s listener news, Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, "Music from Erwan" - and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about the first woman to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. You’ll hear about Pakistan’s “Ten Billion Tree Tsunami” initiative, as well as music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s sound engineer, musician Erwan Rome. Of course, there’s the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about the referendum on climate change. There’s oodles of news from India: you’ll hear about the 10-day Onam Festival, Independence Day, Raksha Bandhan, and the upcoming visit to Paris of last year’s ePOP video competition winner, Adita Prithika. There’s music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s sound engineer, musician Erwan Rome, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose "Listen to RFI / Podcasts", and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear music chosen by RFI English sound engineer Vincent Pora. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: My beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear music requested by you, the RFI English and The Sound Kitchen listeners. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: My beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a history of Cuban music put together by our sound engineer, musician Erwan Rome. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
Another idea for your students: my beloved music teacher from St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Br Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about France’s second round of regional elections. You’ll hear about Simon Bolivar Day and the Carnival of Awussu, the Tunisian hot-weather festival. There’s music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner's names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes using your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about France’s first round of regional elections. I'll tell you about my mini sight-seeing trip around Paris, there's an homage to the Bollywood icon Dilip Kumar, and you'll listen to music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s sound engineer, musician Erwan Rome. All that and the new quiz question, too - so just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes using your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about Mali’s “coup within a coup”. There’s “On This Day”, music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producer-sound engineer-musician Erwan Rome, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still part of the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes using your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send them to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the quiz about Paris’ “low-traffic zone” policy. Listener Hans Verner Lollike from Denmark shares two of the unique moments in his life, there’s Ollia Horton’s “Happy Moment”, music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome - and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world ...
Is Marine Le Pen's 'softening' of the hard-right National Rally the right strategy to win the presidency? The American who pioneered quinoa farming in France. How a tragic blaze pushed Napoleon to launch the Paris fire brigade.
Turnout was massively low in both rounds of last month's regional elections, even amongst supporters of the hard-right National Rally, which had been predicted to win at least one region. Only thirty percent of RN voters showed up. When Marine Le Pen took the National Front from her father in 2011, she renamed it and rebranded it as a less radical party to try to broaden the support base. But it's a risky game. Political scientist Jean-Yves Camus (@jeanyvescamus1), a specialist of the hard right, says Le Pen's strategy could be backfiring, alienating some of the party's followers. (Listen @0'00'')
Quinoa, a seed that is eaten like a grain, has been grown in the Andean region of South America for hundreds of years. The rest of the world "discovered" quinoa in the early 2000s, and global demand went through the roof, putting a strain on producers in Peru and Bolivia. Farmers around the world started thinking about how they could grow quinoa, and over the past decade France has developed a local production, becoming Europe’s largest producer. The bulk is grown in the Anjou, or Maine-et-Loire region in the west of the country, thanks to one man from Tennessee, Jason Abbott.(Listen @13'10'')
The 8,500 firefighers in Paris' fire brigade, the sapeurs pompiers, are professional soldiers, part of military corps put in place by Napoleon after a tragic fire on 1 July 1810. (Listen @9'30'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to two quizzes: the number of films waiting to be screened in France, and the names of the players in Mali’s recent “coup within a coup”. There’s listener news and letters, music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome - and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all ...
The hijacking of France's regional election campaign, the fight to keep local languages alive and the first paid vacations for all in 1936.
French people head to the polls on Sunday to decide what the country’s 18 regional councils will look like. The regions are intended to spread power away from Paris, using substantial budgets to run high schools, universities and contribute to public health infrastructure and tourism. And yet the 2021 campaigns have been focused on national questions of security and immigration. Political scientist Bruno Cautres (@BCautres) laments the lack of debate around the role of regions, especially in the wake of the Covid crisis, coming on the heels of the Yellow Vest protests. The increasing influence of Marine Le Pen’s hard-right National Rally on French politics is just one of the explanations. (Listen @3'30'')
The French parliament in April approved a bill allowing primary schools to teach in one of France's 20+ regional languages alongside French. Finally getting state recognition for immersive teaching was warmly welcomed as an affirmation of regional identities, marginalised since the French Revolution imposed linguistic unity. But the bill has since been judged anti-constitutional because it breaches article 2, which states that the language of the Republic is French. Linguistic anthropologist James Costa (@seamasdubh) talks to David Coffey, host of the Paris Perspective podcast, about the thorny politics of language diversity in France. (Listen @18'36'')
France's generous paid leave has its roots in the Front Populaire, which introduced two weeks of holidays for all French employees on 20 June 1936. But workers did not pack their suitcases right away. France had to develop a tourist and leisure industry to accompany the time off. (Listen @13'50'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the house where Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile. You’ll discover the “dandy horse”, hear some listener news and great music, and of course, there’s the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the 12-year-old who broke the five-kilometer road run record. There’s listener news, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and a Father’s Day present to RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If ...
A sufferer of chronic pain hopes to get relief using cannabis, as part of France's first ever experiment with medical marijuana. PSG striker Nadia Nadim on the thrills of playing to the crowds again. And Toussaint Louverture, the "black superhero" who defied Napoleon.
France has embarked on an experiment with medical marijuana, to see how distributing and prescribing it could work, logistically. It is a step before full-scale drug trials that could lead towards legalisation, and is intended to allay concerns about the use of the drug, which remains illegal in France. Doctors like neurologist Didier Bouhassira are convinced of the beneficial effects of cannabis on a range of medical conditions. We meet one of his patients at the pain centre of the Antoine Pare hospital in Boulogne, west of Paris, who is desperate to join the experiment to ease her pain. (Listen @3'50'')
French football fans are slowly being allowed back into stadiums, and players are looking forward to performing in front of big crowds again. We talk to Nadia Nadim (@nadia_nadim), a striker with the Paris Saint Germain’s women’s team. Born in Afghanistan, she came to Europe as a refugee and developed a passion for football in a camp in Denmark. As she publishes her memoir, Mon histoire (My story), she tells us about adjusting to life in France, and how, as a headstrong Muslim woman, she fitted into one of France’s top women’s teams. (Listen @20')
Toussaint Louverture, born a slave in the French Caribbean colony of Saint Domingue, ended up leading a revolt that would lead to the independence of the island, known today as Haiti. But he paid the price, crossing the path of Napoleon Bonaparte. Toussaint Louverture was arrested on 7 June 1802, and deported to France, where he died in prison. (Listen @14'40'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the president of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival jury. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, and an introduction to the haunting sound of the ondes Martenot, with music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about France banning certain domestic flights. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, and a voyage to southern Portugal with music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. ...
How France is helping Sudan unearth its ancient kingdoms; the changing face of philanthropy in France; and Sophie la girafe, the iconic rubber teething companion, turns 60.
For more than 50 years now, French archaeologists have been working with the Sudanese antiquities division to help excavate and preserve remarkable sites like the city of Meroe: the capital of one of the earliest and most developed states on the African continent. As in ancient Egypt, the Merotic kings and queens were buried in pyramids and more than 200 of them remain, some in ruins. Laura Angela Bagnetto recently visited the pyramids and met the head of the French section Marc Maillot. He talks about the latest fascinating dig in Meroe and France's role in helping keep Sudanese patrimony alive. (Listen @2'59'')
When Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris went up in flames in 2019, more than €800 million in donations were pledged in just a few days; hundreds of millions from a handful of super-rich French magnates. Unlike the US, France is unaccustomed to such obvious displays of personal wealth and many people were surprised, even shocked. Anne Monier (@annem), co-director of the philanthropy chair at Essec business school, talks about how philanthropy is indeed developing in France but in a different way from the US. Americans meanwhile are providing considerable donations to France in return for 'social capital' which for the happy few can mean a Legion of Honour. (Listen @17'43'')
The first 'Sophie la girafe' rubber toy came out of the mould on 25 May 1961. 60 years later, she continues to be made the same artisanal way, and is coveted in France and abroad. (Listen @12'15'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about Egypt’s pharaohs. There’s a bit of WW II history – it’s Victory in Europe Day - and you’ll find out who the Hyksos were (didn’t you always want to know?) There’s wonderful music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps ...
The young geeks revolutionising health data in France with Covidtracker. How the pandemic has boosted demand for home-grown flowers. And Charles Perrault, father of the fairy tale genre.
Some ten million people a day visit Covidtracker, which takes the government's official Covid data and presents it in an engaging and easy-to-digest way. Set up a year ago by Guillaume Rozier, a young data wiz, 40 volunteers now keep the site running. Elias Orphelin (@eorphelin), a 22-year old marketing analyst, was one of the first to join Rozier in the adventure. He talks about helping his country by "making data speak" and how the independent, apolitical nature of their platform has boosted public trust in the vaccination campaign. (Listen @2'45'')
The Covid pandemic is transforming the French flower business. While the vast majority of flowers sold in France are imported from Holland, the first lockdown shut down transit routes and forced florists to turn to French growers. They're now seeing a boom in demand which they're struggling to meet. Florist Johanna Cacciamani, who sells only French flowers at her shop Fioretti, has seen her business grow and thrive during the pandemic. We accompany her to the Rungis wholesale market to buy flowers from local growers. (Listen @17'10'')
Charles Perrault wrote the classic version of many of the world's most famous fairy tales in his 1697 book Histoires ou contes du temps passé, Stories or tales of times gone by, sometimes known as Mother Goose tales. The father of the modern fairy tale, whose versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella are still popular, died on 16 May 1703. (Listen @13'35'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the new head of the international rights watchdog, Amnesty International. There’s a bit of history on celebrating May Day, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, musician Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Ordinary Hero” essay written by Ibironke Abosede Oyewole from Lagos, Nigeria. There’s also a special song for Eid al-Fitr, so tune in and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Ibironke Abosede Oyewole sent us an essay this week, on the theme “My Ordinary Hero”. These essays are about the people in your community who are doing EXTRA-ordinary things and working to make the world a better place. As listener Pramod Maheswari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small acts of kindness can change the world.” Let’s sing these so-called “ordinary” heroes praises together! Send your “Ordinary Heroes” essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here's Ibironke’s essay:
“Hello. My name is Ibironke Abosede Oyewol. I am a member of the RFI Listeners Club and the Radio Zeater Club. Today, I would like to tell you about my Community Hero, Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo.
Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo is a grassroots journalist who lives in Ajegunle, Nigeria. Ajegunle is one of the most densely populated communities in Lagos State.
Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo’s love for news reporting began in 1993, when he was 15 years old. He saved his transportation fares to buy sports newspapers, and sat his classmates down during break time at school to tell them about what he had read – especially about Nigerian footballers abroad.
And that’s how it started. That’s how, unconsciously, Ekundayo’s journalistic career began.
Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo studied in the English language and Literary Studies program at Lagos State University. After graduation, he began teaching English in a private secondary school, where he encouraged his students to keep journals of their daily activities - especially the students in the Press Club.
He developed a new way for his English students to better understand the “comprehension of English” exercises: he had them re-enact classroom activities and write essays about what they had done.
The students loved it! They looked forward to their exams!
His writing style soon caught the attention of the school proprietor, who asked Ekundayo to write his biography. Ekundayo accepted.
The biography became the breakthrough ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the countries whose citizens are the happiest. There’s the Sound Kitchen mailbag, listener news, and music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer, Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
I am busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the winners of the French film awards, the Césars. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, and music chosen by The Sound Kitchen’s Producing Engineer, Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey ...
Two years after a fire destroyed the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, archaeologists are digging through rubble to find clues to its history, and its restoration. On one of the most remote places on earth, preparations are underway for a virtual commemoration of the bicentennial of Napoleon's death. A century of La Vache qui rit cheese.
The fire that destroyed the roof and spire of Notre-Dame de Paris on 15 April 2019 made headlines all over the world. Two years later, after debates over reconstruction, the cathedral is still under wraps, with work being done to depollute the site of the lead that melted from the roof, and secure it before the restoration and reconstruction begins. We visit the site where archaeologists and workers on ropes are sorting through tonnes of charcoaled remains of the timber frame, to extract anything that could give clues to the building's past, and inform its future. (Listen @1'42'')
The tiny, volcanic island of Saint Helena is a British territory in the South Atlantic. But its most famous resident was Napoleon Bonaparte, who lived there in exile for five years before his death on 5 May 1821. Longwood, the house Napoleon occupied, is part of the French domains of Saint Helena, which have been managed by Michel Dancoisne-Martineau since the mid 1980s. He talks about living in one of the most remote places on the planet, and how Covid has interrupted plans for marking the bicentennial of Napoleon's death. (Listen @18'55'')
On 16 April 1921, Louis Bel filed for a patent for his spreadable cheese, which has since travelled the world. La vache qui rit (The laughing cow) has become an international product, cropping up in the most unexpected of places. (Listen @11'52'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about French astrophysicist Françoise Combes. There’s some edifying information on how mountains are measured (didn’t you always want to know?), listener news, and music from The Sound Kitchen’s Producing Engineer, Erwan Rome. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!
