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 [email protected]  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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 September, I asked you a question about a gender equality plan at France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  We reported on that plan in our article “France's foreign ministry unveils two-year gender equality strategy”.You were to re-read the article and send in the answer to this question: What is the Foreign Ministry’s goal for promoting women to important posts? What is the percentage they are aiming for?The answer is, to quote our article: “According to the ministry, this year more than 45 percent of ambassadors appointed for the first time will be women, while among newly-appointed consuls-general, over 40 percent will also be women.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How would you define a truly happy person?”, which was suggested by Sabah Binte Sumaiya from Bogura, Bangladesh:Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark. Hans is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Hans, on your double win.Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Samir Mukhopadhyay from Kolkata, India; Mizanur Rahman from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Faiza Zainab - who’s also a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.Last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Tafriha Tahura from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: "Mazurka no. 4" by Frédéric Chopin, arranged by Serge Forté and performed by the Serge Forté Trio; “Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima” by Krzysztof Penderecki, performed by Antoni Wit and the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra; “La Grande Galerie de la Zoologie” by Philippe Hersant, performed by the Ensemble Bestiaire Fabuleux; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, performed by McFerrin.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich sets women's world record at Chicago Marathon”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 11 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 16 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 September, I asked you a question about Algeria’s presidential elections. Held on 8 September, the incumbent, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, was reelected.RFI English reporter Melissa Chemam followed the race closely; the day after the election she wrote an article for us, “High expectations as Algeria's President Tebboune begins new mandate”. Her article is about what’s on Tebboune’s presidential plate economically and socially for his next mandate.There are several worries in civil society, as Melissa noted: “The first mandate of President Tebboune saw a clampdown on civil liberties and seen the army take on a more important role.”Your question was about the army, and its, as Melissa noted, “more important role”. In August, a few days before Tebboune declared his candidacy, a decree was issued involving the army. You were to tell me what was in that decree.The answer is, to quote Melissa's article: “A few days before Tebboune's declaration of candidacy, in August, a decree was published to legalise the transfer of the senior civil administration under the direct authority of the army.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “red”? The question was suggested by Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India. Radhakrishna is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrisha!  Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Father Stephen Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon; Shadman Hosen Ayon from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, and Atikul Islam – who is also the president of the Narshunda Radio Listeners Family in Dhaka, Bangladesh.Last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Jahangir Alam from the Friends Radio Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Autumn” from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Carla Moore and Voice of Music; Traditional Chaabi music from Algeria; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Mr. Bobby” by Manu Chao, performed by Chao and the Playing for Change musicians.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Algeria's Tebboune refuses France visit in snub to former colonial ruler”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 4 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 9 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 September, I asked you a question about the Paris Paralympics 2024. You were to re-read our article “Golden glory for French para-triathletes despite delays over Seine water quality” and send in the answers to these two questions: How many medals did the French Paralympians win in the triathlon events that were held on 2 September, and: What are the three sports that make up a triathlon?The answer is: French Paralympians won four medals in the triathlon events. Alexis Hanquinquant and Jules Ribstein both won gold in their divisions, Thibaut Rigaudeau and Antoine Perel won bronze in the competition for visually impaired athletes.And which three sports make up a triathlon? Swimming, bicycling, and running. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: "What is the scariest creature you have ever encountered?", which was suggested by Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight, England.  Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Swapan Kumar Chandra from Kolkata, India – who is back in the kitchen with us after a long break … welcome back, Swapan! Swapan is also this week’s bonus question winner – congratulations!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 Rasheed Naz, the chairman of the Naz RFI Internet Fan Club in Faisal Abad, Pakistan. There’s RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India, and last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Shihab Ali Khondaker from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Le Boeuf sur le Toit by Darius Milhaud, performed by the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier; “Love Me Do” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, played by The Beatles; “Les Jours Heureux” by Cyrille Aufort; “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 “At The Centerline” by Brian Blade, performed by the Brian Blade Fellowship Band.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on trial for misuse of EU funds”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 28 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 2 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 29 August, I asked you a question about the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games, which had just opened with a parade on the Champs-Élysées and a grand show on Place de la Concorde, designed by the Games artistic director Thomas Jolly. You were to re-read our article “Paralympic torch arrives in France ahead of opening ceremony” and send in the answer to this question: How many athletes will compete in how many events?The answer is, to quote our article: “During the Games, around 4,400 athletes will compete in 549 events, which will take place in 18 competition sites, including 16 identical to their Olympic counterparts.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “With whom do you feel the happiest, and why?”, suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: Razia Khalid, who’s a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. Razia is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Razia!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are M. N. Sentu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club member Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan.  Last but certainly not least, two RFI English listeners from Bangladesh: Shahanoaz Parvin Ripa, the president of the Sonali Badhon Female Listeners Club in Bogura, and Shihab Uddin Khan from Naogaon.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Traditional music from the Middle Ages; the Allegro from the Piano Sonata K. 545 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by Gabriel Tacchino; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “I Didn't Know What Time It Was” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, sung by Cécile McLorin Salvant.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, listen to Alison Hird’s report on political compromise in France on the Spotlight on France podcast no. 115, or consult her article "Where did France's culture of political compromise go, and is it coming back?", both of which will help you with the answer. You have until 21 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 26 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 August, I told you a story about a sign I saw on a French highway this summer. On most highways across France, there are illuminated signboards that tell you if there’s an accident ahead, encourage you to take a break from driving, or remind you of the speed limit. The messages change according to what information is deemed necessary for drivers.During the Olympic games, the signs said: “Remember: 130 kilometres per hour ... speed is for Léon”. You were to write in and tell me who Léon is, and why the French said speed was OK for him.The answer is: Léon is that French human fish, Léon Marchand. He won four Gold Medals in swimming this year … the 200-meter medley, 200-metre breaststroke, the 200-metre butterfly, and the 400-metre medley. He became the sixth Olympic swimmer to win four gold medals at a single Games.Léon Marchand is the world record holder in the long course 400-metres individual medley; the Olympic record holder in the 200-metres butterfly, the 200-metres breaststroke, and the 200-metres individual medley; and the French record holder in the long course 200-metre individual medley, 200-metre butterfly and 200-metre breaststroke.The young man is fast – watching him swim was incredible. See why the French government would tell us to be careful with our speed, but Léon could go as fast as he wished?In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark: “The Paris 24 Olympic Games are over, but if you had a chance to win a Gold Medal, in which sport would it have been?”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, England. Alan is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Alan!Saleem Akhtar is a winner this week. Saleem is the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan.Pakistan! Congratulations on your amazing javelineer, Arshad Nadeem. Nadeem made history for Pakistan by becoming the first Pakistani to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Not only that, but he set an Olympic record with his throw of 92.97 meters… the sixth-longest throw in history. Mubarak, Arshad! Mubarak, Pakistan!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile; Helmut Matt from Herbolzheim in Germany, and Father Steven Wara, who lives in the Cistercian Abbey in Bamenda, in Cameroon’s North West Region.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Imagine” by John Lennon; the waltz op. 64 No. 1 in D flat, the "Minute Waltz” by Frédéric Chopin, performed by Arthur Rubinstein; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Pocket Piano” by DJ Mehdi.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “France's foreign ministry unveils two-year gender equality strategy”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 14 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 19 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 July, Rwandans were voting for their next president, as well as the members of the country’s 80-seat lower house of parliament.There was little doubt that the current president, Paul Kagame, would win his fourth term. And he did, with 99.18 percent of the vote. There actually were two opposition candidates, which you read about in our article “Rwanda heads to the polls to likely re-elect Kagame for fourth term”.You were to send in the answer to this question: What are the names of the two opposition candidates who ran against the incumbent president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, in the 15 July polls?The answer is: Democratic Green party leader Frank Habineza and the independent Philippe Mpayimana.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile: “What do you think young people should do? Should they work, save, ensure their future, and put off traveling until they are more established? Or should they ‘seize the day’ and go while they’re young?”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 this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations on your double win, Radhakrishna.Also on the list of lucky winners this week are two RFI Listeners Club members from Bangladesh: Sharifa Akter Panna from Kishoreganj, and Faruq Ahmed from Dhaka. There’s also Club member Zenon Teles from Goa, India – Zenon is also the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers.Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Zannatul Zuthi from Narayanganj, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Allegro vivo” from the Symphony in C major by Georges Bizet, performed by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic; “La Campanella” by Nicolo Paganini, performed by Igor Oistrakh; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Day Tripper” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, performed by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66.  Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “High expectations as Algeria's President Tebboune begins new mandate”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 7 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 12 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 13 July I asked you yet another question about France’s snap legislative elections.As you know, the left coalition New Popular Front won the most seats, followed by Macron’s centre-right alliance, with the far-right National Rally in third place. None of the parties have an absolute majority.There’s been something of a “cease-fire” during the Olympic Games, so not much has been done. However, the French constitution sets strict deadlines for when key positions must be filled; one of these is the appointment of chairs for each of the eight standing parliamentary committees. That was your question – what are those eight standing committees, and by which date must the chairs of each committee be decided?The answer is: Finance, foreign affairs, defence, economy, social affairs, culture, sustainable development, and law. The date for deciding the chairs was 20 July. So that has happened: six of the eight committees are headed by the centre-right coalition, and the other two were taken by the left coalition.The centre-right and the left coalition joined forces and no position was allocated to the far-right National Rally.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What was your biggest life-changing decision, and how did it change your life?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI English listener Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar from the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Malik is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Malik!There are two winners from India this week: Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in Hariharpara, and Mousumi Khatun, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidabad. Moving over to Bangladesh, there’s Shrabonty Shermin, a member of the RFI Surfers' Society Bangladesh in Rajshahi, and RFI English listener Rowshan Ara Labone from Dhaka.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Pendulum” by Eberhard Weber, performed by the composer and Paul McCandless; “Contrapunctus 1” from J.S. Bach’s The Art Of Fugue, BWV 1080, performed by the Emerson Quartet; “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 “Street Life” by Joe Sample and Will Jennings, performed by The Crusaders.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Golden glory for French para-triathletes despite delays over Seine water quality”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 30 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 5 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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, 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 6 July, I asked you a question about France’s snap legislative elections, called by President Emmanuel Macron after his centrist party was severely trounced by the far-right National Rally Party in the European legislative elections.The first round of voting was on 30 June; voter turnout was quite high. You were to consult RFI English journalist Jessica Phelan’s article “The three-way factor that makes France's election results so unusual” and send in the answer to these two questions: What was voter turnout on Sunday 30 June, and in which year was it last that high? The answer is: As Jessica wrote in her article: “The last three parliamentary elections have seen turnout of roughly 48 percent (2022), 49 percent (2017) and 57 percent (2012) in the first round, which effectively meant parties had to win a higher share of ballots cast to get across the threshold.On the 30th of June turnout reached almost 67 percent – its highest since 1997.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Given unlimited resources, what scientific or medical problem would you investigate, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Lata Akhter Jahan from 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 Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarima, Tanzania, and Nirupa Bain, a member of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu Shortwave Club in Chhattisgarh, India.Last but not least, two RFI Listeners Club members: Sakawat Hossain from Sylhet, Bangladesh, and Solomon Fessahazion from Asmara, Eritrea.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Polovtsian Dances” from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin, arranged for marimba ensemble by Fumito Nunoya and performed by the Nunoya Marimba Ensemble; “I’ve Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin, performed by Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and  “Un jour tu verras” by Georges van Parys and Marcel Mouloudji, sung by Mouloudji.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Paralympic torch arrives in France ahead of opening ceremony”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 23 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 28 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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, 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 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 29 June, I asked you a question about France’s snap elections for the lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly. President Emmanuel Macron had just dissolved the Assembly after his party was rather severely trounced in the European Parliament elections by the far-right National Rally party.The first round of voting was on 30 June, and the candidates were, as I noted then, promising the moon to voters … you were to listen to Sarah Elzas’ report on her Spotlight on France podcast, and send in the answer to this question: What did the National Rally party say they would do in July to decide what they can or cannot do, as far as their economic promises to the voters?The answer is: As Romeric Godin told Sarah on the podcast: “Many of the spending proposals put forward by Bardella and the RN are predicated on an audit of the country’s finances, planned as of July, which would determine what can (and cannot) be done.“That's a traditional way to say ‘We can't implement some promises we made before, because public finances are not in order’,” says Godin, skeptical that the RN will be able to deliver.For Godin, the economic audit offers a way out: “They can say that if the report on France’s public finances is very bad, they will not do it in the autumn, or at all.”The fiscal information is all there, no audit is necessary.  France’s Cour des Comptes, the country’s independent and supreme audit institution, publishes a monthly report on the country’s finances. It’s not a secret document. It’s online, and everyone can read it.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What do you remember about your first day at your first job?”, which was suggested by Mokles Uddin Mollahis from Bogura, Bangladesh.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI English listener Rafiq Khondaker, the president of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Congratulations, Riaz, 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 RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark. Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Liton Ahamed Mia, from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khokhar from the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Sous le ciel de Paris” by Hubert Giraud and Jean Dréjac, sung by the one and only Edith Piaf; the traditional valse-musette “A Happy Day in Paris” performed by AccordionMan; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Hymne à l’Amour” by Marguerite Monnot and Edith Piaf, sung by Céline Dion.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.You have until 16 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 21 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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,  

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 [email protected]’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.   

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 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 [email protected] 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, to meet the family's food needs, he frequently endures inhuman torture through child labor. They become the victims of malnutrition, illiteracy, and poor education. They cannot enjoy what should be a normal childhood – instead, childhood is a burden.The goal of Kailash Sharma’s Bachpan Bachao Andolan movement is to create a child-friendly society, where all children are free from exploitation and receive a free and quality education. It aims to identify, liberate, rehabilitate and educate children in servitude through direct intervention, child and community participation, coalition building, consumer action, promoting ethical trade practices and mass mobilisation.It has so far freed close to 100,000 children from servitude, including bonded labourers, and helped in their re-integration, rehabilitation and education.Due to Sharma’s hard work, the Child Protection Act came into effect in India in 2012.  India’s Supreme Court ordered that any complaint of torture against child laborers be registered immediately.  Kailash Sharma has received many awards in recognition of his work: the Achina National Peace Prize, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Prize, the Alfonso Comin National Prize and a medal from the Italian Senate.And then, in 2014, he received the world's highest award: The Nobel Peace Prize.There is hope: Light can come from darkness. A total of 365 villages in our 11 states in India are now child labor free.  Kailash Sharma’s work has inspired and created change not just in India, but all across the globe. Kailash Sharma is my true hero.Thank you for listening.The music chosen by Bidhan is “Brishtir Gaan”, written and performed by Aditi Chakraborty.Be sure and tune in next week for a special “Music in the Kitchen”, featuring your musical requests. Talk to you then!

