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If you're looking for an intermediate English podcast, LanguaTalk is ideal for listening to news in slow English. It'll be perfect for you if you have a lower-intermediate level (B1), but can also help A2 and B2 learners. The podcast is free and you can find interactive transcripts on our cutting-edge software, Langua. We've created this podcast using AI.
Welcome to LanguaTalk news. Our first story comes from France, where farmers have been blocking major highways out of Paris and across the country. They are protesting against environmental regulations. In the past, the French government had made promises to reduce state subsidies on agricultural diesel and lessen environmental rules. However, farmers claim this is not enough. Arnaud Rousseau, the head of France's main farming organization, stated that the aim of the protests is to secure emergency measures for their businesses. Additionally, taxi drivers in several French cities have been protesting new tariffs for medical transport. Marc Fesneau, the French Farming Minister, has announced that President Emmanuel Macron will push for more pro-farming policies at a European Union summit in Brussels this week. The government's goal is to soften European Union rules that require around four percent of farmland to remain unused to meet environmental goals.Moving onto Eastern Europe, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has signaled his readiness for a compromise over a proposed European Union aid package for Ukraine. Orban had previously blocked a revision of the EU budget which included aid for Ukraine. This led to leaders developing a back-up plan. Despite Orban's past criticism of the EU's financial and military support for Ukraine, his chief political aide, Balazs Orban, stated on Monday that Hungary is open to using the EU budget for a proposed fifty billion euro aid package to Ukraine. This represents a significant shift in Hungary's stance. If Hungary had not agreed to the original aid package, EU leaders had proposed a workaround that would deny Budapest access to linked EU funds. The EU has previously suspended a large portion of funds for Hungary due to concerns over democratic checks and balances in the country.In the United States, Alabama is offering assistance to other states interested in using nitrogen gas asphyxiation for executions. This follows the state's use of this method to execute Kenneth Smith, a prisoner convicted for murder. Alabama's Attorney General Steve Marshall described the method as humane. He also stated that forty-three other death row inmates have chosen it over lethal injections. However, human rights groups have criticised the method as cruel. Oklahoma and Mississippi have included nitrogen asphyxiation in their approved execution methods but have not used it yet. Alabama has shared its protocol with Oklahoma. Opinions vary on how violent the asphyxiation method is. Some witnesses described a recent execution as distressing, while Alabama officials said the execution went as expected.Turning to Southeast Asia, foreign ministers are calling for an end to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. They are backing a peace plan proposed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, and are advocating for a Myanmar-led solution. These ministers met for a meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos. During this meeting, they also called for a halt to the violence in Myanmar to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid. They also discussed the South China Sea situation and called for a suitable environment to further talks between ASEAN and China about a code of conduct.In Africa, over fifty people, including women and children, have been killed in attacks along South Sudan's border with Sudan. These attacks are linked to a dispute over the border and are the deadliest since twenty twenty one. Bulis Koch, an official in the Abyei region, reported that armed youth from South Sudan's Warrap State were behind the attacks. Abyei is a region rich in oil and is claimed by both South Sudan and Sudan. In addition to the tragic loss of life, sixty-four people were injured in the violence. The United Nations has reported that a Ghanaian peacekeeper was also killed during the attacks. Due to the escalating violence, many civilians have sought shelter at a United Nations base in the region. The governments of both South Sudan and Abyei have pledged to conduct a joint investigation into the attacks.In economic news, Swiss solar panel maker, Meyer Burger, has raised concerns that it may have to close its factory in Germany due to strong competition from China. The company's chief executive, Gunter Erfurt, claimed that Chinese manufacturers sell goods in Europe below their production costs. This is possible due to heavy subsidies from the Chinese government. This situation is causing concern in the European Union, leading to protective trade policies against China. Meanwhile, China is trying to shift its economic focus to domestic demand rather than relying on infrastructure and the property sector. However, this has led to an oversupply in industries such as steel and electric vehicles. Experts warn that China's current approach will lead to more trade conflicts. They add that the Chinese economic model, driven by investment instead of market behavior, is not sustainable.Thanks for listening to LanguaTalk news!