In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, rfienglish.com, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.
There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.
RFI Clubs: Be ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about former French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s corruption and abuse of office conviction. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, Ollia’s “Happy Moment” and lots of great music – all that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. There’s Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present at the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programmes of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just ...
A call for prisoner releases as French prisons, already overcrowded, face extreme restrictions to try and stop the spread of Covid-19 behind bars. Women sports journalists set their #MeToo ball rolling, denouncing sexual harassment in and out of the workplace. And Adrienne Bolland, the first woman to fly across the Andes, on 1 April 1921; no joke.
France has been mostly spared the massive Covid-19 outbreaks in prisons seen in some other countries, but at the expense of inmates' freedoms, with huge additional restrictions placed on life behind bars. Prison controller Dominique Simonnot (@simonnot) is raising the alarm: the prison population is increasing as judges fail to use alternative methods of sentencing. She would like the government to allow prisoner releases, like it did during the first lockdown in March 2020. But just a year ahead of presidential elections, where security is a key issue, that is looking unlikely. (Listen @)
French women sports journalists are having a MeToo moment after TV documentary "I'm not a slut, I'm a journalist" revealed widespread harassment and sexism in the industry. The fact that only 10 percent of sports journalists are women is not helping the situation. Sarra Djehnoune, a founding member of Women sports journalists' collective (@DesJournalistes) which fights for better representation and against sexism in the profession, talks about her own experience in the macho world of sport and why it pushed her to cover other subjects as a journalist. (Listen @)
On 1 April, 1921, Adrienne Bolland became the first woman to fly over the Andes, from Argentina to Chile. She was the first ever female test pilot for aviator Rene Caudron, and was in South America to promote his planes. When her Caudron G3 touched the ground, Chileans greeted her as a hero. The French consul did not show up, thinking it was an April Fools' joke. It wasn't. (Listen @)
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the theatre sets in Marie Antoinette’s theatre at the Château de Versailles. We’ll celebrate Bangladesh’s Independence Day with an essay by listener Sultan Sarkar, as well as a look at Holi. There’s listener news, The Sound Kitchen Mailbag, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and lots of great music – all that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, click here
You can also write to us at english.service@rfi.fr if you need more help.
We’re very proud that the winner in the ePOP 2020 RFI Club category went to an English language club – Adita Prithika’s RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tami Nadu, India. Here’s Adita’s award-winning video.
She won a trip to Paris to attend an ePOP workshop (as soon as we have Covid-19 under control!) and five ePOP turning kits (tripod, ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the new chief of the World Trade Organizaiton. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, The Sound Kitchen mailbag, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, and lots of great music – all that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, click here
You can also write to us at english.service@rfi.fr if you need more help.
We’re very proud that the winner in the ePOP 2020 RFI Club category went to an English language club – Adita Prithika’s RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tami Nadu, India. Here’s Adita’s award-winning video.
She won a trip to Paris to attend an ePOP workshop (as soon as we have Covid-19 under control!) and five ePOP turning kits (tripod, lavalier microphone, USB key, report bag, t-shirt).
Please note that you do not have to be a member of ...
Young people are struggling with France's Covid restrictions, but some are pitching in to help. A sociologist talks about accusations of 'islamo-gauchisme' in universities, and why it is important for France to embrace the academic study of race and racism. And the complicated legacy of the Paris Commune, 150 years on.
Young people in France have been hard hit by Covid restrictions. Forced into remote learning and struggling to find work, some are falling prey to depression and anxiety. There's talk of a 'lost' generation. Recognising the difficulty students are having to make ends meet as part-time jobs in restaurants and bars have disappeared, the government recently lowered the cost of meals in student residences to one euro. Some restaurants are pitching in as well. Mike Woods reports from Le Reflet, in Paris, which is producing cheap, restaurant-quality, takeaway meals for students. (Listen @0'00'')
Islamo-gauchisme (Islamo-leftism) has entered, or re-entered, the French political landscape, after Higher Education Minister Fréderique Vidal called for a study to identify it in French universities. Academics studying race and racism have found themselves in the crosshairs, accused of tearing apart French universalism and importing ideas from the United States. Sociologist Sarah Mazouz (@mazouzsarah3) talks about the recent controversy around islamo-gauchisme, and what she considers an attack on anyone questioning French colourblindness. (Listen @15'50'')
The City of Paris is marking the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, founded on 18 March 1781. More a working-class insurrection than a revolution, the Commune has a complicated legacy. Among the most famous 'communards' was Louise Michel, a revolutionary feminist who became an anarchist activist. (Listen @10'00'')
This episode was mixed by Yann Bordelas.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the corruption charges against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There’s “On This Day”, listener news, The Sound Kitchen Mailbag, and lots of great music – all that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Do you remember The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook we published a couple of years ago, filled with your recipes? I have good news: our Communications Department has decided to re-print the original, and add some new recipes – from you, of course! So cooks, get your recipes to me, and quickly – we must “strike while the iron is hot”! Include a photograph of yourself, just in case we can include them this time around. Send your recipes to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr - don’t put it off!
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, click here
You can also write to us at ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the coup in Myanmar. We’ll celebrate International Women’s day with essays from listeners Adita Prithika and Srinivas Rao Nomula, there’s some great music for your listening pleasure, and Ollia is back with her Happy Moment. All that, and the new quiz question too! Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Do you remember The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook we published a couple of years ago, filled with your recipes? I have good news: our Communications Department has decided to re-print the original, and add some new recipes – from you, of course! So cooks, get your recipes to me, and quickly – we must “strike while the iron is hot”! Include a photograph of yourself, just in case we can include them this time around. Send your recipes to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr - don’t put it off!
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you ...
Why is France's Covid vaccination drive lagging behind other countries? Also, French film and TV productions are booming, despite new restrictions on set to stop the virus spreading. A large-scale health survey of tens of thousands of French people yields troves of information. And Foreign Legion recruitment woes as the elite unit marks its 190th anniversary.
The French movie industry is booming, despite Covid lockdowns and the risk of transmitting the virus on set. The first Covid lockdown in March 2020 shut down productions in France, but since then filming has picked up speed. Some 450 productions have been shot in France since May 2020 (compared to 300 in 2019). But Covid has meant people work differently, and productions are more expensive. We hear from a nurse who is a Covid 'référent' on set. And assistant director Laure Monrréal describes how her work has changed over the last year, bringing new continuity challenges. (Listen @6'40'')
Scientists have found evidence Covid had been circulating in France before the first official case was identified in January 2020. One of the studies was based on testing blood collected by Constances (@constances_coho), an extensive, long-term health study of over 200,000 people in France. Started in 2013, Constances data has already yielded a trove of information about French people's health and habits. Co-founder Marcel Goldberg talks about what such a comprehensive study tells us about France, and how public health authorities use the data to drive policy decisions. (Listen @20'30'')
France's Légion Etrangère, or Foreign Legion, was founded 190 years ago, on 10 March 1831, to support France's colonial incursion into Algeria. Made up almost exclusively of foreigners, this elite infantry unit has a reputation for giving criminals and outsiders a second chance. It has also attracted men from all over the world with the promise of French nationality. (Listen @15'25'')
As France marks the 30th anniversary of the death of singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, we look into how he played with incest and misogyny in his music. He could have been a ready target in the era of #MeToo and #MeTooInceste, but he's in fact more popular than ever. For more detail, find Alison's article on the subject here. (Listen @29'05'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French rooster who won the right – legally! – to crow. There’s a brief history lesson about Good King Henry IV of France, Muhammad Shamim’s “Happy Moment”, great music - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
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Do you remember The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook we published a couple of years ago, filled with your recipes? I had good news this week: our Communications Department has decided to re-print the original, and add some new recipes – from you, of course! So cooks, get your recipes to me, and quickly – we must “strike while the iron is hot”! Include a photograph of yourself, just in case we can include them this time around. Send your recipes to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr - don’t put it off!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen you’ll hear the answer to the question about the Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. There’s a short history lesson about Bangladesh and International Mother Language Day, as well as Mitul Kansal’s “Happy Moment” – there’s even a salute to a very special birthday girl. All that and great music, too - and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Do you remember The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook we published a couple of years ago, filled with your recipes? I had good news this week: our Communications Department has decided to re-print the original, and add some new recipes – from you, of course! So cooks, get your recipes to me, and quickly – we must “strike while the iron is hot”! Include a photograph of yourself, just in case we can include them this time around. Send your recipes to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr - don’t put it off!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition ...
With ski lifts shuttered because of Covid, French ski resorts are taking a hit, along with the tens of thousands of seasonal workers they employ. A conversation about race in France and why a US-style Black History Month is needed, but difficult to put in place. And the story of Etienne Marcel, leader of the first French Revolution in the Middle Ages.
France's ski industry is a big economic driver, providing the main source of income for some villages in the Alps and Pyrenees. But Covid has dealt them a severe blow. The government has ordered ski lifts to remain closed throughout the February school holidays when many people would usually head to the mountains. A visit to the upmarket Courchevel ski resort in Savoie, used to hosting a majority of skiers from abroad, shows the impact on local businesses and seasonal workers. (Listen @1'15'')
February is Black history month in the US; the UK marks it in October. But celebrations of Black history have struggled to gain traction in France, despite its long history with Africa and the African diaspora. Maboula Soumahoro, a professor at the University of Tours, organised a French celebration of black history for several years. Author of a recent book, The Triangle and the Hexagon, a reflection on black identity, she talks about France’s problems in addressing race, and US influence both on France and her own personal history grappling with these issues. (Listen @14'50'')
Etienne Marcel tried to take control of the French monarchy on 22 February 1358. He resorted to force after he failed to impose legal reforms. He died a traitor but today he is seen as a hero who resisted the monarchy. (Listen @9'35'')
This episode was mixed by Yann Bourdelas.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week The Sound Kitchen is offering up a delicious community meal: listeners from all over the world sent in their recorded World Radio Day greetings, so tune in and join the party! There’s the answer to the question about the One Planet Summit, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Do you remember The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook we published a couple of years ago, filled with your recipes? I had good news this week: our Communications Department has decided to re-print the original, and add some new recipes – from you, of course! So cooks, get your recipes to me, and quickly – we must “strike while the iron is hot”! Include a photograph of yourself, just in case we can include them this time around. Send your recipes to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr - don’t put it off!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about recordings by Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango. There’s a listener essay from Mahesh Jain about what makes him happy, listener news and letters, and a surprise “blast from the past” voice. All that, and “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question, too. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Do you remember The Sound Kitchen Listeners Cookbook we published a couple of years ago, filled with your recipes? I had good news this week: our Communications Department has decided to re-print the original, and add some new recipes – from you, of course! So cooks, get your recipes to me, and quickly – we must “strike while the iron is hot”! Include a photograph of yourself, just in case we can include them this time around. Send your recipes to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr - don’t put it off!
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and ...
The French government wants to limit homeschooling in a bid to reign in radicalisation, but not all such families pose a threat to the Republic. Also, a look at the shift in the French media's relationship with the banlieues, thanks to the Bondy Blog, founded during the 2005 riots. And the story of car maker André Citroën, who wanted to become the Henry Ford of Europe.
The growing homeschooling movement in France is in the government's crosshairs. Charged with being a cover for indoctrinating children into radical Islamism, a bill going through parliament would drastically reduce the number of families allowed to homeschool. But the phenomenon remains marginal and the families' motivations are varied. We meet home-educator Anne Belléard, and her two children, to see how it is done. And we question whether the new law will serve its intended purpose. (Listen @0'20'')
French media is now addressing the issue of police violence far more than it did 15 years ago, and this is partly thanks to the Bondy Blog argues its current head Latifah Oulkhouir (@LallaKhr). She talks about the birth of the blog during the 2005 riots in the working-class banlieues, and the impact it has had on mainstream media since then. (Listen @20'15'')
France’s three car manufacturers were all founded by industrialists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of the three, André-Gustave Citroën, born 5 February 1878, is arguably the most colourful, with a knack for invention and spectacular marketing techniques. (Listen @15'00)
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the percentage of vaccine sceptics in France. There’s “On This Day”, listener news and letters, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, click here
You can also write to us at english.service@rfi.fr if you need more help.