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 [email protected] 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 urban sprawl.My First Journey to the Village Shortly after reading the story, I had the opportunity to visit my ancestral village, a place starkly different from my city life. The journey began with a train ride that mirrored Apu's wonder and excitement. As the train chugged through the countryside, I gazed out of the window, mesmerized by the passing landscapes. Rivers snaked through the green fields, and orchards of mangoes, lychees, and jackfruits painted the scenery with vibrant colors. It was as if I had stepped into Apu's world, experiencing the same unmeasurable happiness he felt. The bus journey that followed took me deeper into the heart of nature. The scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers filled the air. The sight of villagers working in the fields, children playing under the shade of trees, and the serene flow of rivers created a permanent visual in my mind. This experience was a revelation, a tactile encounter with the natural world that Apu had introduced me to.Discovering Pather Panchali in My Teenage Years As a teenager, I read the full novel Pather Panchali and felt an even stronger connection to Apu's journey. The book opened my eyes to the beauty of nature, the simplicity of rural life, and the profound emotions tied to family and survival. It made me realize that true happiness and fulfillment could be found in the simplest of experiences and the purest of surroundings. This realization shaped my life's journey and passions. I developed a deep love for travel, seeking out places where I could immerse myself in nature's embrace. The novel's influence led me to explore diverse landscapes, from the golden deserts of Rajasthan, India, to the lush hills of Bhutan. I found joy in the contrasting environments—the tranquil charm of Thailand's beaches, the cultural richness of Bali, the waves of the Bay of Bengal, and the expansive horizons of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Thailand, and Java Sea.Embracing My Home Country, Bangladesh One of the most profound impacts of Pather Panchali was how it deepened my appreciation for my own beautiful country, Bangladesh. After my teenage years, I have had the privilege to explore all 64 districts of Bangladesh, each with its unique natural beauty and cultural heritage. From the verdant hills of Sylhet to the serene beaches of Cox's Bazar, the majestic Sundarbans mangrove forest to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Dhaka, every corner of Bangladesh offered a new discovery and a deeper connection to my roots. The green landscapes, the winding rivers, and the warmth of the people in Bangladesh constantly reminded me of Apu's world. This profound connection to my homeland enriched my life and reinforced my love for travel and exploration. Bangladesh, with its rich history and diverse natural beauty, continues to be a source of inspiration and joy.Embracing Nature and the Love of Travel Pather Panchali taught me to appreciate the feather-light touch of nature, to find beauty and peace in its presence, even in the most unexpected places. Whether it was the arid sands of Rajasthan, where the desert winds whispered ancient tales, or the verdant hills of Jalpaiguri, where the air was thick with the scent of tea leaves, nature became my sanctuary. The novel instilled in me a sense of wonder and a desire to explore, to experience the world through the lens of its natural splendor. In Thailand and Bali, I found a different kind of charm, where the azure waters and golden sunsets painted the skies with hues of tranquility and adventure. Swimming in the waves of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, I felt a connection to the vastness of the world, a reminder of Apu's endless curiosity and love for discovery. The icy expanse of Mongolia, though harsh, revealed the serene and stark beauty of a world wrapped in snow and silence, expanding my understanding of nature’s extremes.Final WordThe transformative power of Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay lies in its ability to transport readers into a world where nature and simplicity hold profound meaning. For me, the novel was not just a story but a catalyst for a lifelong passion for travel and an enduring love for the natural world. It taught me to seek out the beauty in every corner of the earth, to cherish the moments of awe and wonder, and to find joy in the journey itself. This timeless tale of Apu's adventures has forever changed my perspective, making every travel experience a homage to the spirit of discovery and the beauty of nature, from the warm beaches of Bali to the freezing steppes of Mongolia, and the verdant beauty of Bangladesh, my beloved homeland.The music chosen by Ashik is “Janmo Amar Dhonno Holo Mago” by Azad Rahman, sung by Sabina Yeasmin.Be sure and tune in next week for an essay written by Bidhan Chandar Sanyal.  Talk to you then!

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 [email protected] 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 urban sprawl.My First Journey to the Village Shortly after reading the story, I had the opportunity to visit my ancestral village, a place starkly different from my city life. The journey began with a train ride that mirrored Apu's wonder and excitement. As the train chugged through the countryside, I gazed out of the window, mesmerised by the passing landscapes. Rivers snaked through the green fields, and orchards of mangoes, lychees, and jackfruits painted the scenery with vibrant colours. It was as if I had stepped into Apu's world, experiencing the same unmeasurable happiness he felt. The bus journey that followed took me deeper into the heart of nature. The scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers filled the air. The sight of villagers working in the fields, children playing under the shade of trees, and the serene flow of rivers created a permanent visual in my mind. This experience was a revelation, a tactile encounter with the natural world that Apu had introduced me to.Discovering Pather Panchali in My Teenage Years As a teenager, I read the full novel Pather Panchali and felt an even stronger connection to Apu's journey. The book opened my eyes to the beauty of nature, the simplicity of rural life, and the profound emotions tied to family and survival. It made me realise that true happiness and fulfilment could be found in the simplest of experiences and the purest of surroundings. This realisation shaped my life's journey and passions. I developed a deep love for travel, seeking out places where I could immerse myself in nature's embrace. The novel's influence led me to explore diverse landscapes, from the golden deserts of Rajasthan, India, to the lush hills of Bhutan. I found joy in the contrasting environments—the tranquil charm of Thailand's beaches, the cultural richness of Bali, the waves of the Bay of Bengal, and the expansive horizons of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Thailand, and Java Sea.Embracing My Home Country, Bangladesh One of the most profound impacts of Pather Panchali was how it deepened my appreciation for my own beautiful country, Bangladesh. After my teenage years, I have had the privilege to explore all 64 districts of Bangladesh, each with its unique natural beauty and cultural heritage. From the verdant hills of Sylhet to the serene beaches of Cox's Bazar, the majestic Sundarbans mangrove forest to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Dhaka, every corner of Bangladesh offered a new discovery and a deeper connection to my roots. The green landscapes, the winding rivers, and the warmth of the people in Bangladesh constantly reminded me of Apu's world. This profound connection to my homeland enriched my life and reinforced my love for travel and exploration. Bangladesh, with its rich history and diverse natural beauty, continues to be a source of inspiration and joy.Embracing Nature and the Love of Travel Pather Panchali taught me to appreciate the feather-light touch of nature, to find beauty and peace in its presence, even in the most unexpected places. Whether it was the arid sands of Rajasthan, where the desert winds whispered ancient tales, or the verdant hills of Jalpaiguri, where the air was thick with the scent of tea leaves, nature became my sanctuary. The novel instilled in me a sense of wonder and a desire to explore, to experience the world through the lens of its natural splendour. In Thailand and Bali, I found a different kind of charm, where the azure waters and golden sunsets painted the skies with hues of tranquility and adventure. Swimming in the waves of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, I felt a connection to the vastness of the world, a reminder of Apu's endless curiosity and love for discovery. The icy expanse of Mongolia, though harsh, revealed the serene and stark beauty of a world wrapped in snow and silence, expanding my understanding of nature’s extremes.Final WordThe transformative power of Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay lies in its ability to transport readers into a world where nature and simplicity hold profound meaning. For me, the novel was not just a story but a catalyst for a lifelong passion for travel and an enduring love for the natural world. It taught me to seek out the beauty in every corner of the earth, to cherish the moments of awe and wonder, and to find joy in the journey itself. This timeless tale of Apu's adventures has forever changed my perspective, making every travel experience a homage to the spirit of discovery and the beauty of nature, from the warm beaches of Bali to the freezing steppes of Mongolia, and the verdant beauty of Bangladesh, my beloved homeland.The music chosen by Ashik is “Janmo Amar Dhonno Holo Mago” by Azad Rahman, sung by Sabina Yeasmin.Be sure and tune in next week for an essay written by Bidhan Chandar Sanyal. Talk to you then!

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 [email protected] – 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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 22 June, I asked you a question about the world’s largest arms show - the Eurosatory weapons show – which was just ending up here in France. RFI English journalist Jan van der Made went out to take a look, and wrote an article about it for you: “Israel and Russia barred as world's largest arms show opens in Paris”.You were to re-read Jan’s article and send in the answer to this question: why is the arms fair called “Eurosatory”?The answer is, to quote Jan's article: “Eurosatory is named after Satory, a town near Versailles that is home to Paris’s 24th infantry regiment and the GIGN (an elite French crisis intervention group) headquarters.The first Eurosatory show was held there in 1967, but due to its expansion over the years, the show moved to the Villepinte exhibition halls north of the French capital.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your favorite food, and why?”, which was suggested by Momotaz Begum Nazu from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: Riaz Ahmad Khan, the president of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura, Pakistan. Riaz is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Riaz, 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 RFI Listeners Club member Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India.Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Nilu Dhakal from Mechi, Nepal, and Laily Akhter Nessa from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations, winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The theme from The Pink Panther by Henry Mancini; “No Apparent Reason” by Alex Norris, performed by Ralph Irizarry and Timbalaye; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Canon” by Siouxsie Sioux, Budgie, and Steven Severin, performed by Siouxsie and The Banshees.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Rwanda heads to the polls to likely re-elect Kagame for fourth term”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 9 September to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 14 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected] – 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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Tahmidul Alam Orin from Dhaka, Bangladesh.Welcome,Tahmidul! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 June, I asked you a question about the European Parliament elections, where the far-right National Rally party trounced President Macron’s centrist bloc. Macron then preceded to dissolve and call snap elections for France’s lower house of Parliament, which was a surprise to us all – even his Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, it seems.You were to refer to Jessica Phelan’s article “Why did Macron call snap elections and what does it mean for France?”, and send in the answer to this question: What percentage of the votes did Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party win, and what percentage of the votes did Macron’s centrist bloc win in the European Parliament elections?The answer is, to quote Jessica’s article: “With 31.4 percent of the vote to the Macronists' 14.6 percent, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella called the results a "stinging rejection" of the president.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Father Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon: “What do you do to help others have a secure and happy life?”   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, Jayanta!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are two RFI Listeners Club members from Dhaka, Bangladesh: Monzurul Alam Ripon and Atikul Islam, who is also the president of the Narshunda Radio Listeners Family Club, and hailing from Hedehusene, Denmark, Hans Verner Lollike.Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Nizhom Yeasmin Kona from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations, winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The James Bond Theme written by David Arnold; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “I Love to Laugh” from the film Mary Poppins, music and lyrics written by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman with George Stiles, and sung by Ed Wynn, Julie Andrews, and Dick Van Dyke, and John Coltrane’s “Naima”, performed by Eric Dolphy.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “What are the next steps now that France finds itself with a hung parliament?”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 26 August to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 31 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected] – 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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Tahmidul Alam Orin from Dhaka, Bangladesh.Welcome,Tahmidul! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 June, I asked you a question about an article we had written earlier that week about the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing, China. On 4 June 1989, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army broke up protests by pro-democracy students in the Square. According to various reports, anywhere from hundreds to thousands of students were killed.One of the student leaders, Wang Dan, after two periods of imprisonment in China, was allowed to emigrate to the US. He currently lives in San Francisco, where he leads the Dialogue China think tank.He was in Paris recently and came to RFI for an interview, which you read in our article “Tiananmen Square at 35: top Chinese dissident looks back”.In the interview, we asked Wang Dan: “How did the 4th of June 1989 change China?”  What does he answer? That was your question.The answer is, as Wang Dan explained: “June 4th is a turning point in China's contemporary history. There are two Chinas: the China of before 1989 and the China of after. The main difference is [that] before 1989, the state and the society cooperated. That's why we took to the streets: we as, a representative society, go to the street and ask to cooperate with the government to promote democracy. There's no difference between "us". We think we are all "us". We all take responsibility for this country.But after 1989, many Chinese people gave up on this idea. "You" are the government. "We" are the normal Chinese people. There's no more "us". It's just "you" and "me". After 1989, the Chinese people gave up the responsibility for the country's future because they thought that they could not do anything and that it is the government's responsibility to change China, not the people's.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the ideal human relationship?” It was suggested by Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India. Congratulations, Karuna.   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 RFI Listeners Club member Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan.   Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners John Yemi Sanday Turay from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Rafiq Khondaker, the president of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, performed by Duke Ellington and his orchestra; “El Bueno y El Malo” composed by and performed by the brothers Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez (Hermanos Gutiérrez); “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 Chairman Dances (Foxtrot for Orchestra) by John Adams, performed by Edo de Waart and the San Fransisco Symphony. Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Jessica Phelan’s article: “The three-way factor that makes France's election results so unusual”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 19 August to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 24 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected] – 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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Tahmidul Alam Orin from Dhaka, Bangladesh.Welcome,Tahmidul! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 1 June, the Roland Garros French Open International Tennis Tournament was in full swing, and our very own Paul Myers was there to keep you in the know.Earlier that week, there was a nail-biting match between Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal, the 14-time winner of the Roland Garros French Open tennis tournament. You were to re-read Paul’s article “Zverev sees off Nadal to advance to second round at French Open”, and send in the answer to this question: What was the final score in the match between Zverev and Nadal?The answer is: 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you stay cool?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Sahadot Hossain from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Sahadot!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, and RFI Listeners Club members Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India, as well as Ajharul Islam Tamim from Kishorganj, Bangladesh.  Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Sadman Al Shihab from Naogaon, also in Bangladesh.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Liber Tango” by Astor Piazzolla, performed by Layers; the scherzo from Midsummer Night’s Dream by Felix Mendelssohn, performed by Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Southern Freez” by Andy Stennett, John Rocca, and Peter Maas, performed by Freez.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, listen to Sarah Elzas’ report on the latest Spotlight on France podcast, and consult her article “French far-right party to fund policies by cutting aid to foreigners”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 12 August to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 17 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:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 18 May, I asked you a question about the South African legislative elections that were, at the time, on the horizon (they took place on 29 May). RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam was there; one of the articles she sent us was about the possible alliances if the African National Congress – Nelson Mandela’s party - did not win a majority. As she wrote: “Polls are predicting the party will lose its majority with many voters disgruntled by its failure to address inequality.”The question was: If the ANC no longer has the majority, what are the names of the two parties that the ruling ANC could pick as coalition partners?The answer is: The centre-right, business-friendly Democratic Alliance (DA), or the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).Here’s what happened, as Melissa noted in her recent article “Ramaphosa re-elected as South African leader after historic coalition deal”.That “historic coalition deal” was made between the governing ANC and the centre-right DA party.The ANC has been in power since the end of apartheid in 1994 but lost its majority for the first time in the 29 May vote. It keeps 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, and the DA now has 87 seats. The EFF has 39 seats.The new coalition voted to keep ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa as president – this will be his second term – by a 283 vote.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your idea of a great weekend?” It was suggested by Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India.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 on your double win, Helmut.Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Mohammad Mustansar Billah from Sunamganj, Bangladesh; also hailing from Bangladesh, this time from Rangpur, is Ataur Rahman Ranju, who’s the president of the Alokito Manush Cai International Radio Listeners Club. From West Bengal, India, there’s the faithful listener and correspondent Bidhan Chandra Sanyal – who extended his sincere love and greetings to all Muslims for Eid al-Hada last weekend  … and added, “No, I am not a Muslim.  I am a Hindu.  But I respect all religions of the world.” Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Tara Regmi from Biratnagar, Nepal.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The prelude to Bach’s Cello Suite no 1 in G major, performed by Yo-Yo Ma; the South African National Anthem; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Pay Me” by Christian Gates, performed by Gates and The Philharmonik.