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Greetings from Transparent Language! Every so often we send out this free newsletter
with topics of interest to French language enthusiasts. Since the introduction of the
newsletter last year, we have received dozens of letters from readers with positive
feedback and suggestions. We are delighted that the newsletter has been so well received,
and are grateful for your insightful comments. Of all the suggestions readers have sent,
perhaps the most common one is to offer our newsletter in both English and French. So, in
response to your feedback, from this issue on we are proud to offer newsletters in both
languages. We have first presented the following newsletter in French, followed
immediately by the English translation. This will be a good tool for practicing your French
skills.
This month's newsletter is about former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius and
the two members of his cabinet who were accused of having failed to stop the distribution
and use of tainted blood in France in 1985.
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
En français:
Laurent Fabius exonéré dans l'affaire du sang contaminé Le 9 mars 1999, les juges de
la Cour de Justice de la République ont rendu leur arrêt dans le procès du sang
contaminé : relaxe de l'ancien Premier ministre, Laurent Fabius, et de son ministre des
Affaires sociales, Georgina Dufoix, mais condamnation avec dispense de peine pour Edmond
Hervé, son secrétaire d'Etat à la Santé.
Depuis plus de quinze ans on sait la grave menace posée par le SIDA. L'ancien Premier
ministre et deux membres de son gouvernement étaient accusés de ne pas avoir pris les
mesures nécessaires pour mettre fin à la distribution et à l'emploi de sang contaminé
en France en 1985. Plus de 600 des 4000 hémophiles ayant reçu des transfusions de sang
contaminé avec le virus du SIDA, sont morts. Cette affaire, qui a fortement scandalisé
la France, a achevé un nombre de carrières de médecins, de scientifiques et
d'administrateurs. Plusieurs administrateurs de banques du sang, ainsi que des conseillers
des trois ministres ont été condamnés et trente-deux autres seront jugés
prochainement. Le procès des trois ministres était une première. La Cour de Justice de
la République, consistant en trois magistrats et de douze parlementaires, a été créée
spécialement. C'était, en effet, la première fois dans l'histoire de la Cinquième
République que des ministres étaient accusés de crimes commis dans l'exercice de leurs
fonctions.
En outre, la France est un des seuls pays où des ministres aient été tenus
personnellement responsables de ne pas avoir tout mis en oeuvre pour permettre le
dépistage du SIDA. Laurent Fabius, Premier ministre socialiste de 1984 jusqu'à 1986, son
Ministre des Affaires sociales Georgina Dufoix, et le secrétaire d'Etat à la Santé
Edmond Hervé étaient accusés d'homicide involontaire. En cas de condamnation, ils
risquaient des peines de prison de trois à cinq ans.
Laurent Fabius exonerated in tainted blood affair On March 9, 1999, the judges of the
special court announced their verdict in the tainted blood affair: acquittal for former
prime minister, Laurent Fabius and for Georgina Dufoix, his Social Affairs minister, but a
suspended sentence was handed down to Edmond Hervé, his secretary of State for Health.
In English:
It's been more than fifteen years since the AIDS virus was identified as a serious
danger. The former Prime minister and two members of his cabinet were accused of having
failed to stop the distribution and use of tainted blood in France in 1985. Approximately
600 of the 4,000 hemophiliacs who had received HIV-infected blood through transfusions
died. This affair, a tremendous scandal in France, has ended many medical, scientific, and
administrative careers. Several blood-bank officials and aides to the three ministers have
been convicted and thirty-two more will be tried in the near future. This was an extremely
monumental event. A special court consisting of three judges and twelve parliamentarians
was created. This was the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic that ministers
had been charged with crimes committed during a term of office.
In addition, France is one of the only countries where leaders have been held
accountable for not actively stopping the spread of AIDS. Laurent Fabius, Socialist Prime
Minister from 1984 to 1986, his Social Affairs Minister Georgina Dufoix, and the Secretary
of State for Health Edmond Hervé were facing charges of manslaughter. If convicted, they
could have faced prison sentences of three to five years.
Tips for FrenchNow!
The following are some hints to help maximize your use of FrenchNow!
FrenchNow! is the premier learning tool in which to teach yourself a foreign language.
We have included some tips to help you get the full use out of your language software.
Tips for FrenchNow! users 1. To play the video for an entire Title, select any word in the
first Segment of the Title, then choose "Video / Segments". To stop the video at
any time, choose "Video / Stop." 2. To practice vocabulary, look at an
illustration in an Illustrated Title and try to name as many objects as you can in the
foreign language. Type your answers in the Notes tab. To go to the previous or next
Illustration, click the previous and next buttons below the illustration.
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