We’re very proud that the winner in the ePOP 2020 RFI Club category went to an English language club – Adita Prithika’s RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tami Nadu, India. Here’s Adita’s award-winning video.
She won a trip to Paris to attend an ePOP workshop (as soon as we have Covid-19 under control!) and five ePOP turning kits (tripod, lavalier microphone, USB key, report bag, t-shirt).
Please note that you do not have to be a member of an RFI English Club to enter. Everyone ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the young man who won this year’s Discovery Prize. There’s “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, click here
You can also write to us at english.service@rfi.fr if you need more help.
We’re very proud that the winner in the ePOP 2020 RFI Club category went to an English language club – Adita Prithika’s RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tami Nadu, India. Here’s Adita’s award-winning video.
She won a trip to Paris to attend an ePOP workshop (as soon as we have Covid-19 under control!) and five ePOP turning kits (tripod, lavalier microphone, USB key, report bag, t-shirt).
Please note that you do not have to be a member of an RFI English Club to enter. Everyone is welcome!
The deadline for entries ...
A visit to a bakery where migrant apprentices learn a trade that is increasingly being shunned by French youngsters. A voiceover actress talks about the effects of Covid on the French dubbing industry. The Michelin Guide awards a star to a vegan restaurant for the first time. The first-ever winter Olympics in 1924, in Chamonix, France.
The French consume a staggering 320 baguettes per second but the country faces a shortage of bakers, with some 5,000 vacancies in its 30,000 boulangeries. Apprentices are not staying in the industry and those that do are increasingly of migrant origin. A baker in Besançon recently made headlines when he went on a hunger strike to prevent his apprentice from being deported back to Guinea. The gamble paid off and Laye Fodé Traoré was given residency. We hear from Traoré and we report from the Boulangerie Magali where owner Nicolas Roquais is committed to training apprentices to ensure French boulangeries have a bright future. (Listen @4'50'')
Covid has affected the film and television industry, with lockdowns shutting down or delaying productions. In France, there is another layer: dubbing. Hugely popular non-French series like Westworld and U.S. films tend to be dubbed rather than sub-titled and lockdown had a big impact on the dubbing industry. Voiceover actress Annie Milon (the French voice of Taraji P Henson, Jada Pinkett Smith and Thandie Newton, among others), talks about how the pandemic affected her work and what it's like to be the voice of someone else. (Listen @18'55'')
Restaurants in France remain closed due to Covid restrictions, but the Michelin guide published its annual ratings anyway, awarding its first-ever Michelin star to a vegan restaurant, ONA, near Bordeaux. Veganism, while growing in France, remains marginal. Chef Claire Vallée says most of her clients are not even vegan. (Listen @0'00')
Skiing is a big industry in France, though slopes have been kept closed during the February break due to Covid. The skiing craze started with the first-ever winter Olympics, on 25 January 1924, in Chamonix. The event put the town on the map to become one of the country's biggest and most famous ski resorts. It was a sporting success, but a financial disaster. (Listen @14'50'')
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the first recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine. There’s information about our new podcast and the opening of the 2021 ePOP competition, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It’s ePOP time!
RFI Planète Radio is sponsoring a video contest, and we want you to enter!
Planète Radio is an RFI department that gives voices to remote populations around the world. They are looking for 3-minute videos about climate change, the environment, pollution - told by the people it affects. Here’s what Planète Radio says about the competition:
“Environmental deterioration, climate change, pollution, everybody's talking about it. But amid articles, figures and expert reports, what do we really know about the feelings of the people already impacted? The video clips produced by the ePOP community in more than 50 countries allow us to hear from those who never ask for anything, yet have seen it all. Those who are already living with these changes that are deteriorating their quality of life.”
Your project should be intergenerational: get together with your grandfather, your aunt, someone older in your community and ask them how they feel about what is happening where they live, maybe in the place where they grew up. How do you feel about it? Tell us what you think, too.
For competition guidelines and more information about the different categories you can enter, click here
You can also write to us at english.service@rfi.fr if you need more help.
We’re very proud that the winner in the ePOP 2020 RFI Club category went to an English language club – Adita Prithika’s RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tami Nadu, India. Here’s Adita’s award-winning video.
She won a trip to Paris to attend an ePOP workshop (as soon as we have Covid-19 under control!) and five ePOP turning kits (tripod, lavalier microphone, USB key, report bag, t-shirt).
Please note that you do not have to be a member of an ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, there’s the answer to the question about Article 24 in France’s proposed “Global Security Bill”. You’ll hear the voices of several fellow listeners and their wishes for 2021, "Ollia’s Happy Moment", some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto has just created a weekly program, Africa Calling - which is really good (of course, from our United Nations award-winning journalist!) and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and ...
Why are France's elderly, and most vulnerable to Covid, not queueing up to get vaccinated? Frustrations with the slow pace of democracy after the Citizen's convention on climate. And France's presence in India: when it lost (and won back) Puducherry from Britain.
France has decided to start its Covid vaccination campaign with the elderly in care homes, which partly explains why it has been so much slower than its European neighbours. France is unique in requiring “informed consent” to administer the vaccine and the pre-vaccination doctor’s visit is slowing down the process. Laurent Levasseur, chairman of Bluelinea, a company working with 1,000 French nursing homes, talks about why the take up rate for jabs is currently so low, the importance of family GPs in gaining people's trust and how little will in fact change for residents if they do consent to the vaccine. (Listen @1'35'')
The Yellow Vest protests brought up the question of representation in France's current governing system, with people wanting more of a say. One result was the Citizen climate convention: a group of 150 randomly selected citizens tasked with proposing climate policy. We spoke about the assembly last year. In June it presented 149 proposals, which president Emmanuel Macron promised to take "without filter". So what became of those proposals? Quentin Sauzay (@qsauzay), co-president of Democratie Ouverte, the group that helped organise the convention, talks about pushing to get parliament involved and how many proposals are indeed being examined and will become law, despite comments by the president suggesting otherwise. (Listen @14'15'')
India's colonial history is linked to Britain, but France was there too, setting up the French East India company in 1674, headquartered in Pondicherry (today called Puducherry). On 16 January 1761 France lost the city to Britain, though it eventually got it back. While it was returned to India in 1962, it has kept a strong French flavour. (Listen @11'35'')
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear your fellow listeners' New Year Resolutions. There’s the answer to the question about outgoing U-S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s “Farewell Tour”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto has just created a weekly program, Africa Calling - which is really good (of course, from our United Nations award-winning journalist!) and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English listeners’ musical requests. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. This week, you’ll hear musical requests from your fellow listeners: Jayantha Chakraborty from New Delhi, India; Kadia from Jamaica; Sultan Mahmud Sarker from Naogaon, Bangladesh; Michael Cunningham from Queensland, Australia; Salina Akter from Narayanganj, Bangladesh; Alan Holder from the English Isle of Wight, and Kevin Zhao, from Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China.
Be sure you send in your music requests! Write to me atthesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Liquid Lunch” by Jan van Wieringen, Wieger Hoogendorp, Robin Veldman, Vincent DeGiorgio, and David Schreurs, sung by Caro Emerald; “Sucker” by Nicolas, Joseph & Kevin II Jonas, with Ryan Tedder, Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, and Frank Dukes, sung by The Jonas Brothers; “Let My People Go”, a traditional African American spiritual sung by Paul Robeson; “Gnid” by Tadd Dameron, performed by the Tadd Dameron & John Coltrane quartet; “Granada” by Augustin Lara, performed by tenor José Carreras with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Roberto Benzi, and “Je m'appelle Hélène" by Jean-François Porry and Gérard Salesses, sung by Hélène Rolles.
The quiz will be back next Saturday, 2 January, with the answer to the question about U-S Secretary of State Mike Pompeyo’s “farewell” tour. There are also your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions, so be sure and tune in!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, there’s the answer to the question about the soon-to-be U-S First Lady, Dr Jill Biden. You’ll hear about Goa’s Independence Day, there’s listener news, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto has just created a weekly program, Africa Calling - which is really good and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all ...
French actors, directors and culture workers are chafing against Covid restrictions and calling out the government's double standards in keeping shops open but theatres closed. Researchers check in on people's well-being during France's second lockdown and find more negativity than the first one. And Emelie du Châtelet, the first woman to devote her life to science.
The culture world took to the streets in France this week to protest against theatres, cinemas and museums remaining closed as lockdown has eased. They say “food for the soul” is just as important as the food on your plate, and it is unfair for shops, public transport and churches to be open while they cannot work. Marc Lesage, director of the Theatre de l'Atelier, argues the government does not understand the economics of the sector. And actress Anael Guez talks about what it is like to feel "non essential". (Listen @2'55'')
As France eases out of its second lockdown, we check in with a longitudinal study that started asking questions about Covid in March. During the first confinement, people were relatively positive. Today, six months later, that is far from the case. Ettore Recchi leads the researchers in the Coco study (Listen @16'12'')
Emilie du Châtelet, born on 17 December 1706, defied patriarchal norms of the 18th century to become a renowned natural philosopher and mathematician. She is most famous for translating and commenting the Principia by Isaac Newton and sharing love, ideas and scientific discoveries with Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. (Listen @12'45'')
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, there’s the answer to the question about the Highest Wave Surfed this season. You’ll hear about the Jewish festival of Hannukah, and Christmas preparations on Ollia’s “Happy Moment”. There’s some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It's time to think about your New Year’s Resolutions and get them in to The Sound Kitchen! You can hear all about your fellow listeners good intentions for 2021 on 2 January, so don’t delay! Send your New Year’s Resolutions to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto has just created a weekly program, Africa Calling - which is really good (of course, from our United Nations award-winning journalist!), and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to ...
The Covid-19 lockdowns in France have drastically affected restaurants, forcing some to reinvent themselves to stay afloat. As mistrust in the police grows following recent cases of police brutality, an officer talks about dealing with police-bashing. And five years after the Paris climate accord, France, like most countries, is still not living up to its promises.
Takeaway wasn’t a major part of French eating culture, but when Covid-19 lockdowns forced restaurants and cafes to close for several months this year, some owners started experimenting. Victor Mercier opened his restaurant FIEF in October 2019 and has only been able to welcome diners for six months. The lockdowns have been catastrophic for him and for the industry in general. While waiting for restrictions to ease, he's been testing the takeaway model. But how do you transpose the gastronomic dining experience into a cardboard container? Mercier got creative and called in the hot dogs. (Listen @1’08)
Anti-police sentiment is growing in France on the back of the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, fueled by an increase in police violence, especially during demonstrations. But France’s police officers feel they’re all paying a heavy price for the failures of a minority. Some have taken to social media to shine light on their day-to-day jobs, their degrading working conditions and lack of support. Young cop Juliette Alpha (@juliettealpha17) talks about handling the wave of hatred directed towards the police and the need for more transparency when dealing with investigations into police brutality. (Listen @14’15)
Five years ago, on 12 December 2015, some 200 countries made climate history when they adopted the landmark Paris agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2100. But only a handful of countries have since provided their contributions and France is not one of them. (Listen @11’00)
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the mini-Cannes Film Festival. There’s a little lesson on St Nicolas’ Eve celebrations in Europe, Ollia’s “Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It's time to think about your New Year’s Resolutions and get them in to The Sound Kitchen! You can hear all about your fellow listeners good intentions for 2021 on 2 January, so don’t delay! Send your New Year’s Resolutions to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto’s Africa Calling has just made its debut, and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a new bilingual series if you would like to learn French – it’s called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them ...
Feast your ears on listener Ferhat Bezazel’s “My Ordinary Hero” essay. All it takes is a little click on that “Listen” arrow above!
Hello everyone!
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Ordinary Hero” essay by listener Ferhat Bezazel from Algeria. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!
If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from the Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”
I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write in with your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on-the-air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!
Send in your musical requests, your secret “guilty” pleasure (mine’s chocolate!), your tricks for remembering things, your favourite quotations and proverbs, descriptions of the local festivals you participate in, your weirdest dream, the book you are reading and what you think about it, or just your general all-around thoughts to: thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
Or by postal mail, to:
Susan Owensby
RFI – The Sound Kitchen
80, rue Camille Desmoulins
92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux
France
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
“Here's Ferhat Bezazel's essay:
“My ‘Ordinary’ Hero" is one of my primary school teachers from long ago: Mr Ahmed Filali, who is an artist. He is participating in an artistic initiative called “Art for Health” in my village Ain Kechera in West Skida, Algeria.