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] 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 “Israel and Russia barred as world's largest arms show opens in Paris”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 15 July to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 20 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 11 May, I asked you a question about disinformation.We wrote an article that week about the disinformation campaign in full swing ahead of the European parliamentary elections: “EU's Green Deal the target of online disinformation ahead of polls”. The Green Deal – a key project of the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen - is, as we wrote: “an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, making the 27-nation bloc the ‘first climate-neutral continent’”.You were to re-read our article “EU's Green Deal the target of online disinformation ahead of polls” and send in the answer to this question: how have disinformation campaigns portrayed the EU Green Deal proposal for phasing out petrol-driven cars?The answer is, to quote our article: “Determined to drive down dependence on fossil fuels, Brussels wants to phase out the sale of new petrol-driven vehicles by 2035 in favour of electric cars.This has been seized upon by many as an attack on individual freedoms, with social media users across Europe sharing misleading claims that Brussels wants to ban the repair of vehicles over 15 years old, or even seize and scrap them.” What the European Commission actually proposed in July 2023 was a revision to a text on so-called “end-of-life vehicles” to better manage their recycling. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India: “Whom would you consider more important, family or friends, and why?”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 this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Dipita!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Hansha Biswas, a member of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Bhilai, India, and RFI Listeners Club members Tanting Ghogomu from Ottawa, Canada; Arifa Alam Dolon from Natore, Bangladesh, and Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian - Marxist - Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The Overture to Cosi fan tutte by Mozart, performed by the Orchestre de Strasbourg conducted by Alain Lombard; the “Ode to Joy” from the Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven, performed by the Stringspace 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 terzettino from Act I of Mozart’s opera Cosi fan tutte, sung by soprano Virginia Tola, mezzo-soprano Adriana Mastrangelo, and bass-baritone Víctor Torres. .  Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Jessica Phelan’s article “Why did Macron call snap elections and what does it mean for France?”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 8 July to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 13 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 4 May, I asked you a question about the Cannes Film Festival, as a film had just been added to the line-up. You were to refer to our article “French stars Omar Sy and Eva Green part of 2024 Cannes Film Festival jury”, and send in the answer to these questions: What is the name of that last-minute film, and what is the name and nationality of the director?The answer is, to quote our article: “There have been late additions to the festival's line-up in recent days, including The Seed of the Sacred Fig by Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, who has faced prison time for criticising the government. It is unclear if he will be able to attend the festival.”He was able to attend the festival – as we reported a few days later, Rasoulof left Iran without official permission, after being sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging for national security crimes.As he said at the time: “I had to choose between prison and leaving Iran. With a heavy heart, I chose exile.”Rasoulof, 52, is already known for There is No Evil, which won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival four years ago, and for A Man of Integrity, highly praised at Cannes in 2018 - but which resulted in a string of travel restrictions, prison sentences and film-making bans in Iran. In 2023 he was unable to take up an invitation to join the Cannes competition jury because he was under detention.The Seed of the Sacred Fig not only won the longest-standing ovation at this year’s festival – 12 minutes! – but it won the Fipresci award from the jury of the International Federation of Film Critics, a special award given at international film festivals.  In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What book made the greatest difference in your life, and how?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Sahadot Hossain from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. Sahadot is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Sahadot!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Shivendu Paul, the president of the RFI Metali Listeners Club in Murshidibad, India; RFI Listeners Club member Sakawat Hossain from Sylhet, Bangladesh, and RFI English listeners Babo from the Friends Radio Club in Naogaon, as well as Suresh Agrawal from Odisha, India.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The overture to the opera Russlan and Ludmila by Mikhail Glinka, performed by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev; “Watch What Happens” by Michel Legrand, played by Ted Greene; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Evening”: lyrics by Ann Malcolm, music by Debussy arranged by Tom Harrell, performed by Ann Malcolm and her ensemble.  Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Tiananmen Square at 35: top Chinese dissident looks back”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 1 July to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 6 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Arifa Alam Dolan from Natore, Bangladesh.Welcome, Arifa! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 27 April, I asked you a question about our article “'Titanic' task of finding plundered African art in French museums”, about an ongoing and very real problem in Western museums whose collections contain art and artifacts that were most probably stolen during the colonial era.However, discovering the actual provenance of many of the works is a long and painstaking process. It’s investigative work, like tracking a murderer or a bank robber – except this is a brand-new type of investigation, with often little to offer in terms of clues, sources, and the like.Because so many museums are now trying to find how a work ended up in their collections, two French universities are now offering courses in this new field of “artistic detective work”. And that was your question: What are the names of the two French universities that now offer courses in Art Provenance Research?The answer is: The University of Paris-Nanterre and the Louvre School of Art.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, “Which is stronger: money or the pen, and how?”, which was suggested by Rafiq Khondaker from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Sharifa Akter Panna from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. Sharifa is also the winner of the week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Sharifa!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan; Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India, and Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Ain Kechera Butterflies Club in West Skikda, Algeria.Rounding out the list is RFI Listeners Club member Abdul Mannan Teacher from Sirajganj, Bangladesh, and last but not least, RFI English listener Shihabur Rahaman Khan from Bogura, Bangladesh.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: A traditional Swiss folksong, sung by the Swiss Laddies; “Funk No 1” by Juna Serita, performed by Tokyo Groove Jyoshi; “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 “Misemo” by Balthazar Naturel, arranged and played by Monsieur MÂLÂ.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul’s article “Zverev sees off Nadal to advance to second round at French Open”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 24 June to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 29 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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. 

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 [email protected] 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 his Spanish but his English is good too (mine are better excepting my so-far-poor French). I've been insisting he practices his French by talking/ listening to the radio/ watching TV5 Monde and affiliates, and by buying him books. A trip to France is out of our pockets, but I drive him to the countryside, to museums, beaches, as well as long bus rides to his childhood home of Port of Lebu, which is three hours away. He deserves better, but lately lacks effort as a senior, although he is staying in good shape. My Hero!”The music chosen by Rodrigo is "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens, performed by the composer. The quiz will be back next week, 1 June 2024. Talk to you then!

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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Arifa Alam Dolan from Natore, Bangladesh.Welcome, Arifa! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 13 April, I asked you a question about an article RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam wrote: “Sudan conference opens in Paris to try and fix 'forgotten' crisis”. The crisis in Sudan has been pushed out of the global conversation by other ongoing conflicts - such as those in the Middle East or Ukraine - and only five percent of the 3.8-billion-euro target in the UN's latest humanitarian appeal has been funded so far this year, according to the French foreign ministry.You were to re-read Melissa’s article and answer this question: Aside from France, Germany, and the EU, who else was included in the conference?The answer is, to quote Melissa’s article: “The ministerial meeting was held behind closed doors, and also brought together representatives from Sudan's neighbours, as well as from Gulf nations and western powers, including the United States and Britain, along with regional organisations and the UN.”The meeting was a success: French President Emmanuel Macron said the Paris conference raised more than 2 billion euros in aid to help Sudan and its neighbouring countries.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Sultan Mahmud Sarkar, the president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh: “What is your favorite flower, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Father Steven Wara, who lives and serves at the Cistercian Monastery in Bamenda, Cameroon.  Father Steven is also the winner of the week’s bonus question. Congratulations Father Steve!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club member Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, and RFI English listeners Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India; Umesh Regmi from Biratnagar, Nepal, and Shihab Ahamed Khan from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The “Allegro moderato” from Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330, played by Vladimir Horowitz; “Dancin’ Pants” by Quincy Jones, performed by the Quincy Jones Ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Peg” by Walter Becker and Donald Fage, performed by Steeley Dan.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa’s article “South Africans lose faith in ruling ANC as income inequality grows”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 17 June to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 22 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and 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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Shreyosi Dhali from West Bengal, India.Welcome, Shreyosi! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 13 April, I asked you a question about an article Paul Myers wrote about the history of Olympic medals: “History of Olympic gold, silver and bronze glitters in Paris museum”. You were to send in the answer to this question: Who is Nike?The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “Between 1928 and 1968, the medals for the Summer Games bore Giuseppe Cassioli's 'Trionfo' design of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, holding a winner's crown with a depiction of the Colosseum in the background.”So the answer is: Nike is the Greek goddess of victory – not only in athletics but in art, music, and war, too. She is usually portrayed with wings, in the motion of flight.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What is your favorite “home remedy”?Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are:  Brand-new RFI Listeners Club member Shreyosi Dhali from West Bengal, India. Shreyosi is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Shreyosi!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; Begum Firoza Hossain, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in West Bengal, India; RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark, and RFI English listener Musfika Argina Banu from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: Movements III and IV from the String Quartet op 20 no 6 by Franz Joseph Haydn, performed by the Juilliard Quartet; traditional Greek music for the sirtaki and bouzouki; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Rectangle” for synthesizer and guitar by Jacno, with Jacno on the guitar.  Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “EU's Green Deal the target of online disinformation ahead of polls”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 10 June to enter this week's quiz. The winners will be announced on the 15 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and subscribe to see all our videos.We have a new/old podcast! RFI English has revived our monthly podcast Spotlight on Africa. It's produced and hosted by Melissa Chemam from our newsroom’s Africa desk. Every month, Melissa will take an in-depth look at one of the leading stories on the continent today, with interviews and analysis from on-the-ground specialists.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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Shreyosi Dhali from West Bengal, India.Welcome, Shreyosi! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 6 April, I asked you when diplomatic relations were established between China and France. The answer is: 60 years ago, on 27 January 1964.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “If you could choose the time in history you could have lived, which era would you choose?”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, Jayanta!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sultan Mahmud Sarker, the president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh; Rasheed Naz, the president of the Naz Radio France and Internet Fan Club in Faisal Abad, Pakistan; Nuraiz Bin Zaman, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI English listener Abdul Rehman, 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 program: “The Lusty Month of May” from the American musical Camelot by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe, sung by Vanessa Redgrave; 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; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach, played by Glenn Gould.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French stars Omar Sy and Eva Green part of 2024 Cannes Film Festival jury”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 27 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 1 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and subscribe to see all our videos.We have a new/old podcast! RFI English has revived our monthly podcast Spotlight on Africa. It's produced and hosted by Melissa Chemam from our newsroom’s Africa desk. Every month, Melissa will take an in-depth look at one of the leading stories on the continent today, with interviews and analysis from on-the-ground specialists.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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile.Welcome, Rodrigo! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 16 March, I asked you a question about India’s space programme. Earlier that week, India unveiled their plans for their next space flight, which is scheduled for this coming fall. As you read in RFI English correspondent Pratap Chakravarty’s article “India picks pilots for space flight that will blast it into cosmic history”, on board that rocket will be a humanoid robot.  You were to write in with the name of the robot (it’s in Sanskrit) and its translation into English.The answer is: Vyomitra, which translates into English as "space friend". Vyomitra will make the test flight, to ensure the space-worthiness of the craft before astronauts fly onboard it next year.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Morium Nessa Momo from Bogura, Bangladesh: “Who is the person – still living - that you most admire, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Shaira Hosen Mo from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. Mo is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Mo!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 RFI Listeners Club member Faiza, from the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan, as well as two members from Bangladesh: Ajharul Islam Tamim from Kishorganj, and Sahadot Hossain, from Sunamganj. Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Habana del Este” written by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez Cardenas and performed by his orchestra; “The Spirit of Man” from Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jacek Kaspszyk; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Mamy Blue” written by Hubert Giraud, and sung by Nicoletta.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “‘Titanic' task of finding plundered African art in French museums”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 20 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 25 May podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and subscribe to see all our videos.We have a new/old podcast! RFI English has revived our monthly podcast Spotlight on Africa. It's produced and hosted by Melissa Chemam from our newsroom’s Africa desk. Every month, Melissa will take an in-depth look at one of the leading stories on the continent today, with interviews and analysis from on-the-ground specialists.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 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 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile.Welcome, Rodrigo! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 9 March, I asked you a question about our article “Scaled-back opening ceremony for Paris Olympics to offer 326,000 tickets”. Earlier that week, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin gave the exact number of tickets for the Opening Ceremony: 326,000 -  which is a significant scale back from the original amount, 600,000. The scale-back is due to security issues. Remember, this is the very first time that an Olympics Opening Ceremony has been held outdoors and not in a sports arena. And on the water, at that!You were to refer to our article and answer these questions: How many boats will sail in the ceremony, and on how many of those boats will there be athletes?The answer is, to quote our article: “A total of 180 boats are set to sail around six kilometres down the Seine, of which 94 will contain athletes.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight, England: “Are you superstitious?  Give examples of the steps you take to avoid any bad luck.”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, Radhakrishna!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Shadman Hosen Ayon from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh; Sagor Mia, also from Kishoreganj – and the president of the Let's Go on the Right Path and Tell the Truth Radio Listener Club, as well as Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark.Last but assuredly not least, faithful RFI English listener Rafiq Khondaker from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Chopin’s Charleston Dream” written by Alfredo Gattari, and performed by the composer and Gottlieb Wallisch; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Popurri des Boleros”, sung by Gina Leon.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “Sudan conference opens in Paris to try and fix 'forgotten' crisis”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 13 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 18 May podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and 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 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, 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 February, I asked you to listen to the Spotlight on France podcast 106 – Alison Hird did a story on French girls and mathematics, and how they are not doing well in the subject – in fact, they’re failing maths at an astonishing rate.As Alison noted, the reasons for girls not doing as well in maths as boys are multitudinous, most having to do with taught gender roles – but also because there are so few role models.She cited a recent but rare type of film about a young Frenchwoman working on her doctorate in mathematics, in a film that made it to Cannes. You were to write in with the name of that film.The answer is: The name of the film is Marguerite's Theorem. It’s about a brilliant young female mathematician; she’s the only girl in a class of boys. A French-Swiss film co-written and directed by Anna Novion, and starring Ella Rumpf as Marguerite Hoffmann, it was featured at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 2023.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan: “What human quality, or characteristic, do you think is necessary to equip you to live a full and honest life?”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 the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Helmut!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; Hasina Zaman Hasi, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; RFI Listeners Club members Anju Regmi from Biratnagar, Nepal; Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India, and RFI English listener Sima Paul from West Bengal, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Monta Re” by Amit Trivedi and Amitabah Bhattacharya, performed by the Hamelin Instrumental Band; The minuets I and II from French Suite No. 1 in d minor, BWV 812 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Murray Perahia; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the traditional “El Suïcidi i el Cant", arranged by Marta Torrella and Helena Ros, and performed by Tarta Relena. Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “History of Olympic gold, silver and bronze glitters in Paris museum”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 6 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 10 May podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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,orform your own official RFI Club, click here. 