The Cultural Office of Skikda province organized the “Art for Health” initiative to show us how to stay healthy in our daily lives, and avoid becoming infected with the coronavirus.
My old teacher, Mr Ahmed Filali, has been working hard on the “Art for Health” campaign here in my village. He paints about the virus, and how to avoid becoming contaminated, on the walls of shops and houses. He said that making public art about a subject with concerns us all allows him to express himself and stay socially connected with his fellow villagers, while keeping a safe physical distance. ...
Most French companies were not set up for employees to work from home, but the Covid epidemic forced the change and managers and employees have had to adapt. The American conspiracy theory QAnon has caught on with some in France looking for answers. And the history of the 1905 law separating church and state and establishing laïcité in France.
The Covid lockdown in France has not stopped people from demonstrating against the global security bill currently going through parliament. Journalists and press freedom advocates are particularly concerned about an article that would limit filming of police and publishing such images online. The law is intended to protect the police, but opponents says it will prevent the media, and the public, from revealing instances of police violence. Thibault Izoret (@TIM_7375), a photojournalist with the Le Figaro daily, says the bill threatens journalists and democracy in France (Listen @00'35'')
One of the biggest changes ushered in by the Covid-19 pandemic is the shift to remote working. In 2017 just three percent of French people worked from home; since lockdown about a third have tried it and it looks set to develop. But this major shift in work culture hasn't worked for all employees or employers. Sonia Levillain, professor at the Iéseg school of management in Lille, talks about how French work culture is adjusting. (Listen @4'55'')
QAnon, the conspiracy theory that started in the United States, has struck a chord in France, where people are already open to conspiracy theories, and where the Covid epidemic has encouraged some to question the motivations of people in power. Chine Labbe (@Leparisdechine), a journalist and Europe Managing Editor with News Guard, which published a report on the rise of QAnon in Europe, speaks about the appeal of QAnon in France. (Listen @26'15'')
When you talk about religion in France, all roads point to the law separating church and state, passed on 9 December 1905. Gary Girod of the French History Podcast (@FrenchHist), is back with a look at the history of the law, why the French government is so involved in religious affairs, and why the concept of laïcité is so difficult to understand. (Listen @16')
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Bolivia’s presidential elections. There’s “On This Day”, a book review from listener Warie Blip Porbeni, Ollia’s "Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
It's the time of year to think about your New Year’s Resolutions and get them in to The Sound Kitchen! The Sound Kitchen podcast this year falls on New Year’s Day, so we’ll be able to read about your good intentions on the day … send your New Year’s Resolutions to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto’s Africa Calling has just made its debut, and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a new bilingual series if you would like to learn French – it’s called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the ice-monitoring satellite. There’s “On This Day”, a special salute to teachers, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto’s Africa Calling has just made its debut, and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a new bilingual series if you would like to learn French – it’s called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If ...
How can addressing France's colonial past make sense of today? A historian argues that recognising the country's colonial history will help with issues like inequality, immigration and France's relationship to Islam. A lesbian feminist activist, accused of being anti-men, talks about surviving in a patriarchal society. And five years after the 2015 Paris attacks, a subdued commemoration in a time of Covid.
Sometimes the best way to understand the present is to look to the past, and for historian Christelle Taraud that is particularly the case in France, where history - notably the French Revolution - has played a major role in establishing French identity. But she argues that France needs to come to terms with its colonial past to better deal with the issues of equality and integration. She's called for a rewriting of French history to more fully recognise the importance of the colonial population in the history of France. (Listen @5'00)
A young, radical branch of feminism in France, nourished by the #Metoo movement and the fight against sexual violence, is impatient with the older, universalist French model. Alice Coffin (@alicecoffin), an activist and Paris councillor, is on the front lines of this new feminism, determined to denounce what she calls patriarchal "andro-obsession". Her new book Le Génie Lesbien has terrified some men, as did her successful push to force the resignation of the powerful Paris culture attaché. She talks about reconciling her role as both activist and elected official and celebrating "lesbian genius". (Listen @21'00)
Right after the Paris attacks, on 13 November 2015, there was an outpouring of memorialisation as people left photos, notes, flowers and candles outside the Bataclan theatre, where the largest massacre took place. Political scientist Sarah Gensburger was part of a team that collected the notes for the archives. Five years on, in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic, she regrets that the grassroots tributes to the victims cannot continue. (Listen @16'55'')
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), on Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Tasmanian Devils. There’s a listener essay, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto’s Africa Calling has just made its debut, and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a new bilingual series if you would like to learn French – it’s called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Juliette Gréco and her love affair with an American jazzman. There’s “On This Day”, Halloween greetings, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
During the French lockdown to fight the Coronavirus last spring, we were constrained to stop broadcasting Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast.
In the meanwhile, we are focusing on our digital presence, and making our website the best! You can read breaking news articles on our site, as well as in-depth analysis of current affairs, both in France and across the globe.
We are also developing new and exciting podcasts for you. Laura Angela Bagnetto’s Africa Calling has just made its debut, and more are on the way!
We already have several very good podcasts which you can listen to right now: there is the weekly World Music Matters, The Sound Kitchen, and the bi-weekly Spotlight on France. We have a new bilingual series if you would like to learn French – it’s called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.
As you see, sound is still quite present from the RFI English service! Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you ...
As France reels from the brutal murder of teacher Samuel Paty, teachers weigh in on their role in transmitting French values, notably laïcité. A visit to a town in the Pyrenees Orientales, which until recently was something of a Covid-free haven. And the fateful day in November 1347 when the Black Death docked in Marseille.
Teachers were understandably shaken by the beheading of Samuel Paty, and it's raised questions on how to talk about freedom of speech and expression in class. One of the fundamental roles of French public school is to transmit French values to students, and many teachers see that as part of their job. But there is sometimes a disconnect between the way a value like laïcité, or secularism, is defined on paper and the shape it takes outside school. Teachers have to reconcile that. Rachid Zerrouki (@rachidowsky13) who teaches in a special education section of a middle school in Marseille, and wrote about his experience in the book Les incasables, shares his thoughts on teaching laïcité to his students. And Julie Van Rechem (@Chouyo), a history teacher in Paris, talks about walking a fine line when showing her students the controversial Charlie Hebdo caricatures. (Listen @0'00")
The small, picturesque town of Céret down in the south west corner of France came through this Spring's first coronavirus wave virtually unscathed and continued enjoying the blue skies, mount Canigou and proudly celebrating its Catalan culture. But as the number of infections has risen dramatically in the Pyrénees-Orientales départment to which it belongs, it now has a night time curfew and its bars and cafés are closed. Local people are struggling to accept the restrictions but determined to carry on connecting to one another. (Listen @18'10'')
In April, France's health chief, Jérôme Salomon, compared the Covid-19 pandemic to the 1347 Black Death pandemic in Europe. It's a heavy comparison because the plague ended up killing, by some accounts, up to half the continent's population. It came in via Marseille, on 1 November 1347, and spread from there, before quarantining was introduced. (Listen @15'25'')
This episode was mixed by Cécile Pompéani.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), on Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the phosphine gas in the clouds above Venus. There’s “On This Day”, a fine example of how nutty Americans are, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognised RFI English Club, go to the Facebook link above and fill out the questionnaire!!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Japan’s prime minister. There’s “On This Day’, a mini history of Haiti’s revolution, Ollia’s Happy Moment, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on ...
New mothers in France are being forced to wear masks during labour to protect medical teams from Covid-19, and some are calling it out as violence. Also, why France has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. Netflix's Emily in Paris offends with a clichéd portrayal of city and its people, but offers respite in trying times. And Mata Hari, executed as a spy but why?
Giving birth during the Covid epidemic has long been a stressful experience but it's become a nightmare since a growing number of maternity hospitals are now insisting women wear face masks during labour and delivery. In recent weeks new mums in France have been sharing their horror stories on social media. While the College of obstetricians and gynaecologists strongly recommends women wear masks to protect medical teams, it stopped short of making it an obligation. But Sonia Bisch (@sonia_bisch), founder of Stop VOG, a collective that campaigns against obstetric and gynaecological violence in France, says in reality women have no choice and many pregnant women are in a state of panic. (Listen @3'25'')
France has some of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world, and French doctors and midwifes rarely provide much information or support, leaving new mothers on their own to navigate what can be a complicated, sometimes painful process, that has a lot of negative stereotypes. Stephanie Habenstein, founder of a website providing information on breastfeeding, and lactation consultant Carole Hervé talk about how that might be changing in France. (Listen @9'57'')
Emily from Chicago has taken Paris by storm. A new Netflix series charting the wonderful life of a young, attractive American who gets a job without speaking a word of French has become popular in the US, and in France, despite being panned by critics for its clichéd view of France and Paris. Franco-Scottish journalist and cultural commentator Marjorie Hache (@marjoriehache) weighs in on the cliches, and wonders weather a dreamy look at Paris is what people need today. (Listen @24'10'')
Mata Hari, the exotic dancer who took Paris by storm at the turn of the 20th century, was executed on 15 October 1917 for allegedly spying for the German Empire during WWI. But it’s more likely that she paid the price for being a courtesan, and frivolous during the war. (Listen @19'45'')
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the young French footballer. There’s “On This Day’, listener news, Ollia’s Happy Moment, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about John Hume. There’s “On This Day’, listener news, Ollia’s Happy Moment, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t ...
Catching up on the Covid-19 situation in France. The controversy around a petition to bring Rimbaud and Verlaine to the Panthéon. A French comics writer takes on a bastion of British children's literature. And the story of Roland Garros.
A recent petition to have 19th century French poets Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud honoured at the Panthéon has met with stiff opposition, despite support from the minister for culture. Writer Fréderic Martel (@martelf), who helped launch the petition, talks about why it's time for the Panthéon to embrace more diversity by giving these great poets, cursed for their homosexuality, a symbolic resting place alongside France's "Great Men". (Listen @5'10)
When comics writer and illustrator Penelope Bagieu (@PenelopeB) was approached to adapt Roald Dahl's The Witches, she was pleased (it was a favourite book of hers as a child), but also surprised that a French author would be considered. For her, this means that France has shown the world that comics can be serious literature. She talks about making her version of the book, and updating it to address the misogyny in a story about witches. (Listen @19'15)
Who was Roland Garros? As the French Open is currently under way at the stadium that carries his name, we look at the history of the man (born 132 years ago this week) who is not, it turns out, a tennis star. (Listen @14'50)
This episode was mixed by Cecile Pompeani
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), on Spotify (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about one of France’s new anti-pollution initiatives. There’s Ollia’s Happy Moment, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you ...
Spotlight on France is back, bringing you stories from France ‘beyond the baguette’. We have a brand-new line-up of stories and interviews, taking you around France as it's struggling with a resurgence of Covid-19 cases and trying to get back on its feet economically. New episodes every two weeks, starting Thursday 1 October. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, or on rfienglish.com.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Sudan’s ousted prime minister. There’s Ollia’s Happy Moment, listener news, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you ...
Electric Vocuhila combine the spirit of free-jazz legend Ornette Coleman with driving urban guitar rhythms like tsapiky from Madagascar or Congolese sebene. They masterfully sew them together on their pulse-raising third album, Palaces.
"I had a long time love for African music and the repetitive motifs used in bebop and free jazz," the band's saxophonist and composer Maxime Bobo told RFI just ahead of the Palaces release party in Paris.
The album is an electrifying patchwork of rhythms like tsapiky, sebene, sungura and benga.
They got into tsapiky after meeting France-based Damily, the king of this fast, electric-guitar led genre which he developed in Tuléar in the 1970s.
"We started to use its grooves and forms," Bobo said. "But doing it our own way, trying to get closer to this kind of 'dancey' feeling and fluidity, but using the saxophone and with the way we interact and compose together." The saxophonist as a voice The band went to Madagascar, saw how the professionals did it, and came back inspired.
But their command of other rhythms like Congolese sebene or sungura from Zimbabwe has been garnered "mainly through the internet and YouTube," Bobo admitted.
Together with the other band members: Boris Rosenfeld (guitar), François Rosenfeld (bass and guitar) Etienne Ziemniak (drums), they weave these rhythms together rather seemlessly.
They are all guitar-led, and yet Bobo plays saxophone.
"I’m much more attracted to these kind of guitar players or singers, the voices in tsapiky, of African styles," he said.
"I connect with this more than with contemporary saxophone players. I guess I’m trying to use the saxophone and to put somewhere between the voice, singing a song, and guitar riffs." Back to the roots of jazz Bobo has found inspiration in sax player Ornette Coleman, the father of free jazz. Not so much because of his renowned harmolodics, but his "voice" and the way he let his band members express themselves.
"I loved his music when I heard it in my 20s. His playing is really open with very melodic lines, always rhythmic and warm. It has the feeling of a human voice."
Like many members of the free jazz movement, Coleman looked to the African continents for the roots of jazz.
"He played with the Masters of Joujouka from Morocco. There's one song on the Dancing On Your Head album," Bobo said.
But it was Ed Blackwell, one of the first drummers in Coleman's quartet, who was more connected to Africa and spent more time there. As did Archie Shepp.
Electric Vocuhila make no claim to ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the presidential poll in Poland – as well as a magnificent French accent that will bring a smile to your face. There’s new music from Gregory Porter, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winners' names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose "Podcasts”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can ...
Admas, a quartet of young Ethiopian musicians living in exile in Washington DC, had a ball recording an album of synth-heavy, funked up versions of Ethiopian classics. 'Sons of Ethiopia ' was soon forgotten but became cult among fans of ethiojazz. Now reissued by Frederiksberg Records, it reflects happier times from a generation that "just escaped" the worst of the Derg.
Some records are far more than the sum of their parts, and Sons of Ethiopia is one such.
The seven tracks were recorded in 1984 by the band Admas: Henock Temesgen, Abegasu Shiota, Tewodros “Teddy” Aklilu and Yousef Tesfaye.
Like so many Ethiopian expats in the U.S. at the time, the four young men had fled the Derg: the military junta that deposed Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. As the White Terror gave way to the Red Terror, over a million people died in the violence.
Aklilu, the band’s keyboard player, left Addis in 1977, aged 15, just before the worst of the Red Terror began.
“It was so sad, kids killed each other,” he told RFI on the line from Addis. “I went to the U.S. and basically closed my ears for the next two or three years.”
Aklilu closed his ears to the horror, but opened them to exciting new music.
When bass player Henock Temesgen, an old school friend, arrived in Washington DC in 1980 they began playing together.
“It was a very dark time but we found our cocoon, our own friends, playing in each other’s houses. We tried to create our own group, our own happy times,” said Temesgen. The need to experiment The two friends played in a band called Gasha and took up residency at the Red Sea, a lively Ethiopian restaurant in Washington.
They would open for big Ethiopian names like Aster Aweke, playing instrumentals to audiences of expats, many of whom had lost friends and family in the civil war.
While they enjoyed traditional Ethiopian music, they immersed themselves in the sounds of their new home with its go go funk, jazz, highlife, samba and roots reggae.
Brazilian jazz fusion band Azymuth, The Crusaders and Spyro Gyra were big influences, they said.
“In DC you got to hear a lot more of what the world has to offer, than in Ethiopia, and it’s very natural that when you hear something you want to experiment with it,” Aklilu explained.
What’s more, there were new tools like Moog keyboards, synthesisers and electric guitars to play with.
Joined by drummer Yousef Tesfaye and ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: The Sound Kitchen’s producing engineer Erwan Rome – who is a Cuban percussion player when he’s not at RFI - shares his music-making with us. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognised RFI English Club, go to the Facebook link above and fill out the questionnaire!!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click “decline”).
There’s a new Facebook page for members ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English journalist William Niba and RFI English alumna Anne-Marie Bissada share their musical favourites with you. Just click on the arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognised RFI English Club, go to the Facebook link above and fill out the questionnaire!!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click “decline”).
There’s a new Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club. Just click on ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English journalists Sarah Elzas and Mike Woods share their musical favourites with you. Just click on the arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognised RFI English Club, go to the Facebook link above and fill out the questionnaire!!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click “decline”).
There’s a new Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club. Just click on the link and ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the solstice. There’s Eid al-Adha greetings from listener Najimuddin from India, musings on gratitude and happiness, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Burundi’s former and current presidents. There’s “On This Day”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, a special treat: RFI English journalists Paul Myers and Angela Diffley share their musical favourites with you. Just click on the arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven’t yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognised RFI English Club, go to the Facebook link above and fill out the questionnaire!!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click “decline”).
There’s a new Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club. Just click on the link and ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the countries U-S President Donald Trump wants to invite to the next G7 meeting. There’s "On This Day", great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the power-sharing agreement in Afghanistan. There’s listener news, The Sound Kitchen mailbag, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the RFI English Clubs. It is a closed group, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. ...
Italian composer Ennio Morricone was famed for his film scores but his work straddled jazz, pop, psychedelia as well as the avant-garde, influencing bands as diverse as Air and Metallica. Ennio Morricone left behind some 500 scores for both film and television. The theme tune to Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is undoubtedly one of the most renowned.
“Just 10 seconds into one of Morricone’s soundtracks, you know it’s him, you know which film it’s from, you can see the pictures,” said French composer Jean-Michel Jarre in the wake of the Italian composer’s death on 6 July.
To recreate this feeling of the American far west, Morricone added on drums, some flute, and of course the "cry" of a coyote.
The trademark whistling came courtesy of Spanish guitarist and whistler Curro Savoye, who now lives in the south of France.
The two men never met, but Savoye was "the" whistler on the vast majority of Morricone’s work.
The film soundtrack also includes “Ecstasy of Gold” – a stirring three-minute orchestral bonanza with drums to set you galloping into the sunset and wordless vocals by Edda Dell’orso with whom Morricone regularly collaborated.
The music is so stirring it became a fetish piece for U.S. band Metallica. Since 1983 they’ve played it to open all their concerts.
They recorded their own version of “The Ecstasy of Gold” for their tribute album to Morricone in 2007, and performed the song themselves for the first time at a 2009 concert in Copenhagen.
Metallica frontman James Hetfield said something special happened when they begun using the piece as their intro music in 1983. “It set us up for the night and the fans got excited.”
In a tribute to Morricone on Instagram, he said the music had become “part of our blood flow, deep breathing, fist bumping, prayers and band huddle pre-show ritual ever since”.
'Elevated every film he scored'
Morricone wrote scores for six of Sergio Leone’s westerns. Their last collaboration was in 1984 for Once upon a time in America.
It was customary at the time to write the soundtrack before shooting the film, but still, Morricone’s music was so evocative that the director played it on set to conjure up the right atmosphere.
Sergio Leone’s westerns helped make Morricone a household name but the composer’s artistic reach knew no bounds.
Here in France, his biggest hit is the violin-heavy “Chi Mai” which famously featured in the 1981 film “The Professional” starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. Morricone was ...
"Everyday I walk in this city, I know I walk alongside death," singer Hacaaluu Hundessaa said just days before he was shot dead in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on 28 June. We hear how the 34-year old protest singer became the voice of the minority Oromo ethnic group. "He was the soundtrack of the 2018 revolution that brought change to Ethiopia" Awol Allo told RFI.
Inspiring speeches are great, but a song can travel and connect people like nothing else. After the tragic death of George Floyd, musicians are helping to bring issues of police violence and social justice to the fore. Beyoncé, queen of R 'n' B, and the young gospel singer Keedron Bryant have just released songs with a strong 'Black Lives Matter' message.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the organisation which helps young filmmakers at the Cannes Film Festival. There’s The Sound Kitchen mailbag, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, once again published every Saturday. A hearty “thank you!” to all of you who so kindly continued to watch The “Quarantine” Kitchen videos on Facebook during confinement. Now you’ll hear The Sound Kitchen as you have always known it, with the quiz, the winners and all the other ingredients you’re accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. And once again, thanks for continuing to be a part of The Sound Kitchen !
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
RFI’s Planète Radio announced the winners of the 2020 ePOP short video competition and Adita Prithika Subrahmanyan, the president of the RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tamilnadu, India is the laureate in the Club RFI category for her video “Farming between factories”. Adita won a week-long series of masterclasses in Paris with RFI and fellow ePOPers, a 1000€ grant to design and run a local ePOP Camp workshop in her community, and five ePOP video shooting kits.
You can watch Adita’s prize-winning video here, and of course, on the RFI English, The Sound Kitchen, the RFI English Clubs, and the RFI Listeners Club Facebook pages. Planète Radio will post the runners up in each category every Friday.
Prithwiraj Purkayastha, the president of the RFI Listeners Club of Jorhat in Assam, India, won fourth place in the Club RFI category for his video “Solution for greener cities”. I’ll be sure and let you know when his video is posted.
Congratulations Adita! Congratulations Prithwiraj! And thanks to all of you who entered the contest.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to ...
After exploring Zoroastrian chants on her 2016 album “Gathas, songs my father taught me”, mezzo soprano Ariana Vafadari puts femininity to the fore with the heart-wrenching “Anahita”, inspired by the Persian prophet Zarathustra and the goddess of water. Ten deeply spiritual songs set to Oriental maqam scales, tracing a path from despair to resolution.
French-Iranian Vafadari has a successful career as an international opera singer, but remains deeply attached to her Zoroastrian roots.
“I’m from two cultures,” she said. “I love opera more than anything but a part of me needed to express the origins, the music of Iran, the Oriental music.”
She learned Gathas - Zoroastrian prayers dating back some 3,700 years - from her father.
“Gatha means song but we have no idea how it was sung at that time,” she said. “Just the prayers were kept and now the priest chants them. I wanted to compose music on it and make it more alive.”
She did just that for her 2016 album "Gathas, songs my father taught me".
“It was something I gave to my father, I think it was my father’s side, my more masculine side: knowing, understanding, finding the way."
The album "Anahita" was inspired by the legend of the Persian goddess of water, fertility and wisdom. The story was introduced to Vafadari by Leili Anvar, a specialist in Persian literature who wrote the lyrics for seven of the songs.
Anvar's adaptation involves a modern day Iranian young woman whose village is plagued by drought, forcing its inhabitants to flee. She is visited by the goddess in a dream and goes on a quest to find the source of water.
Vafadari said the legend spoke to her in a world dominated by the over-exploitation of the world's resources. "It's a world of grabbing land, producing more; the masculinity is so powerful that I felt a lack of femininity in my own world and in myself."
In addition to original compositions, Vafadari sings three prayers from Zoroastrianism’s holy book known as the Avesta.
“The three prayers are the way Anahita finds her own femininity, the link to her ancestors and to earth and to water.”
Vafadari has surrounded herself with superb musicians from France, Turkey, Morocco and Iran: Julien Carton (piano), Driss El Maloumi (oud), Leila Soldevila and Nicolas Deutsch (double bass), Habib Meftah Boushehri (calabash, bendir, daf).
“It’s important to show that our generation is a mixture of cultures, all these musics have to stay alive and stay together."
Follow Ariana Vafadari
Purchase the album
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Iraq’s new prime minister. There’s “On This Day”, which features a little history lesson about the Marquis de La Fayette and French-American relations, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, once again published every Saturday. A hearty “thank you!” to all of you who so kindly continued to watch The “Quarantine” Kitchen videos on Facebook during confinement. Now you’ll hear The Sound Kitchen as you have always known it, with the quiz, the winners and all the other ingredients you’re accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. And once again, thanks for continuing to be a part of The Sound Kitchen !
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
RFI’s Planète Radio announced the winners of the 2020 ePOP short video competition and Adita Prithika Subrahmanyan, the president of the RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tamilnadu, India is the laureate in the Club RFI category for her video “Farming between factories”. Adita won a week-long series of masterclasses in Paris with RFI and fellow ePOPers, a 1000€ grant to design and run a local ePOP Camp workshop in her community, and five ePOP video shooting kits.
You can watch Adita’s prize-winning video here, and of course, on the RFI English, The Sound Kitchen, the RFI English Clubs, and the RFI Listeners Club Facebook pages. Planète Radio will post the runners up in each category every Friday.
Prithwiraj Purkayastha, the president of the RFI Listeners Club of Jorhat in Assam, India, won fourth place in the Club RFI category for his video “Solution for greener cities”. I’ll be sure and let you know when his video is posted.
Congratulations Adita! Congratulations Prithwiraj! And thanks to all of you who entered the contest.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook up something new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to ...
There are big names in The Eddy, a Netflix series about a struggling jazz club in Paris. But the real star is jazz. And since coronavirus is depriving us of the thrill of live music, the jazz sessions recorded with its own six-piece band provide music lovers a much needed fix. Composer Glen Ballard and saxophonist Jowee Omicil talk about the joy of putting music first.