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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and subscribe to see all our videos, and Erwan has even made a weekly Sound Kitchen promo for you to hear. Don’t miss out!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 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, 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 [email protected]  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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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 February, I asked you a question about Paul Myers’ final article on the Africa Cup of Nations, which he had been covering for us for a month in Côte d’Ivoire. Côte d’Ivoire won their third “continental crown”, as Paul put it – they beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final.You were to send in the answer to this question: “What is the name of the Côte d’Ivoire player who was the first to hold the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 trophy?”The answer is: Max Gradel. As Paul wrote in his article: “It was also a nice touch to allow Max Gradel - the oldest player in the Cote d'Ivoire squad - the honour of being the first player to hoist the 2023 Cup of Nations trophy.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India: “What are you doing to prevent climate change?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: Hari Madugula, the president of the Young Stars Radio Club in Hyderabad, India. Hari is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Hari!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Kolimuddin, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in West Bengal, India, and RFI English listeners Bidhan Chandra Sanyal, also from West Bengal; Faiza Zainab, a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan, and Tara Regmi from Biratnagar, Nepal.  Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Joy” by Avishai Cohen, performed by the Avishai Cohen Trio; “Smoking Guns” by Steve Shehan, performed by Steve Shehan and Friends; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Setembro” by Gilson Peranzzetta and Ivan Lins, performed by the Ivan Lins Orchestra.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “French Foreign Minister expects ‘clear messages’ from China to Russia on Ukraine”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 29 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 4 May podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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,orform your own official RFI Club, click here. 

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! 

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 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  [email protected]’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 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 [email protected]  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” 😊 Here’s your job: send me your photos for the banner! Send them to [email protected] 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 and subscribe to see all our videos, and Erwan has even made a weekly Sound Kitchen promo for you to hear. Don’t miss out!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 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, 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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Orlando Teamah from Monrovia, Liberia.Welcome Orlando! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 10 February, I asked you a question about the presidential poll in Senegal. On 3 February, just hours before official campaigning was to start, the polls were called off by the incumbent president, Macky Sall. Sall cited as the reason an investigation into two Constitutional Council judges whose integrity in the election process has been questioned.You were to re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “Senegalese lawmakers postpone presidential election to 15 December”, and answer this question: How many candidates are running for president of Senegal?The answer is, at the time I asked the question: 20Here’s an update: Senegal’s Constitutional Council ruled that the vote must be held before Sall's mandate expires on 2 April. The new date for the poll is 24 March, which leaves the 19 candidates very little time to campaign. And yes, there are now 19 candidates instead of the original 20; on 19 February, Rose Wardini renounced her candidacy following controversy over her dual Franco-Senegalese nationality.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you get to sleep?”, which was suggested by Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria. 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 this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations Dipita!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sharifun Islam Nitu, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India.There’s also RFI Listeners Club member Anju Regmi from Biratnagar, Nepal, and last but not least, RFI English listener Dilruba Yeasmin Lovely, who’s the general secretary of the Sonali Badhon Female Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Dance With Waves” by Anouar Brahem, performed by the Anouar Brahem Quartet; “Oriental Dance " by Juozas Gruodis, performed by Martynas Švėgžda von Bekker and Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdottir; the traditional “Jarabi”, performed by Toumani Diabaté and Sidiki Diabaté; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the Piano Trio in a Minor by Maurice Ravel, performed by Louis Kentner, piano, Yehudi Menuhin, violin, and Gaspar Cassadó, cello.   This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Pratap Chakravarty’s article “India picks pilots for space flight that will blast it into cosmic history”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 15 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 20 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Orlando Teamah from Monrovia, Liberia.Welcome Orlando! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 3 February, I asked you a question about the French farmers and their political action campaign – which has not cooled off. You were to re-read our article “France seeks change to EU nature laws in bid to appease farmers” and answer this question: in which other European countries are farmers striking?The answer is, to quote our article: “While farmers in Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Belgium have also taken to the streets, those in France – Europe's largest agriculture producer – complain they are being further penalised by restrictions on pesticides that are harsher than in neighbouring countries.”Farmers in other countries than those above have been striking, too – Hans Verner Lollike noted that Denmark’s farmers were, but that there was too much snow for them to drive their tractors to the capitol or block roads!In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción in Chile: “For you, which age is the best? Childhood? Teenager? Young Adult? Adult? Middle Age? Senior? Old Age? Why?”  Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria. Nasyr is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Nasyr!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, and Nuraiz Bin Zaman, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.There’s also RFI Listeners Club member Habib ur Rehman Sehal, who is also the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.  Last but not least, RFI English listener Adiba Ava, from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.  Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The “Prelude” to the Partita for Violin Solo No. 3 in E, BWV 1006 by Johann Sebastien Bach, performed by Philippe Honoré; “Take me home, country roads” by John Denver, arranged by Graham Byrd; “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 “Hommage aux Chanteuses Kabyles Anciennes” by Ferroudja Saidani, performed by Saidani and her ensemble.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Scaled-back opening ceremony for Paris Olympics to offer 326,000 tickets” which will help you with the answer.You have until 1 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 6 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]’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! 

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 [email protected]  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 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 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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Masahiro Kobayashi from Kawaguchi-City in Japan.Welcome Masahiro! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: RFI English journalist Jessica Phelan, our French history expert, was on Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas’ podcast, Spotlight on France Number 105 with a piece on a pioneering French female journalist, Françoise Giraud. You were to listen carefully to the podcast and send in the answers to these questions: What is the name of the news magazine Françoise Giraud co-founded, what is the name of the other founder, and in what year was the magazine first published?The answer is: L’Express is the name of the magazine, which was first published in 1953. The co-founder’s name is Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What will you remember most about 2023?”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 the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Fatematuj!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Hari Madugula, the president of the RFI Young Stars Radio Club in Hyderabad, India; Sultan Mahmud, the president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh; RFI Listeners Club member Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight, England, and RFI English listener Jibon Akhter Shammi from Bogura, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Piva” by Joan Ambrosio Dalza, performed by Paul O’Dette; “Respect” by Otis Redding; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Crosstown Traffic” by Jimi Hendrix, performed by Hendrix with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Alison Hird’s article “Why are girls in France flunking maths and how can the equation be changed?” or listen to her story on Spotlight on France Number 106, which will help you with the answer.You have until 25 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 30 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 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 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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Masahiro Kobayashi from Kawaguchi-City in Japan.Welcome Masahiro! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 20 January, I asked you a question about one of Paul Myers’ articles on the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament: “2023 Africa Cup of Nations: 5 things we learned on Day 3 - Robust and reckless”. You were to send in the answers to these three questions: What is the name of the 20-year-old player for Senegal who, as Paul wrote, “scored a slick goal”? Which team was Senegal playing, and, finally, the name of the goalkeeper who could not keep out the young man’s “slick goal”?The answer is: Lamine Camara is the name of the “slick goal” doer, Senegal was playing The Gambia, and Baboucarr Gaye is the name of The Gambia’s goalkeeper who wasn’t able to repel Camara’s play.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Sultan Mahmud: “Who is your favorite footballer, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Habib ur Rehman Sehal from Kanhewal, Pakistan. Habib is also this week’s bonus quiz winner. Congratulations, Habib !Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sazdeur Rahman, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Debjani Biswas, a member of the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India.Finally, there are RFI Listeners Club members Ranjit Darnal from Gandaki, Nepal, and our brand-new RFI Listeners Club member Masahiro Kobayashi from Saitama, Japan. Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Traditional music from Mali for the kora, played by Djelimoussa Sissoko; “Akwaba” written and performed by Dany Synthé, Magic System, Yemi Alade, and Mohamed Ramadan; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “We Came Through the Storm”, written by Jonathan Scales and performed by the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “2023 Africa Cup of Nations: 5 things we learned on Day 30 – Endgame” to help you with the answer. You have until 11 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 14 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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. 