All the songs in The Eddy were written by award-winning American composers Glen Ballard and Randy Kerber.
The series began with a song and an idea back in 2007.
“Ive lived in Paris off and on all my adult life," Ballard told RFI. "And I’ve always loved the fact that Paris still had jazz clubs, still had young people going to the clubs, listening to music being played live.
"So I had this concept of a club that I called The Eddy: a perfect jazz club where you could go and have the greatest band in the world and a great singer, and you could find some kind of connection with that music and work out some of your own problems.”
That “greatest band” is the Eddy Cast Band - formed especially for the series with Ludovic Louis (trumpet), Damian Nueva (double bass), Jowee Omicil (saxophone) Randy Kerber (piano) Lada Obradovic (drums) and Joanna Kulig on vocals.
“It’s a truly international band showing that jazz is an international language now,” said Ballard. “We have a drummer from Croatia, a sax player from Haiti, a bass player from Cuba, a piano player from the U.S., a trumpet player from Paris and a singer from Poland. But they all share the same language which is jazz and it’s really high musicianship.”
“It was an honour to play with all of these musicians, it’s truly an 'All Star' band,” said Paris-based Jowee Omicil who plays Joey the saxophonist.
The first two episodes of The Eddy were directed by Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle. He insisted the jazz sessions in the club be recorded live.
“We’re playing for real so if you’re messing up it's gonna show,”Omicil recalled. "There were many ‘one takes’!”
Glen Ballard meanwhile wanted the music to be easy to listen to, but difficult to play. Omicil said they succeeded.
“I was telling Randy Kerber and also Glen: ‘I feel like I'm back at Berkeley, 19 years old in 1997 and I gotta learn how to play to play this music, this tradition of music, but from today’. They evolved the music, we ...
When Swiss beatmaker Flexfab was doing a set in the coastal town of Kisili, Kenya, a young Kenyan rapper Ziller Bas grabbed the mike and delivered his "Swengflow". The chemistry was immediate and six months later the two artists are set to release their debut EP Mugogo! A dancefloor must.
Pablo Fernandez, who's been working under the moniker Flexfab for a decade or so, likes to work outside his comfort zone. He's lent his beatmaking skills to Kenya's Muthoni Drummer Queen, Batuk from South Africa, rapper Rozzma from Egypt, Malaysian singer The Venopian Solitude...
In August 2019, a Swiss music non-profit, Flee, invited him to East Africa for a series of exchanges with local musicians. During a gig in Kisili, some 70kms north of Mombasa, Baraka Shujaa, an MC going under the name Ziller Bas couldn't resist joining in.
"The beats were so good, I was so excited I had to jump in," the 25-year old rapper said on the line from Kisili.
"This freestyle session with Zilla Bas was magic, the kind of moment that only happens a few times in your life," Flexfab said. He found a way to return to Kisili in January this year with a mobile studio. In just two weeks they recorded 14 tracks, a documentary about their story and three videos.
Their EP Mugogo part 1 has four tracks for hot club nights.
Ziller Bas lays down his vocals in his very own Swengflow: a mix of Swahili, English and his native Giriama.
The title track Mugogo has a hypnotic beat, with traditional percussion from shakers known locally as kayamba which Flexfab recorded live when doing the final mix.
"I didn't sample music, all the songs are original," he said. "There's some synthesizer, a lot of electronic things but a big part of the job I did at the end of the project was to add some live percussion."
"Mugogo means great, like the king, someone magical, noble, with dignity," Ziller Bas explained. "It's derived from a leader here in Mijikenda called Karissa Maita."
Maita was a former tourism minister and an MP from Mombasa's kisauni area known affectionately as "Mugogo, wa pwani": Mijikenda for "Big Man of the Coast". He was a popular politician who defended the interests of coastal peoples, encouraging them to speak out about the politics of exclusion.
The track Sawa Sawa means OK in Swahili: an upbeat, positive song "about feeling good," Ziller Bas said.
Vituko meanwhile is "very poetic and more political. It talks about challenges in the ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the U-S’ Covid-19 medication, Remdesivir. There’s an update on confinement measures in France, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, once again published every Saturday. A hearty “thank you!” to all of you who so kindly continued to watch The “Quarantine” Kitchen videos on Facebook during confinement. Now you’ll hear The Sound Kitchen as you have always known it, with the quiz, the winners and all the other ingredients you’re accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. And once again, thanks for continuing to be a part of The Sound Kitchen !
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
RFI’s Planète Radio announced the winners of the 2020 ePOP short video competition and Adita Prithika Subrahmanyan, the president of the RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tamilnadu, India is the laureate in the Club RFI category for her video “Cultivation between factories”. Adita won a week-long series of masterclasses in Paris with RFI and fellow ePOPers, a 1000€ grant to design and run a local ePOP Camp workshop in her community, and five ePOP video shooting kits.
You can watch Adita’s prize-winning video here, and of course, on the RFI English, The Sound Kitchen, the RFI English Clubs, and the RFI Listeners Club Facebook pages. Planète Radio will post the runners up in each category every Friday.
Prithwiraj Purkayastha, the president of the RFI Listeners Club of Jorhat in Assam, India, won fourth place in the Club RFI category for his video “Solution for greener cities”. I’ll be sure and let you know when his video is posted.
The Grand Prize winner is Hadama Diakité from Bamako, Mali, for his video “The economy of waste” (Adita also placed 11th in this category). The Young Female Producer award went to Olivia Christine Jeanne from Alakamisy, Madagascar for “The value of trees”. The Emergency Science prize went to Damarus Tshinyam, from Kipepe, Democratic Republic of Congo, ...
When musicians Amadou Diagne and Cory Seznec had a chance encounter in a bar in Bath in 2007, they knew one day they would record together. Thirteen years later, after many "touki" (journeys), they've embarked on a new musical adventure with a debut album Right of Passage. They talk to RFI about making new roots music with kora, banjo and guitar.
“It was a fortuitous meeting of like-minded kindred spirits,” said Seznec, a French-American singer-songwriter, guitarist and clawhammer banjoist who’s honed his sound through travels on the African continent.
He was playing in a bar with his band Groanbox when Diagne showed up with his djembe after a day of busking and the two men began improvising together.
“The energy was fantastic ... some really simple connection happened back in 2007," said Seznec.
They played gigs from time to time, Seznec bringing Diagne on board “for his percussive and harmony prowess” but it took more than a decade for them to form the duo Touki and get into the studio.
“It was always in the back of our minds that we should do something, but life took us in different directions,” Seznec continued. "And then finally the stars aligned.”
When Diagne secured a grant from the Arts Council of England, he immediately thought of Seznec.
“It my dream for a long time to do something with him,” said Diagne, a multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer-songwriter from near Dakar and who settled in the UK in 2004.
“I just tell him ‘hey man, come on, this is the time now, let’s do it’!”
The two musicians rehearsed in Paris and recorded 13 tunes in Peter Gabriel’s World Circuit Records studios in southwestern England.
Diagne, who was born into a Griot family of drummers and praise singers, sings in Wolof and dug deep into his own personal history for inspiration on several songs.
Yaye Bouye is about his mother dying when he was a young boy, while Tirailleurs draws a parallel between his difficult beginnings in the UK and the Senegalese Tirailleurs who fought bravely alongside French troops in various world wars. Diagne’s own grandfather, Mass Mboup, was decorated by the French for his bravery in WW2.
Two songs, Yaen Yalay and Machallah are influenced by Seznec’s three years in Ethiopia and feature Endris Hassen on the one-string bowed lute known as masenqo.
“Yaen Yalay means ‘thank you’ in Eritrean. It’s a sort of banjo percussive, instrumental track, a nod to Ethiopia and Eritrea,” said Seznec. “It has ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the German biotech company and their Covid-19 vaccine. There’s a mini-history lesson on Joan of Arc, “Ollia’s Happy Moment”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, once again published every Saturday. A hearty “thank you!” to all of you who so kindly continued to watch The “Quarantine” Kitchen videos on Facebook during confinement. Now you’ll hear The Sound Kitchen as you have always known it, with the quiz, the winners and all the other ingredients you’re accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. And once again, thanks for continuing to be a part of The Sound Kitchen !
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
RFI’s Planète Radio announced the winners of the 2020 ePOP short video competition and Adita Prithika Subrahmanyan, the president of the RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tamilnadu, India is the laureate in the Club RFI category for her video “Cultivation between factories”. Adita won a week-long series of masterclasses in Paris with RFI and fellow ePOPers, a 1000€ grant to design and run a local ePOP Camp workshop in her community, and five ePOP video shooting kits.
You can watch Adita’s prize-winning video here, and of course, on the RFI English, The Sound Kitchen, the RFI English Clubs, and the RFI Listeners Club Facebook pages. Planète Radio will post the runners up in each category every Friday.
Prithwiraj Purkayastha, the president of the RFI Listeners Club of Jorhat in Assam, India, won fourth place in the Club RFI category for his video “Solution for greener cities”. I’ll be sure and let you know when his video is posted.
The Grand Prize winner is Hadama Diakité from Bamako, Mali, for his video “The economy of waste” (Adita also placed 11th in this category). The Young Female Producer award went to Olivia Christine Jeanne from Alakamisy, Madagascar for “The value of trees”. The Emergency Science prize went to Damarus Tshinyam, from Kipepe, Democratic ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the parliamentary polls in South Korea. There’s wonderful news too, about the winner of RFI’s Planète Radio ePOP video competition – an RFI English club president won! There are letters to you from RFI English journalists, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, once again published every Saturday. A hearty “thank you!” to all of you who so kindly continued to watch The “Quarantine” Kitchen videos on Facebook during confinement.
Now you’ll hear The Sound Kitchen as you have always known it, with the quiz, the winners and all the other ingredients you’re accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. And once again, thanks for continuing to be a part of The Sound Kitchen !
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
RFI’s Planète Radio announced the winners of the 2020 ePOP short video competition this week, and Adita Prithika Subrahmanyan, the president of the RFI Agnichiragu Phoenix Club in Tamilnadu, India is the laureate in the Club RFI category for her video “Cultivation between factories”. Adita won a week-long series of masterclasses in Paris with RFI and fellow ePOPers, a 1000€ grant to design and run a local ePOP Camp workshop in her community, and five ePOP video shooting kits.
Prithwiraj Purkayastha, the president of the RFI Listeners Club of Jorhat in Assam, India, won fourth place in the Club RFI category for his video “Solution for greener cities”.
The Grand Prize winner is Hadama Diakité from Bamako, Mali, for his video “The economy of waste” (Adita also placed 11th in this category).
The Young Female Producer award went to Olivia Christine Jeanne from Alakamisy, Madagascar for “The value of trees”.
The Emergency Science prize went to Damarus Tshinyam, from Kipepe, Democratic Republic of Congo, for his video “Helping Fishing”.
Initiated in 2017 by RFI Planète Radio and the French Development Research Institute (IRD), ePOP is an innovative project which aims to mobilize an international network of ...
When N'Djamena-based electro band Pulo NDJ found themselves stranded in Abuja with no chance of returning to Chad because of the coronavirus, they made their way to Lomé, set up a home studio and recorded a song about living in lockdown. Their story is one of friendship and remaining creative through the crisis.
Since the release of their acclaimed debut album Desert to Douala in March 2019, Pulo NDJ has spread its inventive blend of traditional Chadian rhythms with an electro beat around West Africa.
In March they were invited by the Institut Français in Abuja to head up DJ-ing workshops and give concerts in Nigeria.
But the coronavirus stopped them in their tracks. With borders shut, they found themselves stranded in Abuja, unable to return to N’Djamena.
“The concert was cancelled and we had to return to Chad but Chad closed its border," said guitarist Stingo. "We got help from friends."
The band headed to his home country of Togo and found shelter at Luc’s (aka Lord Kossivi), a member of the HAPE Collective which produced the Desert to Doula album.
They were introduced to the French filmmaker, Marion Poizeau, who was also locked down in Lomé. Together they turned to music as a way of pushing back the walls.
“Luc lent them his home studio, Walid (the keyboard player) had his computer, Stingo his guitar and I lent them a mike,” said Poizeau. “We made do with what we had.”
They began writing and one song - Confinement - talks of what it feels like to be in lockdown.
It’s a pensive cream-pop song with a universal message: ‘We’re all here together, we’re stuck, we’re in lockdown,’ Poizeau sings.