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 [email protected]  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 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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Sami Malik from Northern Pakistan; Habib Ur Rehman Sehal, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan; Pradip Chandra Kundu and Ratan Kumar Paul, both from West Bengal, India, and Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh.  Welcome one and all! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 13 February, I asked you a question about our article “French film ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ wins best screenplay, foreign film at Golden Globes”. You were to read the article carefully and answer this question: what is the name of the film that will represent France in this year’s Academy Awards?The answer is, to quote our article: “The Golden Globes traditionally serve as a preview of the Academy Awards, but Anatomy of a Fall, which won the top Palme d’Or award at Cannes, will not represent France for the best international film, with La Passion de Dodin Bouffant, a historical romance between two gastronomists, submitted instead.”La Passion de Dodin Bouffant is translated into English as The Taste of Things. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What do you remember about your first experience traveling?”, which was suggested by Khuki Jahanara Yesmin from Bogura, Bangladesh.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Tanzania. Ras is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Ras!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Hari Madugula, the president of the Young Stars Radio Club in Hyderabad, India, and Muhammad Shamim, the president of the Golden Eagles RFI Club in Keralam State, India. Rounding out the list are RFI Listeners Club members Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan, and Zenon Teles, who is also the president of the Christian – Marxist - Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The traditional French accordion song “La Reine de Musette”, performed by Lucy Riddett; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; Claude Debussy’s “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner, written and performed by the composer, and “Roi Fayssal”, written and performed by Ali Toure Farka.  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “Senegalese lawmakers postpone presidential election to 15 December” to help you with the answer.You have until 4 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 9 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected] and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to [email protected]  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 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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Sami Malik from Northern Pakistan; Habib Ur Rehman Sehal, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan; Pradip Chandra Kundu and Ratan Kumar Paul, both from West Bengal, India, and Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh.  Welcome one and all! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 6 January I asked you a question about Belgium, whose turn it is to hold the presidency of the European Union - each member state of the European Union holds the presidency for six months. You were to re-read our article “Belgium faces election juggling act as it takes over rotating EU presidency” because Belgium is tasked with organizing not only the European elections on 9 June but also their internal national elections, and no luck there, those elections are also on 9 June. All that and something else, quite important, falls during the time of Belgium’s presidency, and that was your question: what else is the Belgian presidency tasked with accomplishing during its six-month term? What is one of the biggest issues it also has to deal with?  The answer is, to quote our article: “One of the big issues it will still have to deal with is the revision of what is known as the ‘multiannual financial framework’, i.e., the European budget for the coming years, and also ensuring that aid to Ukraine does not wane.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “If you could resign from anything, what would it be?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Richard Wasajja from Masaka, Uganda. Richard is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Richard – and welcome back to The Sound Kitchen !Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Mrs. Anjona Parvin, the secretary of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and two RFI English Listeners Club members from India: Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, and Samir Mukhopadhyay from Kolkata. Last but certainly not least, there’s RFI English listener Khondaker Shihab Uddin Khan from Bogura, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The “Scherzo” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, op. 61 by Félix Mendelssohn, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa; “Quand on est bien amoureux”, a traditional folk song from Belgium performed by Wör; “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 “Minha Terra” sung by Ruy Mingas.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “France seeks change to EU nature laws in bid to appease farmers” to help you with your answer.You have until 26 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 3 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected] and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Sami Malik from Northern Pakistan; Habib Ur Rehman Sehal, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan; Pradip Chandra Kundu and Ratan Kumar Paul, both from West Bengal, India, and Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh.  Welcome one and all! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 16 December I asked you a question about COP 28.  RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow was there, and in her article “Nations agree historic deal to 'transition away' from fossil fuels”, she explained why the agreement had to use the words “transition away” instead of “phase-out” regarding fossil fuels.  Which country objected to the term “phase-out”?The answer is, to quote Amanda’s article: “The summit overran by a day, and the draft text put forward overnight Tuesday by the Emirati presidency was a last-minute bid to end a deadlock between crude oil producers, notably Saudi Arabia, and nations seeking a phase-out of oil, coal and gas.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What incident changed your life?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Rafiq Khondaker from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Rafiq is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Rafiq!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Father Steven Wara, who lives in the Cistercian Abbey at Bamenda, Cameroon, and Hans Verner Lollike, from Hedehusene, Denmark.We have a new listener to congratulate: Miroslav Síleš from Košice, Slovakia – welcome Miroslav! Last but certainly not least, Arundhati Mukherjee, who lives in West Bengal, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: "Seoto” by Michio Miyagi; “Winter” from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by the Italian Baroque Ensemble conducted by Jacques Bernard; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Fantasia Impromptu” by Frédéric Chopin, arranged by Hilario Duran and performed by Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Big Band.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, listen to Jessica Phelan’s story on Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas’ podcast Spotlight on France, or read her article “Françoise Giroud, a woman to be reckoned with in French media and politics” on our website to help you with the answer.You have until 19 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 24 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected] and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Sami Malik from Northern Pakistan; Habib Ur Rehman Sehal, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan; Pradip Chandra Kundu and Ratan Kumar Paul, both from West Bengal, India, and Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh.  Welcome one and all! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 9 December I asked you a question about the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic games.  It's a security nightmare, but, as you read in our article "French sports minister says 'no plan B' for Olympics opening ceremony", there is no plan B, and the committee is committed to making it work. I asked you, as of 9 December and as written in our article, how many free tickets were planned to be given away, and how many paid tickets were planned to be sold.The answer is, to quote our article: “Authorities initially planned to offer 500,000 free tickets for the ceremony as well as 100,000 paid tickets closest to the action, creating a gargantuan event with a total of 600,000 ticket holders and one of the largest spectator events in human history.”That number has been walked back a bit: as of today, the number of paid tickets has not changed - it’s still at 100,000, but for the free tickets, it’s been moved down from 500,000 to 300,000.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Khuki Jahanara Yesmin from Bogura, Bangladesh: “Who is your best friend, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: Razia Khalid, a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. Razia is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Razia!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, and Alok Bain, a member of the very active Pariwer Bandhu RFI SW Club in Chhattisgarh, India. There’s RFI Listeners Club member Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India, and last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Sheuly Khatun from Dhaka, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Presto in B-Flat Major by Francis Poulenc, played by Olivier Cazal; “Blue Bayou” written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson, and played by Antonio de Almeida; The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “La Bicyclette” by Francis Lai and Pierre Barouh, sung by Yves Montand.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, read Paul Myer’s article “2023 Africa Cup of Nations: 5 things we learned on Day 3 - Robust and reckless” to help you with the answer.You have until 12 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 17 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 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.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 [email protected] and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Sami Malik from Northern Pakistan; Habib Ur Rehman Sehal, the president of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan; Pradip Chandra Kundu and Ratan Kumar Paul, both from West Bengal, India, and Mahfuzur Rahman from Cumilla, Bangladesh.  Welcome one and all! So glad you have joined us!This week’s quiz: On 2 December, I asked you a question about a piece our French history specialist, Jessica Phelan, did for Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas’ Spotlight on France podcast. It was about the French investigative reporter, Albert Londres. France’s most prestigious journalism award is named after him.You were to listen to Jessica’s story and send in the answer to these questions: In which year was the Albert Londres Prize founded, and by whom?The answer is, to quote Jessica: “His daughter, Florise Albert-Londres, created it months after his death and the first one was announced in 1933. This year – 2023 – will be the 90th time it has been awarded.” The 2023 Prix Albert Londres went to Wilson Fache, Hélène Lam Trong and Nicolas Legendre. It is awarded every year to three journalists in different categories.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Muhammad Shamim from Keralam State in India: “If you could time travel, would you go to the past, or the future?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: Muhammad Shamim, the president of the Golden Eagles RFI Club in Keralam State, India. Muhammad is also the winner of this week’s bonus quiz. Congratulations, Muhammad!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are two RFI Listeners Club members:  Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist – Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, and Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal. Finally, two RFI English listeners, both from Bangladesh: Sultana Begum from Sirajganj, and Rozina Akter from Munshiganj.  Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Le Grand Voyage” by Ibrahim Maalouf, performed by the Haïdouti Orkestar; “Les Folies d’Espagne” by Jean-Baptiste Lully, performed by Musica Antiqua Köln conducted by Reinhard Goebel; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Lush Life” by Billy Strayhorn, sung by Queen Latifa.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, read our article “French film ‘Anatomy of a fall’ wins best screenplay, foreign film at Golden Globes” to help you with the answer.You have until 5 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 10 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 25 November, I asked you a question about the presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam’s article “DRC opposition leader Moïse Katumbi officially launches presidential campaign”, she wrote about how many candidates were in the field; among them was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. You were to tell me his name, the year he won the Peace Prize, as well as why he was awarded the prize.The answer is, to quote Melissa’s article: “In total, 25 candidates are in the running including renowned surgical gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, who was awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to end sexual violence.”To bring you up-to-date: provisional results released by the country's electoral commission Ceni on 31 December gave incumbent president Felix Tshisekedi more than 73 percent of the vote, with opposition leader Moise Katumbi next in votes, with about 18 percent.  Denis Mukwege, along with the remaining 20 candidates, were either around or under 1 percent.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Morium Nessa Momo from Bogura, Bangladesh: “How can one be easily happy?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI English listener Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción in Chile, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Rodrigo!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is a new member of the RFI Surfers Society Bangladesh in Rajshahi, Bangladesh: Shrabonty Shermin. Welcome Shrabonty!There’s also Riaz Ahmad Khan, the president of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan, and Bezazel Ferhat, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in Ain Kechera, Algeria.Last but not least, RFI English listener Santa Khanam from the Friends Radio Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme:  “Je cherche après Titine” and “Dark Eyes”, traditional Manouche music arranged by Leo Daniderff and performed by Opa Tsupa; "You Do Something to Me" by Cole Porter, sung by Marlene Dietrich; “Valencia” from Escales by Jacques Ibert, performed by Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony 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 “Movin’ On” by Carleen Anderson and Marco Nelson, performed by Young Disciples.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, read our article “Belgium faces election juggling act as it takes over rotating EU presidency” to help you with the answer.You have until 29 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 3 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]’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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 18 November, I asked you a question about the record-breaking floods in northern France. You were to send in the answer to this question: What was the cumulative rainfall recorded in northern France between 18 October and 12 November?The answer is, to quote our article: “France recorded a record average cumulative rainfall of more than 215 mm between 18 October and 12 November, according to the national weather bureau Meteo-France”, whose spokesman added: “We have to go back to 1993 to observe a cumulative amount of 196.9 mm between 21 September and 16 October".In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the meaning of life?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark. Hans is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Hans!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Mithila Yeasmin, a member of the RFI Surfers' Society Bangladesh in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI English listeners Rodrigo Hunrichse from Ciudad de Concepción, Chile, Arundhati Mukherjee from West Bengal, India, and Henry Umadhay from Bacolod City in the Philippines.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme:  Allegro ma non troppo from Antonin Dvorak’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96 No. 12 (the "American Quartet"), performed by the Dover Quartet; “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 traditional music from the Ju'Hoansi Bushmen, mixed by Erwan Rome.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, read Amanda Morrow's article “Nations agree historic deal to 'transition away' from fossil fuels” to help you with the answer.You have until 22 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 27 January podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 29 October, I asked you a question about our article “Official Swedish dictionary completed after 140 years” about the publication of the definitive, one and only, official dictionary of the Swedish language, the Swedish Academy Dictionary.You were to write in with the name of the person who founded the Swedish Academy, and in which year.The answer is, to quote our article: “The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III to promote the country's language and literature, and work for the ‘purity, vigor and majesty’ of the Swedish language.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Rafiq bin Khondaker Liton from Naogaon, Bangladesh: “Which season do you prefer, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Timothy Ofori from Kumasi, Ghana. Timothy is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Timothy!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Razia Khalid, a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, as well as RFI Listeners Club members Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and Gayatri Sahu from Odisha, India. Last but not least, RFI English listener Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme:  “Sounds of Pakistan for Flute, Rubaab, Alghoza & Tabla”, performed by the Pakistan Musical Heritage Ensemble; the traditional Swedish folk song “Den ljusa hallingen”, performed by the Anders Lillebo ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Sal Al Malecón” by Roberto Fonseca, performed by the composer with his ensemble, and "One Love” by Bob Marley, played by The Wailing Wailers.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, read our article “French sports minister says 'no plan B' for Olympics opening ceremony” to help you with the answer.You have until 16 January to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 20 January podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 28 October, I asked you a question about the first round of polls in Liberia’s presidential elections. The incumbent, George Weah, won 43.8 percent of the vote; his challenger, Joseph Boakai, pulled in 43.4 percent. To win the presidency in Liberia, a candidate must win more than 50 percent of the votes.You were to consult RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam’s article “Liberia's election set for run-off in tightest race since end of civil war” in which she wrote about candidate Joseph Boakai’s alliance with an influential figure in the key county of Nimba, and send me the name of that "influential figure".The answer is: The former warlord and senator Prince Johnson. Johnson had supported Weah in the last election but flipped to Boakai this time around.The second round of the polls was held on 14 November. Joseph Boakai, with 50.64 percent of the vote, is the new president of Liberia. He will be sworn into office on 22 January 2024.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Alan Holder from Britain’s Isle of Wight: “What frightens you the most? What steps have you taken (if any) to conquer this fear?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Omoefe Onoriobe from Houston, Texas in the USA. Omoefe is also the winner of this week’s bonus question.  Congratulations Omoefe!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, and Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Mare, Tanzania.Rounding out the list of winners this week are RFI Listeners Club member Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India, and RFI English listener Ripa bin Mokles from Bogura, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The Harpsichord Sonata in A Major by Domenico Scarlatti, performed by Igor Kipnis; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Un Douceur violente” by Jacques de Gallot, performed by lutenist Anthony Bailes. This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, listen to Jessica Phelan’s report on the Spotlight on France podcast No 103, or refer to her article “Albert Londres, unflinching reporter who inspired France's top journalism prize” to help you with the answer. You have until 25 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 30 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 21 October, I asked you a question about Poland’s mid-October general elections. The right-wing Law and Justice party lost its parliamentary majority to three opposition parties, who have vowed to form a coalition and restore democratic standards.You were to write in and answer these two questions: What was the voter turnout, and when was the last time voter turnout was so high?The answer is, to quote our article: “Election officials said turnout was more than 72 percent, the highest since the fall of communism in 1989.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “If you could change your name, what would you change it to, and why?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India. Radhakrishna is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Radhakrishna!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ekbal Hossain, a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidabad, India, and Mukta Banu, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Also from Bangladesh: RFI Listeners Club members Mizanur Rahman from Dhaka and Abdul Mannan Teacher from Sirajganj.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Mazurka No. 7 in f minor, Op.7 No.3 by Frédéric Chopin, performed by Vladimir Horowitz; Polonaise Op. 53 by Frédéric Chopin, performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Wanted” by Uehara Hiromi, performed by Hiromi’s Sonicbloom.  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “DRC opposition leader Moïse Katumbi officially launches presidential campaign” to help you with the answer.You have until 18 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 23 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 14 October, I asked you a question about France / Mongolia cooperation, which you read about in RFI English journalist Jan van der Made’s article “Mongolia president begins France visit to discuss uranium mining, energy”.France is especially interested in uranium mining in Mongolia. Jan noted that business co-operation between the two countries is not new, and wrote about a 2015 joint venture. You were to answer these two questions about that joint venture: what are the names of the companies involved, and what is the controlling interest of each company?The answer is, to quote Jan’s article: “In 2015, nuclear cooperation between France and Mongolia took a step forward with the creation of Badrakh Energy, a joint venture that is controlled by Orano's subsidiary Areva Mongol (66 percent) while Erdenes Mongol, through its subsidiary Monatom, holds 34 percent.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Who – to you - is the most handsome man in all of history?”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!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Muhammad Shamim, the president of the Golden Eagles RFI Listeners Club in Keralam State, India, and RFI Listener’s Club members Fr. Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon; Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark, and  Zenon Teles from the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “The Running Camel”, a traditional Mongolian folk song performed by Morin Khuur and his ensemble; “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 “We Are Family” by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, performed by Sister Sledge and The CHIC Organization.  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Macron pledges emergency funds for flood-struck towns in northern France” to help you with the answer.You have until 11 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 16 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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! 