“The idea was to express what we were feeling being stuck together in a house,” said the filmmaker turned backing vocalist.
“Making music was also a big help during this time, to make the time go faster and more enjoyable," she added.
Poizeau made a video for the song showing the five of them trapped inside the house, set against backgrounds of the ocean, grasslands, and an array of untrammelled wild animals.
Making music has allowed them to remain positive and break the feeling of social distancing.
“We did this to share what’s happening here and to share the way we met and created together," Poizeau said. "So even if it’s a crisis we can still be creative and produce something positive. I hope we can share our positive idea of keeping making music with the rest of the world.”
Lockdown is having a devastating impact on musicians, not least in Lomé where the night-time curfew ...
Djibouti is better known as a strategic outpost than a hotbed of music but Groupe RTD, the country's national radio band, are one of its best kept secrets. By day they play at official ceremonies, off duty they let rip their love of American jazz, Indian Bollywood, Jamaican reggae and Somali funk. For the first time ever an independent label, Ostinato Records, was allowed to capture that sound and release it to the outside world on the upcoming Dancing Devils of Djibouti album.
Since Djibouti gained independence from France in 1977, its music industry has been controlled by the state, its bands run like national enterprises.
And none more so than Groupe RTD, the official band of national radio Radiodiffusion-Télévision Djibouti (RTD), whose job it is to perform at official ceremonies.
Its music has always been recorded in RTD’s studios, conserved in its extensive archives, but has never had international release.
Vik Sohoni, producer and curator with Ostinato Records, met the band by chance in 2016 when tracing author’s rights for its compilation album of Somali music, Sweet as Broken Dates.
He found Groupe RTD at the radio’s recording studio jamming “off duty”.
“We quickly realised this was not just some national, ceremonial band, this was a very raw, gritty, tough, funky band,” he says.
“A lot of these guys were old legends and there was some young talent too. Everything that was happening in that studio was world class musicianship and we were really blown away.”
Among the older talent is saxophonist Mohamed Abdi Alto, a self-taught musician who Sohonie says deserves to be “right up there” with the world's greatest jazz instrumentalists. “He’s a national treasure, the best saxophonist in the country and possibly the most unheralded saxopohone virtuoso in all of Africa.”
Alto emerged as part of the east African scene in the 1970s as did the band’s guitarist Abdirazak Hagi Sufi “Kaajaa” and bass player Abdo Houssein Handeh.
New talent includes vocalist Asma Omar, who joined Groupe RTD after winning a youth talent competition, and Hassan Omar Houssein, also a singer.
The band performs Somali music, in Somali. But there’s a “distinct Djiboutian twist,” which comes partly from the country’s geography and history as an important trading post at the mouth of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Many cultures - but above all the Middle East and India - have left their mark on the country and its music.
“What’s incredible about Djiboutian music is not only its ability to take in all the different ...
Nearly a week after France began easing its Covid-19 lockdown, we're back online in the Sound Kitchen! This week, the answer to the quiz question looking back at Paris's ban on outdoor activity during confinement. There’s “On This Day”, great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, once again published every Saturday. A hearty “thank you!” to all of you who so kindly continued to watch The “Quarantine” Kitchen videos on Facebook during confinement.
Now you’ll hear The Sound Kitchen as you have always known it, with the quiz, the winners and all the other ingredients you’re accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music…so be sure and listen every week.
And once again, thanks for continuing to be a part of The Sound Kitchen !
For the time being, Paris Live, our afternoon news broadcast, is still off-the-air. We will let you know as soon as we can safely bring it back to you. Thank you all for your patience, and for your support of the English service during this difficult time.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favourite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
RFI Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) and Chrystelle Nammour (chrystelle.nammour@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department on all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write them so that I know what is going on, too. N.B. You do not need to send them your quiz answers! Email overload!
And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just ...
What does a filmmaker do when confined to a small Paris apartment? Film, of course. A personal look at the lockdown in Paris. Plus, sociologists check in on how the French are faring and discover a philosophical approach. And the labour history of May Day in France.
With the end of the coronavirus lockdown in sight in France, people are starting to anticipate going back to work and piecing life back together. But the culture sector will have to wait: no date has been set yet for reopening of large museums, concert halls or cinemas. The confinement stopped the film industry in its tracks: shoots have been cancelled and projects put on hold. But documentary filmmaker Louis Villers (@louisvillers) has made the most of it and began filming his daily life with his partner Jiawa Liu (@beigerenegade) from the confines of their Paris flat. It's become an eight-part documentary series, broadcast every Saturday evening on French television. The couple talks about how the confinement has made them re-examine their lives and work, just like the myriad of friends and family they connect with online every day. (Listen @2'55)
Researchers have been interested in how confinement has affected people in France. A group of sociologists at Sciences Po has been checking in with a cohort of people every two weeks, with a survey. Ettore Recchi, the project’s coordinator, talks about how even though 40 per cent of people know someone who has been infected by the virus, stress levels about confinement have been remarkably low. (Listen @15'00)
May Day, 1 May, is Labour day in France, as in many countries. Traditionally a day of large union marches, that will not be the case during the confinement. We look at the day originated in the fight for an eight-hour working day, and we talk about the tradition in France of buying and offering muguet, or lily of the valley, on 1 May. (Listen @20'50).
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
Where has all the flour gone? The French appear to have taken to baking during the Covid-19 lockdown, upsetting supply chains. Also, how the pandemic has highlighted inequalities in French healthcare. And reflecting on Notre Dame, a year after the fire.
French people are starting to bake, a lot - unheard of in a country which counts a boulangerie in every town and on nearly every street corner in big cities. But as the coronavirus makes people wary of buying bread they are buying flour, instead, to make their own. We look at how confinement measures have disrupted flour supply chains and shifted people’s approach to daily bread in the land of baguettes. (Listen @0'00)
Also, the virus and lockdown are affecting people in very different ways, depending on their social situation. The crisis has highlighted deep inequalities in terms of housing, work and access to healthcare, especially in France's poor suburbs, or banlieues. One organisation, Banlieues santé has built up a network of grassroots healthcare workers to help support vulnerable people, often filling in for language barriers. Founder Abdelaali El Badaoui (@abdelaalielbada) talks about how the work has become especially pertinent during the crisis. (Listen @4'00)
A lot has changed since the world watched in horror a year ago as the roof of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris burst into flames, its spire melting in the inferno. When journalist Agnes Poirier (@AgnesCPoirier) wrote her book, Notre Dame: The Soul of France, she did not expect it to be released in the midst of a lockdown. She talks about the cathedral’s history, its role in forging French identity, and the symbolism of rebuilding it today as the world is facing major health and social fractures. (Listen @11'00)
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
It's possible that most coronavirus cases in France are not counted. We hear from one person who was diagnosed on the phone, and who waited out the quarantine at home, alone, with little to no official intervention. Also, an asparagus farmer is forced to find new ways to distribute after restaurants and markets are shuttered. And the French physicists who took the first-ever photo of the sun.
Covid-19 statistics in France are so far limited to deaths in hospitals and official tested cases, which raises the question of the real number of people infected and the actual death count. We speak to freelance journalist Fabien Jannic-Cherbonnel (@FabienJ), who came down with symptoms and was diagnosed as having the virus by a GP, but who does not count in the official statistics because he was never tested. He talks about what it's like to make your way through the non-emergency world of coronavirus in France. (Listen @3'50)
Agriculture in France has been hit by the lockdown and restrictions on movement brought in to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus. With restaurants and markets closed, farmers are worried about where to sell their harvests. The government has called on supermarkets to sell French-grown produce, but farmer Thibault de Vulpillieres, who grows and sells asparagus at the Cueillette Laverons, near Toulouse, says the prices being offered are absurdly low. He talks about how the lockdown has completely disrupted his supply chain, but that it is also an opportunity to develop contact with local customers - a silver living in a crisis. (Listen @13'30)
The French physicists who took the first photo of the sun on 2 April 1845. (Listen @11'00)
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
France is on lockdown to try and stop the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, but there have been contradictory explanations about what is and is not allowed. The woman who went on a road trip across France to restore her faith in love. And when France's colonies became departments.
In the first of a two-week (possibly longer) confinement to try to stop the spread of the Coronavirus in France, and with hospitals starting to get overwhelmed, people are trying to figure out how they can go outside. The lockdown announcement sparked panic-buying in supermarkets and many Parisians fled the city to bunker down in the countryside. The lockdown also means a delay in the local elections; the second round should have been held this Sunday. (Listen @0'21)
Forced confinement leaves some people with a lot of time to reflect, and president Emmanuel Macron even called on people to focus on what is essential. Journalist Stefania Rousselle (@stefrousselle) had her own moment of questioning what is essential after the 2015 terrorist attacks in France and the rise of the far right. Depressed, she set off on a road trip across the country to ask people: “What is love?” The result is a book, Amour, portraits of French people, who she says are struggling with the same questions she is. (Listen @11'15)
France turned four of its former colonies into departments on 19 March 1946. Poet and lawmaker Aimé Césaire opposed independence for these small territories, including Guadeloupe and Martinique, arguing they were better off with the social benefits and protections of France. We talk about the story of these territories, called the ‘confetti’ of the French colonial empire. (Listen @8'00)
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
Sarah McCoy is undoubtedly one of the most exuberant and talented singer-songwriters around, unafraid to bear her heart and soul in her music. "Honesty is important," says the 35-year old American. "If I were just singing about how it's sunshiny all the time, well some people can do that, but it's my job to sing about when it rains."
McCoy was picked out by a French researcher singing and playing piano in clubs and bars in New Orleans. After a few years on the road, living rough, she moved to Paris in October 2017 where producers Chilly Gonzales and Renaud Létang helped produced her debut album Blood Siren. Listen to the podcast to hear her story, along with songs from this remarkable record.
Official website here.
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This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Iraq’s prime minister. We have RFI English journalist Laura Angela Bagnetto with us this week – she’ll tell you about her recent reporting trip to Cameroon. There’s great music and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints that no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”. There they are!
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Iraq’s prime minister. We have RFI English journalist Laura Angela Bagnetto with us this week – she’ll tell you about her recent reporting trip to Cameroon. There’s great music and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints that no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”. There they are!
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all ...
France's youngest mayor on breathing fresh air into old, local politics. French billionaires and their relationship to power and politics. And when France banned absinthe during the First World War.
Mayors are by far the most popular elected officials in France, particularly in small towns where people know them personally. In charge of managing many day-to-day services, including primary schools, local transport and rubbish collection, the role of mayor requires a lot of energy. Yet there's a shortage of new blood; fewer than four percent of the country's 35,000 mayors are under the age of 40. We join France's youngest mayor, 25-year old Rémy Dick (@remy_dick), as he campaigns for re-election in the town of Florange, to find out what drew him to the job and why he hopes to continue. (Listen @)
France has a reputation for egalitarianism and high taxes, but it has also produced some of the world's wealthiest people. Olivier Petitjean, a journalist with the French Multinational Observatory who contributed to a report on European billionaires, talks about how France has cultivated the accumulation of wealth, and the relationship between power and money both in France and elsewhere in Europe. (Listen @)
Absinthe, the green liquor with the reputation of driving people mad, was banned in France on 17 March 1915 because of its impact on soldiers in the trenches in the First World War. We talk about the "green fairy", its effect on French drinking habits and how it's undergoing a revival. (Listen @)
Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about 27 January 1945. We have an International Women’s Day celebration featuring Sound Kitchen listeners, some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”. There they are!
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If ...
Olga "Olgha" Nkweti is a singer-songwriter from the English-speaking part of Cameroon. She began singing professionally aged just 17 and has made a name crafting covers of popular songs into Pigdin English, but also writes her own soulful afro-pop compositions. She talks to RFI about composing the song Cold to draw attention to the innocent victims caught up in the Anglophone conflict.
"I decided to write Cold to create an awareness about what has been going on in the English speaking zones of Cameroon," she tells RFI's Laura-Angela Bagnetto when the two women meet in Douala. "We've had a crisis for the last three years or so, and it doesn't seem to be letting up.
"I realised there was a lot of pointing of fingers and everybody was trying to blame the other party for starting it. But there was not enough information about the victims. So I wanted a song which was going to focus on the fact that we are losing on both sides: we are losing family, we're losing friends, we are losing children and old people and helpless people. So Cold is a story about that kind of loss."
Listen to the podcast to hear how Olgha used her own experience of conflict to bring the video for Cold alive, and how the crew came face to face with the trauma so many families are facing on a daily basis.
Olgha Nk is signed to Bimmac Sounds, a Cameroonian label based in the U.S. whose aim is to discover and develop young talent.
Follow her on facebook and instagram
Seb el Zin founded the surrealist rock band Ithak in 2005 and it somehow manages to straddle hardcore, metal, psychedelia and traditional Turkish music with equal ease. He talks to us about why metal is ethno music, his love of dystopia and science fiction, and finding lyrical inspiration in the odd mushroom.
Seb El Zin (Seb the beautiful!) has many strings to his bow: composer, singer, musician and producer, he's frontman and guitarist with ethno-psychic punk band Ithak. Their second album, Black Nazar Corporation (2016), is not exactly easy- listening world music, but el Zin says it's just a question of opening your mind.
"We attempt to mix industrial punk rock with some other traditional musics," he says. "In the West we have many labels like metal music, reggae, hip hop, and so on, and then all the rest is world music.
"But I consider that every music is ethno actually. Even metal is ethno music from white people from the beginning of the 90s. So in the end, there is no reason why they shouldn't be mixed with any other kind of music, maybe with Indonesian gamelan, or whatever. We all live on the same earth. Be open and see what works."
From 2011 to 2016 El Zin lived in Turkey where he learned to play a flute known as the ney and the Turkish lute known as saz, so they get thrown into the musical mix.
Before that he spent some months at Ircam (French institute specialising in avant garde electro-accoustic music) as an engineer, where he broadened his musical tastes, discovering composers like György Sándor Ligeti and Iannis Xenakis... "major composers who're aren't mainstream but who have influenced my music".
Writers like J.G. Ballard meanwhile nourished his interest in dystopia.
"I'm a big fan, he inspired all the new wave generations, Joy Division, all those bands back in the days."
El Zin also heads up the hip-hop noise cult project Anarchist Republic of Bzzz (feat. Arto Lindsay, Marc Ribot, Mike Ladd and Sensational) and has toured the U.S. with his solo album Grand Bazar.
On 5 March he'll push his boundaries that bit further, joining Franco-Algerian mandolin maestro Hakim Hamadouche in concert at the Arabofolies festival at the institut du Monde Arabe. Hamadouche played with Rachid Taha for more than 25 years.
"Hakim is a super open-minded person. He plays rock, blues, jazz as well as his traditional Berber chaabi music. So it wasn't complicated to have common vocabulary, we just let it happen."
Seb El Zin's ...
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about Africa’s richest woman. There’s a special salute to the world’s “leapsters” – those of you born on 29 February – some great music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Podcasts, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
To listen to our features from your mobile phone, the three horizontal bars are on the top left. Click and choose “Features”. There they are!
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to ...
French farmers take to Twitter and Youtube to show a different side to their profession, the case for Paris becoming a 15-minute city, and how the nylon stocking helped the rise of planned obsolescence .
Farmers in France are in the spotight at the annual agricultural fair in Paris, where urban and rural worlds rub shoulders once a year. We meet a group of farmers who have taken to social media to connect with consumers, tell their own stories and thereby counter so-called "agro-bashing" from environmental and animal-rights activists. France Agri Twittos (@Fragritwittos) are connected, innovative and positive about the future of French farming. (Listen @)
How far away from work, from school or your doctor should you live? Carlos Moreno (@CarlosMorenoFr) thinks that in Paris those amenities should be within a 15-minute walk or bike ride and the current Paris mayor has embraced his "15-minute city" concept in her campaign for re-election. The researcher also argues for a 30-minute territory for smaller French cities as a way of addressing many of the issues raised by the Yellow Vest protest movement. (Listen @)
On the anniversary of the introduction of nylon, on 28 February 1935 (by Dupont, a company originally founded by a Frenchman), we look at stockings, and the rise of planned obsolescence. (Listen @)
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the French pension reform. There’s information on International Mother Language Day, the Sound Kitchen mailbag, great music – and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features (now podcasts only), go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Features, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly, or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
Did you know there’s an RFI ...
Ethiopia is currently battling one of its worst locust invasions since 1958. But since then, the country has rolled out a defense system to make sure damage is minimal across the country. Find out more in this edition of Spotlight on Africa.
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about the new Austrian chancellor and his coalition partner. You’ll hear World Radio Day greetings from your fellow listeners all over the world, great music – and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features (now podcasts only), go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Features, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly, or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address ...
A look at the use of force by French police, as weekly Yellow Vest protests continue. The legacy of feminist cartoonist Claire Bretécher in the male-dominated world of French BD. And how, in the wake of US tariffs, getting a label can help you stand out in France's competitive wine market.
After teenager Lilian Diessé was hit and disfigured by a rubber bullet fired by police during a Yellow Vest protest in Strasbourg last year, his mother is still trying to get justice. Investigators concluded that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but they closed the case without identifying the officer who fired the shot. The case draws attention to the use of force by police during Yellow Vest protests. Since the movement began in November 2018, more than 500 demonstrators have been injured in violent clashes between police and protesters. Some have lost eyes or hands because of police use of controversial flash ball riot guns. We hear from Flaure Diessé and ask whether the police are using excessive force and what is the government doing to address it. (Listen @0'00)
Cartoonist Claire Bretécher, who died this week, played an important role in making comics, or bandes dessinnées, a respected adult literary genre in France in the 1960s and '70s. She also introduced female characters and social satire into what was a very male-dominated world at the time. We talk about her life and work and critiquing the bohemian bourgeoisie, who we now know as les bobos. (Listen @9'33)
Labels have become increasingly important for wine in France, reassuring customers over a bottle's authenticity and the methods used to produce what's inside. As wine exports take a hit in France because of US tarrifs, Brexit and the slowing of the Chinese economy, winemakers at the Wine-Paris Vinexpo trade fair are under pressure to stand out. Annick Jourdan, of the Domaine Jourdan in the Loire valley, talks about working naturally, and the growing importance of organic and other such labels for her customers. (Listen @13'32)
Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on iTunes (link here), Google podcasts (link here), or your favourite podcast app.
Singer-songwriter Piers Faccini's latest opus is a four-track EP Hear My Voice. And what an original voice it is. He chats to us about his artisan approach to making nourishing music, doing it his way on his record label Beating Drum and how unpleasant years at Eton public school probably helped forge his unique musical identity.
Anglo-Italian singer songwriter and guitarist Piers Faccini launched the Hear My Voice project in 2018 as a way of giving a platform to talented artists with distinct and somewhat atypical voices.
His label Beating Drum has released three vinyl EPs: Neapolitan songwriter GNUT, Tui Mamaki and Trinidadian poet and singer Roger Robinson aka Horsedreamer.
"They have very distinctive voices," says Faccini. "And that's the notion of Hear My Voice, it's about using Beating Drum to put out and highlight the kind of voices that might not always be heard.
"Newt, for example, is a singer-songwriter who decides to sing in the Neapolitan language as opposed to Italian. Twi Mamaki is a New Zealander, but she fell in love with Bulgarian music and traditions. Horsedreamer, Roger Robinson, well we're super proud to have worked with him because he just won the T.S. Eliot poetry prize. So he's kind of the new big thing in poetry in the UK."
The fourth Hear My Voice release is Faccini’s own. And while previous albums "I dreamed an Island" (2016) and "Songs of time Lost" (2014) with cellist Vincent Segal, explored songwriting without borders, the Hear My Voice EP is more inspired by British and North American folk.
"I wanted to go back to my first inspirations in terms of songwriting. So the songs are very much coming from the African-American blues traditions and English folk music."
Faccini's characteristic broken falsetto voice soars on the song Hope Dreams.
"The idea of hope dreams was simply the take on the idea that when someone's desperately hanging on to love and to a broken relationship, it's just completely hopeless. There's a sort of addiction to the idea of hope.
"I love canto flamenco and that whole very dramatic, nostalgic way of singing about love that you hear in the Mediterranean and also in southern Italian music. So I'm sort of taking that kind of language but using it in English."
Vintage Faccini, the song offers comfort even as you drown your sorrows.
Faccini was an artist before he became a musician so in addition to recording and mixing his music in his home studio in the Cevennes ...
Finding work in France when you're over 60 is tough, but a team of "senior" Space Cowboys is proving they can be an added value. Also, how the new Citizen Climate Assembly is putting participative democracy into action. And 70 years of the minimum wage in France which protects people from poverty.
The government's pension reform plan seeks to get people working longer. But as only one in three people over the age of 60 are in work in France, the reform risks keeping them unemployed for longer. Assystem, a French engineering firm, is convinced that "senior" employees are worth betting on, and has created the "Space Cowboys", a team of experts in their 50s and 60s whose savoir faire is proving an added value, not a burden, to the company. We talk to its founder Hubert Labourdette (@hlaburdette) and Space Cowboy Andrew Whiting. (Listen @0'00)
The Great Debate, which followed the yellow vest protest movement, didn't come to much, but there's more hope for the Citizen Climate assembly, introduced by President Macron this year. 150 randomly-chosen French people are thrashing out proposals to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent compared to 1990 levels. The government has promised to take their suggestions on board. Climate activist Mathilde Imer (@MathildeImer) is on the steering committee and says this kind of participation on a national level is close to revolutionary. (Listen @14'30)
France's very first minimum wage, the SMIG, was introduced 70 years ago. on 11 February 1950. It's now called the SMIC, but the principle of ensuring a basic minimum revenue to keep working people out of poverty remains the same. 13.5 percent of the workforce in France, or 2.3 million people, earn the SMIC today. (Listen @11'15)
This episode was mixed by Erwan Rome.
Subscribe to the Spotlight on France podcast on iTunes (link here) or Google podcasts (link here).
This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear the answer to the question about voter turnout in Hong Kong’s District Council elections. There’s a little lesson on leap years, listener news, great music – and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!
Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.
Send me your music requests! I’ll make programs of your favorite music when I can’t be in the kitchen to cook something up new for you … write to me at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr
For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no longer permit us to broadcast via shortwave.
"Paris Live", our afternoon news program, is on-the-air Monday – Friday, from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC/GMT. You can hear "Paris Live" on our website, rfienglish.com, or on World Radio Network.
For North America: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Africa and Asia: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 05:00 to 05:59, from 09:00 to 09:59 and from 15:00 to 15h59 UTC/GMT.
For Europe: WRN broadcasts the quotidian RFI English programme three times a day from Monday to Friday, from 06:00 to 06:50, from 11:00 to 11:59 and from 19:00 to 19:59 UTC/GMT.
In Paris, you can hear us on World Radio Paris on DAB+, Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 16:59.
To listen to our features (now podcasts only), go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose Listen to RFI / Features, and you’ve got ‘em ! You can either listen directly, or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.
Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr
Did you know there’s ...
British ex-pats in France feeling insecure as Brexit finally happens, raising horses to be wild in one of France's most desolate areas, how the Michelin star was born, and would rebel writer Camus be out protesting pension reform?
France has the second largest British community in Europe after Spain, with around 200,000 citizens. Some already have French nationality, but those who don't are nervous about Friday's Brexit. While the terms on which British people will be allowed to remain in France are still being worked out, we hear from ex-pats in the town of Eymet in the Dordogne region, where a tenth of the 2,600 residents are British. They came for the climate and quality of life, but are now wondering what the future has in store. (Listen @ 0'00)
The Larzac, a plateau in Lozère in south-western France, the country's least populated area, is home to three dozen Przewalski horses. The breed originated in Mongolia and had become virtually extinct by the 1960s. But since 1993, 89 have been transferred from France to their natural habitat in Mongolia. Zeenat Hansrod travelled to the area around the Le Villaret village to see the horses, meet the Takh association running the operation, and discover one of France's last wild open spaces. Read more here. (Listen @8'20)
Albert Camus, the Franco-Algerian writer, philosopher and journalist, died 60 years ago this month in a car accident. He won a Nobel prize for his writing, but was also known for his political activism in favour of the oppressed and the working class. As France is in the throes of protests over inequality and fears of an over-liberal pension reform, Camus seems as relevant as ever. Historian Vincent Duclert, who has recently published a book on Camus, reflects on the writer as a working class hero and the importance of his Algerian roots. (Listen @20'20)
As the Michelin guide announced its starred restaurants this week, we look back on 120 years of the little red guide, which has its roots in the birth of France's car culture. (Listen @16'00)
Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.
Subscribe to the Spotlight on France podcast on iTunes (link here) or Google podcasts (link here).