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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 7 October, I asked you a question about the French linguist Jean-Francois Champollion. That week, RFI English journalist Jessica Phelan joined Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas on their excellent podcast, Spotlight on France, to tell us how Champollion, in 1822, came closer than any other scholar of the day to de-coding Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. He already knew an Egyptian language that was spoken during Rome’s occupation of Egypt, and Champollion used that language to work backward, teasing out some of the meanings in hieroglyphics. You were to tell me the name of the language he knew that helped him with his discovery.The answer is: Coptic. Coptic was the primary spoken language in Egypt from the 3rd century AD in Roman Egypt; it was supplanted by Arabic following the Muslim Conquest of Egypt in 639 AD. There are no native speakers of Coptic today, but it is still the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Coptic Catholic Church.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Who is the most beautiful woman in all of history … to you?”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 in Great Britain. Alan is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Alan!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Fatematuj Zahra, co-secretary of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Ferhat Bezazel, President of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria.Additionally, there are RFI Listeners Club member Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, and RFI English listener Pratish Ranjan Behera from Odisha, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “The Syncopated Clock” by Leroy Anderson, performed by the composer with his “Pops” Concert Orchestra; “Spell number 78: For Being Transformed into a Divine Falcon” from Songs from the Book of the Dead by Alberto Acosta; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Invisible Worlds” composed by Simon Mary and performed by Mukta, featuring Olivier "DouDou" Congar on drums and percussion.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Official Swedish dictionary completed after 140 years” to help you with the answer.You have until 4 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 9 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 30 September, I asked you a question about an article written by our Sound Kitchen cohort, Paul Myers. At the time, he was traveling around France covering the World Cup Rugby matches, and after Australia’s loss to Wales, he sent us the article “Anscombe’s the man as clinical Wales crush Australia's hopes at the World Cup”. You were to send in the answer to this question: how could Australia be out of the finals?The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “Should Fiji beat Georgia with a bonus point on Saturday (30 Sept), Australia will be out before they take to the field on Sunday afternoon against Portugal in Saint-Etienne. It would be the first time in the 36-year history of the competition that Australia has failed to progress to the knockout stages.”And they were out: Fiji beat Georgia 17 – 12.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question “How can we learn to be humble in life?”, which was suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India.The winners are:  Salehin An Nahiyan, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Salehin is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Salehin!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Abdul Mannan Teacher from Sirajganj, Bangladesh, and Timothy Ofori from Kumasi, Ghana.Last but not least, RFI English listeners Sultana Begum from Sirajganj, Bangladesh, and Debashis Gope from West Bengal, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “I Put a Spell on You” written and performed by Jalacy “Screaming Jay” Hawkins; “Born a Legend” by Greg Dombrowski; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Roberto Fonseca’s “Baila, Mulata”, performed by Fonseca and his orchestraThis week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “Liberia's election set for run-off in tightest race since end of civil war” to help you with the answer.You have until 27 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 2 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 23 September, I asked you a question about a southern French city close to Nîmes. That week, Nîmes’ Maison Carrée, a Roman temple from the first century CE, was added to the Unesco World Heritage List. It is France’s 51st World Heritage site.Just a little over 30 kilometers away from Nîmes is another city that boasts numerous Roman monuments – and World Heritage Sites. I asked you to send in the name of that city.The answer is: Arles. Arles has eight Roman and medieval monuments on the World Heritage Site list: the amphitheater, the cathedral of Saint-Trophime and its cloisters, the necropolis of Les Alyscamps, the subterranean galleries, the Roman and medieval ramparts, the Roman theatre, and the baths of Constantine. They were added to the Unesco list in 1981.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question “What do you value most in your life?”, which was suggested by Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India.The winners are:  RFI English listener Arne Timm from Harjumaa, Estonia. Arne is also the winner of this week’s bonus question.  Congratulations, Arne!There’s also Sayeeb Mohammed, who’s a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidabad, India; brand-new RFI Listeners Club member Akiyoshi Teraoka from Fukuoka, Japan; Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, and RFI English listener Aksa Ahmed from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The Waltz in C major by Francis Poulenc, performed by Gabriel Tacchino; “The Sheik of Araby” by Ted Snyder, played by Django Reinhardt and the Quintette de Hot Club de France; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “O Mistress Mine”, from William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night. The song was set to music by Gerald Finzi, the bass-baritone is Bryn Terfel.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Polish opposition eyes power after ruling nationalists fail to win majority” to help you with the answer.You have until 20 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 25 November podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 16 September, I asked you a question about French President Emmanuel Macron’s trip to Bangladesh earlier that week – it was the first state visit to Bangladesh by a sitting French president in 33 years. You were to send in the answer to this question: How many euros are generated every year in bilateral trade between France and Bangladesh?   The answer is, to quote our article: “Bilateral trade between France and Bangladesh grew from €210 million in 1990, to €4.9 billion today.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question “Who was your favorite teacher, and why?” The question was suggested by both Lata Akhter Momo and Khuki Jahanara Yesmin.Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!The winners are:  RFI English listener Cypriano Britto from Goa, India. Cypriano is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Cypriano!The other winners this week are Salehin an Nahiyan, who’s a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh; RFI Listeners Club member Ranjit Darnal from Gandaki, Nepal, and RFI English listeners Sultana Begum and Sheuly Khatun, both from Sirajganj, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Aire de Zamba”, composed by Augustin Barrios Mangoré and performed by Cristiano Porqueddu; traditional folk music for bamboo flute from Bangladesh, performed by Kalachand Ghose; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “A Night in Tunisia” written by Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli, and Raymond Leveen, and performed by The Double Six of Paris.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read RFI English journalist Jan van der Made’s article “Mongolia president begins France visit to discuss uranium mining, energy” to help you with the answer.You have until 13 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 18 November podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 9 September, RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam was at the Womad Music Festival in Wiltshire in the UK, and reported on one of the bands she listened to, the Balimaya Project. You were to read her article about them, and answer this question: what is the name of the Balimaya Project’s brand-new album, released on 21 July?  The answer is: When the Dust Settles.The winners are:  RFI Listeners Club member Jean-Maurice Devault from Montreal, Canada; Muhammad Muneeb Khan, a member of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan; Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria; Abu Sayed, the president of the Online RFI DX Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI English listener Cypriano Britto from Goa, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: Traditional American Barbershop Quartet; Nana Tsiboe: “DP, HM, JMD, MF, CMcG”; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakav; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “Manuk Anguci” written by I Nyoman Senen, and performed by the Gamelan Semara Ratih of Ubud, Bali.This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, listen to Spotlight on France # 100, and re-read Jessica Phelan’s article “How French linguist Champollion unlocked the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt” to help you with the answer.You have until 30 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 4 November podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 19 August, I asked you a question about Ghana. That week, RFI English correspondent Michael Sarpong Mfum sent us an article about the country’s solar power projects.One of those projects is a 5-megawatt floating solar plant – the first of its kind in West Africa. I asked you to tell me where in Ghana it will be built, and what capacity, in megawatts, it is expected to provide in the years to come.The answer is: It will be built on the reservoir of the Bui hydroelectric dam in Ghana's Bono region. To quote Michael Sarpong Mfum’s article: “There are plans to scale the capacity up to 65 megawatts in the coming years. Samuel Gyamfi, from the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, said the country was on track to achieve its renewable targets. ‘We can achieve 10 percent renewable energy penetration by 2030 if the right policies are put in place by the government,’ he said.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Radhakrishna Pillai: “What makes Paris so fascinating to you?”The winners are:  RFI Listeners Club member Solomon Fessahazion from Asmara, Eritrea. Solomon is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations Solomon!Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Royeka Khatun, the chairperson of the RFI Surfer’s Society in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; Riaz Ahmad Khan, the president of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI English listener Rafiqul Islam Liton from Bogura, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Sekitikiti", written and performed by Solly; “Catwalk” by Raimi; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Brilliant Corners” by Thelonius Monk, performed by the composer with his ensemble.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article “Anscombe’s the man as clinical Wales crush Australia's hopes at the World Cup”, to help you with the answer. You have until 23 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 28 October podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 22 July, I asked you a question about the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony here in Paris, which will take place on the water – Paris’ river Seine – a first for the Olympics. Earlier that week, there was a dress rehearsal for the opening, and I asked you to answer this question: what is the name of the French theatre director who is in charge of “staging” – I guess we should say “boating” - the opening ceremony?The answer is: Thomas Jolly. To quote our article: “French theatre director Thomas Jolly – known for his cinematic flair – is responsible for choreographing the event and is keeping the details of his plans a secret.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you remember things?”The winners are: Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Mara, Tanzania. Ras is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Ras!The other winners this week are Dr. Deepa Bain from the RFI Pariwer Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India, as well as RFI English listeners Prothama Prome from Narayanganj, Bangladesh, Farhana Nitu Bubly from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Debashis Gope, from West Bengal, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Baroque and Blue” by Claude Bolling, performed by Claude Bolling on piano and flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal; “Hornpipe” from the Water Music Suite in D Major, HWV 349 by Georg Frederic Handel, performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Dom Sou Nare Bakh” by Elhadji Faye, performed by Etoile de Dakar with singer Youssou N'Dour.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Roman temple in French city of Nimes added to Unesco World Heritage list” to help you with the answer. You have until 16 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 24 October podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 8 July, I asked you a question about the Wimbledon tennis tournament. RFI English journalist (and Sound Kitchen co-host) Paul Myers was there, and wrote an article about Wimbledon traditions, “Strawberries and cream, grass and whites ... where else but Wimbledon?” You were to send in the answer to this question: Who is behind the strawberry and cream dish – who invented it, or first put the two together – at least, according to legend.The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “… the theory goes that the combination became synonymous with the competition because spectators at the inaugural final were offered the pairing as the event fell at the high point of the strawberry season.And that mix was chosen because Cardinal Thomas Wolsey – a mover and a shaker in the court of King Henry VIII – served strawberries and cream together at a banquet for the king in 1509.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India: “What have you done that made someone happy?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State, Nigeria. Nasyr is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Nasyr!The other winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India and Mrs. Kamini Khatoon from Odisha, India, as well as RFI English listeners Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar from the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan and Akherunnesa Gini from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “El Son de la Negra” by Blas Galindo, performed by the Mariachi Arriba Juarez ensemble; “Los Laureles” by José Lopez sung by Linda Ronstadt; “Consort Music” composed by Henry VIII, King of England; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and "Sonnika/Patronba" written by Yahael Camara Onono and performed by the Balimaya Project with singer Mariam Tounkara Koné.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “After G20, Macron visits Bangladesh, Biden goes to Vietnam to strengthen alliances”, to help you with the answer.You have until 9 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 14 October podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 1 July, I asked you a question about French mountain climber Sophie Lavaud. At the end of June, she became the first French person to have reached the summit of all 14 of the world’s peaks over 8,000 meters.It took her 11 years to achieve her goal of reaching the summit of those 14 mountains … you were to send in the answer to this question: What is the first mountain Sophie Lavaud climbed in her 14-mountain quest, and in which year?The answer is: Cho Oyu, in 2012. To quote our article: “Lavaud’s achievement comes more than 11 years after she climbed her first peak Cho Oyu, on the border between Tibet, China and Nepal, in 2012 – followed by Everest, the world’s highest mountain at 8,848 metres in 2014.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What gift would you most like to receive on your birthday?”, which was suggested by Razia Khalid.  Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI English listener Somprity Yeasmin Khuku from Bogura, Bangladesh. Somprity is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Somprity !Also on the list of winners this week is Sultan Mahmud, the president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh; Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, the president of the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Mara, Tanzania; Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and RFI Listeners Club member Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist - Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India. Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Le Rappel des Oiseaux” by Jean-Philippe Rameau, performed by Víkingur Ólafsson; the traditional “Dance of the Han Dynasty”, performed by the New Sounds of Ancient Rhythms 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  "Dada", written and performed by Layori.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article “Cathartic rhythms for West African band born in 'black London'” to help you with the answer.You have until 2 October to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 7 October podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 24 June, I asked you a question about a trade deal between the European Union and Kenya.Earlier that month, the Economic Partnership Agreement was signed by Kenya’s president, William Ruto, and officials from the EU. RFI English journalist Melissa Chemam wrote about it in her article: “EU and Kenya sign trade deal in Nairobi in a move to strengthen continental ties”.You were to re-read Melissa’s article and send in the answer to this question: what was the name of the last trade deal signed between the EU and African countries? And which countries in Africa were included in that deal?The answer is, to quote Melissa’s article: “In June 2016, the EU signed the Southern African Economic Partnership Agreement with South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Swaziland, which regulates trade in goods between the two regions.”  In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What would you like to learn?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: Rabeya Begam, a member of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Rabeya !There’s also Sazdeur Rahman, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India, as well as his countrywoman Dipita Chakrabarty, who hails from New Delhi. Rounding out the list of winners this week is RFI English listener Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar, who’s a member of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: the main theme from Indiana Jones, composed by John Williams; “Sari” by George Fenton and John Leach; “Village”; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Amankor” written by Fadimata Walet Oumar and performed by Tartit.Do you have a music request? Send it to [email protected] 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“Ghana steps up solar energy in bid to meet renewables target” to help you with the answer.You have until 25 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 30 September podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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   [email protected]’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 [email protected]’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 [email protected]’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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 17 June, I asked you a question about an article Paul Myers wrote about the Roland Garros (also known as the French Open) tennis tournament: “Swiatek battles past Muchova to claim her third French Open crown”. As noted in the headline, the Polish player Iga Swiatek won her third Women’s Singles Roland Garros trophy, placing her square and center with three other tennis legends – and that was your question. What are the names of the three women who have also won three Women’s Singles Roland Garros trophies?The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “It was Swiatek's fourth trophy at a Grand Slam tournament venue and the third at the French Open to go with crowns from 2020 and 2022. The feat puts her on the same pedestal as Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What would you do if you won the lottery?”The winners are: Raihan Ali, who’s a member of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh. Raihan is also the winner of this week’s bonus question - congratulations, Raihan!There’s also Saleem Akhtar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club members Nasyr Muhammad from Katsina State in Nigeria and Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India. Rounding out the list of winners for this week is RFI English listener Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar, who’s a member of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh Pakistan.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: the "Minute" waltz by Frédéric Chopin, performed by Artur Rubinstein; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Suite: Golden Dawn” by Al Di Meola, performed by Al Di Meola, Jaco Pastorius, and members of the Return to Forever band.Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article: “Paris practices for 2024 Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine” to help you with the answer.You have until 18 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 23 September podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 10 June, I asked you a French history question - that week, French President Emmanuel Macron was on a two-day visit to Normandy.  He went to the incredibly gorgeous architectural jewel, the abbey Mont-St-Michel, which is celebrating its 1000th birthday this year. The first stone was laid in 923.Then he went to Colleville-Montgomery – the site of the D-Day landings 79 years ago, which was the turning point in World War Two. At Colleville-Montgomery, Macron met a soldier … and you were to send in the answer to these three questions: what is the soldier’s name, how old is he, and what is the name of the regiment in which he served? The answer is: The gentleman’s name is 100-year-old Léon Gautier. He was the last living Frenchman to have taken part in the D-Day landings – one of the 177 Frenchmen who landed on 6 June 1944, as part of the Kieffer Commando Unit, alongside 132 thousand Allied Forces.  Sadly, Léon Gautier died just this past Monday, 3 July. Rest in peace, Monsieur Gautier. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “If you have a summer vacation, where would you like to go?” The question was suggested by Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, who’s the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan.The winners are: RFI English listener Waheed Nobi from Rangpur, Bangladesh. Waheed is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Waheed!There’s also Jobayada Aktar Jai, a member of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh; RFI Listeners Club members Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan as well as Sunil Dhungana from Coimbra, Portugal. Rounding out the list this week is RFI English listener Babby Noor al Haya Hussen, from Odisha, India.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The "Allegro vivace" from the Fantasy in f minor for piano four hands, D.940 by Franz Schubert, performed by Murray Perahia and Radu Lupu; Gregorian chant; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer, and “Bakhta” by Kouider Berkane and Abdelkader Elkhaldi, performed by the Algerian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Zahia Ziouani.Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers’ article: “Strawberries and cream, grass and whites... where else but Wimbledon?” to help you with the answer.You have until 4 September to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 9 September podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 3 June, I asked you a question about the Roland Garros tennis tournament, where Paul Myers was reporting on the matches. In his article “Roland Garros: 5 things we learned on Day 2 - Alcaraz express”, he recounted the match between Stan Wawrinka and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, and you were to answer these two questions:  how long was the match, and who won? The answer is, to quote Paul’s article: “While Carlos Alcaraz was displaying coltish exuberance at the start of his straight sets sortie against Flavio Cobolli, Stan Wawrinka was coming to the end of his old warhorse extravaganza. The 38-year-old Swiss muscled his way into a two-set lead against Albert Ramos-Vinolas. But the Spaniard fought back to force a decider which Wawrinka won. It all took four hours and 35 minutes."I think it was special today again to be here at Roland Garros," said Wawrinka who beat Novak Djokovic in the 2015 final. "There was a lot of support, a lot of fans. It helped me a lot to stay in the match and to keep fighting for it."In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you like to celebrate your birthday?”, which was suggested by Radhakrishna Pillai.The winners are: Priyanka Paul, the president of the RFI Women’s Club in Murshidabad, India. Priyanka is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – congratulations, Priyanka!Also on the list of winners this week is Alomgir Hossen, a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. There are RFI Listeners Club members Fr. Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon and Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, and RFI English listener Mobashera Moumi, from Bogura, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Polka” from the Czech Suite by Antonin Dvorak, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Antal Dorati; “Odyssey” by Valerie Capers, performed by Capers and her ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, played by the composer; “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron, performed by the composer. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article: “Sophie Lavaud becomes first French person to climb world's highest peaks” to help you with the answer.You have until 14 August to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 19 August podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 27 May, I asked you a question about the Cannes Film Festival, which RFI English journalist Ollia Horton covered. That first week, Ollia watched a duo of films about boys … one was by the Jordanian director Amjad Al Rasheed, called Insh’Allah a Boy. It was the director’s first feature to be screened in competition as part of Critic’s Week, and the first film to represent Jordan in Cannes.Insh’Allah a Boy tells the story of Nawal, a young woman whose husband suddenly dies. As Ollia wrote: “She quickly discovers that she is at the mercy of her in-laws, who legally have the right to claim her home.”You were to re-read Ollia’s “Postcard from Cannes Number Three” and send in the names of the principal actress and the two screenwriters. The answer is, as Ollia informed us: Palestinian Mouna Hawa is the principal actress, and the two screenwriters are Rula Nasser, who is Jordanian - Canadian, and Delphine Agut, who hails from France.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “How do you get rid of hiccups?”The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Abu Saleh from Rangpur, Bangladesh.  Abu is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Abu! Also on the list of winners this week is Shivendu Paul, the president of the RFI Metali Listeners Club in West Bengal, India. RFI Listeners Club members Mizanur Rahman from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India are also winners. Last but certainly not least, RFI English listener Farhana Mousumi Nitu, from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Malambo” from Estancia by Alberto Ginastera, performed by the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel; “Ishraq” by Naseer Shamma, performed by Naseer Shamma and the Lebanese Oriental Orchestra; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Agua de Beber” by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, sung by Astrud Gilberto.  Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Melissa Chemam’s article: “EU and Kenya sign trade deal in Nairobi in a move to strengthen continental ties” to help you with the answer.You have until 17 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 22 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 13 May, I asked you a question about a new French policy that would ban far-right extremist groups from demonstrating. On 6 May, around 600 people dressed in black, some of whom were masked, marched in Paris carrying black flags marked with the Celtic cross: a symbol that’s been appropriated by white nationalists and far-right extremists in Europe. Their demonstration had been approved by Paris’ police prefect Laurent Nuñez. There was an immediate outcry from France’s left-wing politicians and activists because several demonstrations against Macron’s pension reform had been denied permits. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stepped in and banned far-right extremist demonstrations; he said he’ll let the courts decide if they can be held.  My question to you was: what was Marine Le Pen’s response to the demonstration? Marine Le Pen, as you know, is the former president and current parliamentary leader of the far-right National Rally party. Additionally, you were to tell us the names of the two men who worked as treasurers for her party - and who participated in the march.The answer is: To quote our article: “Marine le Pen, the parliamentary leader of the far-right National Rally, said the protesters should not have worn masks.  "These provocations cannot be tolerated. It's inadmissible," she said, also defending herself against accusations that she was close to two of the participants, Axel Loustau and Olivier Duguet, who worked as party treasurers.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word ‘patriotism’ ?” The question was suggested by RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India. The winners are: Saidul Islam, a member of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh. Saidul is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Saidul ! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are M. N. Sentu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listeners Club members Sairun Bibi from Odisha, India, and Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India.Last but certainly not least, there’s RFI English listener Deep Paul from West Bengal, India. Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “The Cuckoo” from The Birds by Ottorino Respighi, performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conducted by Louis Lane; “Drums of the Horde” by Filip Lackovic; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Bridging the Gap” by Nas, performed by Nas and his father, Olu Dara.Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Swiatek battles past Muchova to claim her third French Open crown” to help you with the answer.You have until 10 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 15 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 29 April, I asked you a question about the Ostend energy summit. Earlier that week, nine European countries met in Belgium to discuss how to increase wind power in the North Sea. The Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, said the goal is to build enough North Sea wind farms to produce 130 gigawatts of electricity by the end of the decade.You were to re-read our article “Expansion of North Sea wind farms tops the agenda at Ostend energy summit”, and send in the answer to this question: amongst the nine countries that participated in the summit, which two are currently producing the most wind energy? The answer is:  To quote our article: “Britain has the greatest number of offshore wind farms, 45 of them producing 14 GW, with plans to expand capacity to 50 GW by 2030.Germany is next, with 30 wind farms producing 8 GW, followed by the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium, all producing less than 3 GW.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What will you do when you retire?”The winners are: Mrs. Mukta Banu, who’s a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Mukta is also the winner of this week’s bonus question.  Congratulations, Mukta !Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India; Muhammad Nasyr from Katsina State, Nigeria, and Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan.  Last but certainly not least, there’s RFI English listener Mohammad Aslam, from Naogaon, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Hora staccato” by Grigoras Dinicu, performed by violinist Isaac Stern and pianist Alexander Zakin; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Un jour tu verras” by Georges van Parys and Marcel Mouloudji, sung by Marcel Mouloudji. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Macron marks 1,000 year anniversary of iconic Mont-Saint-Michel” to help you with the answer.You have until 3 July to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 8 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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!And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do!This week’s quiz: On 22 April, I asked you a question about Ollia Horton’s article “Designer Philippe Starck shakes up Paris icons in playful exhibition”. The exhibit, “Paris Pataphysics”, was at Paris’ Musée Carnavalet. You were to re-read her article and send in the answer to this question: what is “pataphysics”?  The answer is,  as Ollia informed us, the "science of imaginary solutions". The "philosophy", invented by French writer Alfred Jarry, is marking its 150th anniversary this year.“Pataphysics has a taste for beauty and for the impossible made possible,” according to Philippe Starck. “This science is in the image of life, allowing serious things to be taken lightly, and light things seriously.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Muhammad Saleem Akhtar, president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. His question was: “What is the one piece of advice you would like to give to your fellow humans?”The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Tasneem Saleh from Nilphamari, Bangladesh. Tasneem is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Tasneem!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are S. B. Sharma, president of the RFI Listeners Club in Jamshedpur, India, and RFI Listeners Club member Jean-Maurice Devault from Montreal, Canada. Rounding out the list of lucky winners this week are two RFI English listeners from Bangladesh: Abdul Mannan from Chapainawabganj, and Muhina Mahin Shaila from Naogaon. Congratulations winners!Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The andante allegro from the Harp Concerto by George Frederick Handel, performed by Nicanor Zabaleta with the Orchestre de Chambre Paul Keuntz, conducted by Paul Keuntz; "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 “If We Only Have Love” by Jacques Brel, sung by the troupe of the original off-Broadway cast.Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected] This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myer’s article “Roland Garros: 5 things we learned on Day 2 - Alcaraz express” to help you with the answer.You have until 26 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 1 July podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:[email protected] OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 15 April, I asked you a question about an article written by RFI English journalist Jan van der Made: “Macron lays out his plan for Europe on a visit to the Netherlands”. Earlier that week, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech at the Nexus Institute in The Hague. The Institute was marking the 75th anniversary of the 1948 Congress of Europe in The Hague. My question to you was: "What is the 1948 Congress of Europe meeting most known for?"   The answer is, as Jan wrote: “… planting the seeds of what was to become the European Union.” The first Congress of Europe was organized by the International Committee of the Movements for European Unity, which after the Congress became the European Movement. It brought together 750 delegates from around Europe to discuss ideas about the development of European political cooperation. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Lutfor Rahaman Khan from Naogaon, Bangladesh: “What did you feel the first time you attended a marriage ceremony?” The winners are: RFI English listener Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khokhar, who’s a member of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Malik is also the winner of this week’s bonus question.   Congratulations, Malik! Also on the list of lucky winners this week is A. K. M. Nuruzzaman, the president of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria. There’s also Ras Franz Manko Ngogo, who heads up the Kemogemba RFI Club in Tarime, Mara, Tanzania, and last but assuredly not least, faithful RFI Listeners Club member Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Carousel” (“La valse à mille temps”) by Jacques Brel, sung by Elly Stone and Alice Whitfield; “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 (the “Ode” is used as the European Union’s anthem); “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “You’re the Dangerous Type” by Bob Dorough, sung by Veronica Swift. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  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 “Postcard from Cannes # 3: About a Boy” to help you with the answer. You have until 19 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 24 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 15 April, I asked you a question about an article by RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow: “French unions rally protesters after pension reform talks end in failure”.  You were to tell us what Cyril Chabanier, the leader of the moderate CFTC union, had to say about the reform. The answer is, as Amanda wrote: “They” (meaning all of France’s trade unions) “had been pushing for the complete withdrawal of the reform bill, which Cyril Chabanier, leader of the CFTC union said was "unfair and brutal".  In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Father Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon: “Do you have a religious faith? What inspires you to adhere to and stay with it?” The winners are: Shahanaj Parvin, who’s the president of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh. Shahanaj is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Shahanaj! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Asifa Shaheen, who’s a member of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club members Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India; Ekena Begum from Odisha, India, and Mogire Machuki from Kissi, Kenya. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The “Spanish Dance No. 1” from Manuel de Falla’s opera La Vida Breve, performed by Itzhak Perlman and Samuel Sanders; “Cha-cha-cha No. 2” by Xavier Cugat, performed by Cugat and his 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 “Let's Call This” by Thelonius Monk, performed by Monk, Joe Gordon, and Harold Land. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “France to ban all far-right extremist demonstrations” to help you with the answer. You have until 12 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 17 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected] 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! 

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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 1 April, I asked you a question about our article “Prosecutors raid French banks in multi-billion-euro tax fraud investigation”. Earlier that week, five French banks were raided by investigators from the financial prosecution office, looking for evidence of an alleged dividend arbitrage trading scheme that allowed investors to avoid paying billions in taxes. The French banks are accused of facilitating the scheme and taking commissions on the illegal trades. Our beloved France is not the only European country to have allegedly participated in such a scheme … you were to re-read our article and send in the answer to this question: how much has the dividend arbitrage trading scheme been estimated to have cost a dozen other European countries in taxes? The answer is, to quote our article: “Similar investigations have been conducted in Germany and other European countries, with the fraud estimated to have cost a dozen countries 140 billion euros in lost tax revenue over 20 years.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan: “What is your dream job?"  The winners are: Razia Khalid, who’s a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. Razia is also the winner of this week’s bonus question: “What is your dream job?" Congratulations Razia! The other winners this week are Rasheed Naz, the president of the Naz Radio France and Internet Fan Club in Faisal Abad, Pakistan, and Hasina Zaman Hasi, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Rounding out the list are RFI Listeners Club member Tasneem Saleh from Nilphamari, Bangladesh, and RFI English listener Sima Paul from West Bengal, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Moonlight in Vermont” by Karl Suessdorf and John Blackburn, performed by the Ahmad Jamal Trio; “Sabre Dance” from the Gayané Suite No. 3 by Aram Khachaturian, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Simon Rattle; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer;  “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” by Ernest Ball, Chauncey Olcott, and George Graff, Jr., sung by John McCormack, and “Poinciana” by Nat Simon and Buddy Bernier, arranged by Ahmed Jamal, and performed byAhmad Jamal and his ensemble. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Expansion of North Sea wind farms tops the agenda at Ostend energy summit” to help you with the answer. You have until 5 June to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 10 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 25 March, I asked you a question about an article by RFI English correspondent Ryan Truscott: “Sparrow-sized bat confirmed as Mozambique’s newest mammal”. It’s been named the “Namuli horseshoe bat” after its principal habitat: Mount Namuli, which is Mozambique’s second-highest peak. You were to re-read Ryan’s article and answer this question: where else have the Namuli horseshoe bats been spotted? The answer is, as Ryan Truscott wrote: “They've been recorded on the Nyika plateau in northern Malawi, and in southern Tanzania.” By the way, they’re called “horseshoe bats” for the horseshoe-shaped structures on their faces, which are used for echolocating – or sending out soundwaves – to help them to navigate or catch flying insects. They are roughly the size of sparrows. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India: “What good work have you done in the past week?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India. Karuna Kanta Pal is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Karuna! I was quite moved reading about the good things all of you have done recently. What a blessing to be in contact with so many good people! Also on the list of winners this week are: Sultan Mahmud, the president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh; Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club, Ain Kechara in West Skikda, Algeria; RFI Listeners Club members Ranjit Darnal from Gandaki, Nepal, and last but not least, Sagor Mia from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, who is also the president of the “Let's go on the right path and tell the truth radio listener club”. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here” by Arthur Sullivan and D.A. Esrom; “Caress” by Marcel Khalife, performed by the composer and his ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Pedro Nevares”, performed by Maya y Cantu.   Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  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 “Designer Philippe Starck shakes up Paris icons in playful exhibition” to help you with the answer. You have until 29 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 3 June podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 11 March, I asked you a question about the Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, known by its French acronym Fespaco. We’d just published an article: “Tunisian thriller ‘Ashkal’ snags top gong at Africa's Fespaco film fest”, and I asked you to write in with the answer to these two questions: who won the second prize – called the Silver Stallion - and who won the third prize? The answer is, to quote our article: “Burkinabé director Apolline Traore picked up the Silver Stallion award for her film “Sira”, the story of a woman’s struggle for survival after she is kidnapped by jihadis in the Sahel. Third place went to Kenya’s Angela Wamai for “Shimoni”, about a man at odds with his environment and at war with his inner demons.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Mahesh Jain from Delhi, India: “What is, for you, the best part of your country’s constitution?”  Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI English listener Mizanur Rahman, from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mizanur is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Mizanur! Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Fatematuj Zahra, who is the co-secretary of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. There are RFI Listeners Club members Zenon Teles from the Christian – Marxist – Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India, and Atikul Islam from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. Last but not least, RFI English listener Lovely Sultana Razia from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “En Route to Bengal”, a medley of traditional Bengali folk songs performed by the Hamelin Instrumental Band; “Baje re baje dhol ar dhak” by Shaukat Ali Imon and Kabir Bakul, sung by Sonia; the “Allegretto Scherzando” from Antonin Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances Op.46, performed by the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, conducted by Rafael Kubelik; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Time” by Finn Andrews, performed by The Veils. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  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 “Macron lays out his plan for Europe on a visit to the Netherlands” to help you with the answer. You have until 22 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 27 May podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 4 March, I asked you a question about an article RFI English journalist Amanda Morrow wrote: “France headed for water curbs as dry winter intensifies drought”. We’ve had the driest winter on record this year, and as Amanda noted, as of early March authorities in seven major river basins had been told to enforce water restrictions … and that was your question. You were to send in the names of the four French departments that were put under water restrictions in early March. The answer is, to quote Amanda: “Four French departments – Isère, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Pyrénées-Orientales – are already under water restrictions, with residents told to avoid watering their gardens at certain times, filling their swimming pools, or washing their cars.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene, Denmark: “Share a memory of one of your grandparents”. Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI English listener Tasmaul Maumi Bushra from Bogura, Bangladesh. Tasmaul is also the winner of this week’s bonus question: “Share a memory of one of your grandparents”. Congratulations Tasmaul! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Jahan Ara Hussain from Odisha, India; Alan Holder from the English Isle of Wight; M. N. Sentu, a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and last but not least, Nirupa Bain, who’s a member of the RFI Pariwar Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “The Sunny Side of the Street” written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields, performed by Louis Armstrong and his orchestra; “The Moldau” from Ma Vlast by Bedrich Smetana, performed by the Gimnazija Kranj Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nejc Bečan; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer, and “I’m going to let you break my heart” by Max Kinghorn-Mills, performed by Hollow Hand.   Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  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 “French unions rally protesters after pension reform talks end in failure” to help you with the answer. You have until 8 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 13 May podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 25 February, I asked you a question about Ollia Horton’s article “Meet the African comic book heroes taking the world by storm”. Ollia had just come back from a reporting trip to the Angoulême International Comics Festival and profiled one of the stars of the festival: Marguerite Abouet from Côte d’Ivoire. You were to re-read Ollia’s article and send in the answer to this question: what is the name of the non-profit organization founded by author Marguerite Abouet, which has already established five libraries in Côte d’Ivoire?   The answer is: “Des livres pour tous”, or, “Books for Everyone”. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Prithwiraj Purkayastha, president of the RFI Listeners Club of Jorhat in Assam, India. The question was: “What is your favorite hobby – aside from radio listening – and how has that hobby impacted your life?”     Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI English listener Sakila Musarrat from Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh. Sakila is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Sakila! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club member Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India and RFI English listeners Nasir Aziz from Sheikhupura, Pakistan; Aynal Hoque from Natore, Bangladesh, and nine-year-old Srijan Adhikary from Nadia, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: "Cherokee" by Juan Esquivel; traditional balafon music from Côte d’Ivoire performed by Djarabikan; “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 “Cat Duet” by Gioachino Rossini, sung by Dame Felicity Lott and Anne Murray, with pianist Graham Johnson. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Prosecutors raid French banks in multi-billion-euro tax fraud investigation”to help you with the answer. You have until 24 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 29 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 18 February, I asked you an environmental question … that week, the European Parliament approved a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars, to be in place by 2035. You were to re-read our article “EU to ban fossil fuel car sales by 2035, slash truck and bus emissions”, and send in your answer to this question: what is the percentage of CO2 that cars are responsible for today, across the EU? The answer is, to quote our article: “Cars currently account for about 15 percent of all CO2 emissions in the EU, while transportation overall accounts for around a quarter.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan: “What do you love to drink every day, and if you don’t, it seems as if your day is just not quite right?”     Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Ralf Urbanczyk from Eisleben, Germany. Ralf is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations, Ralf! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Nitu Biswas, who’s a member of the very active RFI Pariwar Bandhu SWL Club in Chhattisgarh, India; RFI Listeners Club member Tanima Tanne from Narayanganj, Bangladesh, and last but not least, RFI English listeners Kumar Sankar Adhikary from West Bengal, India, and Abdol Bari from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Milonga del Angel” by Astor Piazzolla, performed by Daniel Saenz, cello, and Michael Zuraw, piano; “The Window” by Avishai Cohen, performed by the Avishai Cohen Trio; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer, and “Time for Livin'” by Sylvester Stewart, performed by Sly and the Family Stone.   Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Ryan Truscott’s article “Sparrow-sized bat confirmed as Mozambique’s newest mammal” to help you with the answer. You have until 17 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 22 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Aynal Hoque from Natore, Bangladesh. Welcome, Aynal! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 11 February, I asked you a question about an article written by RFI English journalist Michael Fitzpatrick: “Paris summit in effort to lift Lebanon out of political paralysis”. That week in Paris, representatives from several countries met to discuss how to help Lebanon get back on its feet – the country has been without a president since October. You were to re-read Michael’s article and send in the answer to this question: representatives of which countries were in Paris to discuss solutions for how to help Lebanon out of its current political crisis? The answer is, to quote Michael: “The Paris gathering is to be attended by representatives from France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by listener Liton Rahaman from Naogaon, Bangladesh: “What did you feel when you received your very first paycheck?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Vladimir Gudzenko from Moskovskaya oblast in Russia. Vladimir is also the winner of this week’s bonus question: “How did you feel when you received your first paycheck?” Congratulations, Vladimir! 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; RFI Listeners Club members Jean-Maurice Devault from Montreal, Canada and Md. Junaid from Odisha, India. Last but not least, RFI English listener Nasir Aziz from Sheikhupura, Pakistan. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Gone with the Wind” by Allie Wrubel and Herb Magidson, performed by the Wes Montgomery Quartet; the traditional Lebanese “Amaken”, performed by the Andre Hajj Ensemble; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer, and “Yes or No” by Wayne Shorter, performed by the Wayne Shorter Quartet. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Tunisian thriller ‘Ashkal’ snags top gong at Africa's Fespaco film fest” to help you with the answer. You have until 3 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 15 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Aynal Hoque from Natore, Bangladesh. Welcome, Aynal! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 4 February, I asked you a question about a segment on Alison Hird and Sarah Elzas’ podcast Spotlight on France. Alison had a piece on the podcast that week about how the proposed pension reform here will affect women, as often women take time off from work to care for their young children. They will therefore have to work longer than men, to fulfill the amount of time worked to qualify for a full pension. You were to listen closely to the podcast and answer this question: what is one option proposed by the opposition, that the government has refused outright? The answer is, to quote Alison: “One option would be getting retirees to contribute more by effectively lowering their pensions. The government has overruled this outright.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Who is your role model?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI English listener Dewan Rafiqul Islam from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Dewan is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Dewan ! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club member Father Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon; Razib, who’s a member of the RFI Fan Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh, and RFI English listeners Dia Zanib from Punjab, Pakistan and Kanwar Sandhu from British Columbia in Canada. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The traditional “Raga Khammaj” performed by Rajeev Janardan; “Salon Buenos Aires” by Miguel del Aguila, performed by APERIO; “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 Joker” by Bojan Zulfikarpasic, performed by Ifrikya. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  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 “France headed for water curbs as dry winter intensifies drought” to help you with the answer. You have until 27 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 1 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have two new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Karuna Kanta Paul from West Bengal, India, and Jahangir Alam from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Welcome, Karuna! Welcome Jahangir! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 28 January, I asked you a question about our article “Sierra Leone passes gender law reserving 30 percent of jobs for women”. The country’s president, Julius Maada Bio, had just signed into law the Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Act, which will guarantee more equal treatment of women in the workplace and the government. You were to re-read our article and answer these two questions: how many women are currently members of Sierra Leone’s parliament, and how many women are currently serving in President Bio’s 32-member cabinet? The answer is, to quote our article: “The country has only 18 woman MPs and only four members of Bio's 32-member cabinet are women.” Let’s see how quickly those numbers change. Go Sierra Leone! In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your favorite holiday?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: Nadira Begum, who’s a member of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Nadira is also the winner of this week’s bonus question: “What is your favorite holiday?” Congratulations, Nadira! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are two Sierra Leoneans: Abdulai Saiku Bah, the president of the RFI Club Freetown in Sierra Leone, and RFI Listeners Club member Yeami Sanday John Turay, also from Freetown. Great news from your country, my friends! Rounding out the list are RFI Listeners Club member Samir Mukhopadhyay from Kolkata, India, and RFI English listener Kumar Sankar Adhikary from Nadia, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: "Dancing Penguin" by George Reshetar, played by Paul Barton; “Bye Bye Blackbird” by Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon, performed by Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, and Red Garland; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov;  “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer, and John Coltrane/ Hervé Samb’s  “Giant Steps / Bëg Tekki”,  performed by Hervé Samb, N'dongo D, and Mike Ladd. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  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 “Meet the African comic book heroes taking the world by storm”, to help you with the answer. You have until 20 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 25 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have two new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Karuna Kanta Paul from West Bengal, India, and Jahangir Alam from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Welcome, Karuna! Welcome Jahangir! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 21 January, I asked you a question about our article “Paris to hold public vote on continuing e-scooter rental services”. The fans of the e-scooters praise them as a “fast, non-polluting alternative to cars or crowded public transport”, to quote our article. But there are many non-fans as well: the riders often use the sidewalk, which is forbidden – they can go really fast!  - and there have been some bad accidents that have severely hurt pedestrians.  Due to the many complaints, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo scheduled a referendum on whether the rental e-scooters will continue to be available in Paris. You were to answer these two questions: when will the referendum be held, and what will Parisians be asked? The answer is, to quote our article: “Hidalgo said Paris residents would be asked ‘a very simple question’ in the referendum planned for the second of April: "Do we or don't we continue with free-floating rental scooters?" In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Where is the best place to be in the spring?” 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 question: “Where is the best place to be in spring?” Congratulations Dipita! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Father Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon; Renita Rini from Munshiganj, Bangladesh, and RFI English listeners Liu Wei from Guangdong Province in China, and Sheuly Khatun from Sirajganj Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “dJarabi”, written by Sona Jobarteh, and performed by Jobarteh and her band; Short Ride in a Fast Machine by John Adams, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and the traditional Mongolian song “Altain maagtaal”, played and sung by Batzorig Vaanchig. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “EU to ban fossil fuel car sales by 2035, slash truck and bus emissions”, to help you with the answer. You have until 13 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 18 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Md. Rana from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Welcome, Rana! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 14 January, I asked you a question about an article written by Michael Fitzpatrick: “France tightens hunting regulations but stops short of weekend ban”.  Activist groups want to see a ban on hunting on Sundays, to protect walkers and people who live near active hunting areas – and hunters are against it. I asked you to answer these two questions: how many active hunters are there in France, and how many French people possess a hunting licence? The answer is, to quote Michael’s article: “There are 1.1 million active hunters in France, according to the FNC, and some five million people possess a hunting licence.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your favorite proverb?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI English listener Murshida Yeasmin Momota from Bogura, Bangladesh. Murshida is also the winner of this week’s bonus question.   Congratulations Murshida!  Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Debakamal Hazarika, the president of the United RFI Listeners Club in Assam, India; Asifa Riaz, a member of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Babby Noor Al Haya Hussen from Odisha, India, and RFI English listener Sultana Begum from Sirajganj, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The rondo from the Horn Concerto No. 4 in E flat major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by the Dresden Philharmonic conducted by Jorg-Peter Weigle with soloist Sebastian Weigle; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Young Mama” by Olu Dara, performed by Dara and his ensemble. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Michael Fitzpatrick’s article “Paris summit in effort to lift Lebanon out of political paralysis” to help you with the answer. You have until 6 March to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 11 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Md. Rana from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Welcome, Rana! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 7 January, I asked you a question about the "king” of football, Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. Pelé passed away at the end of December, and RFI English journalist Paul Myers wrote about him in his article “Brazilian president Lula joins the mourners at wake for football icon Pelé”. You were to re-read Paul’s article and send in the answer to this question: how many goals did Pelé score throughout his career playing for Brazil, Santos, and the New York Cosmos? The answer is: 1283 In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What’s the nicest compliment you’ve ever been given?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Skafzal Husain from Odisha, India. Skafzal is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Skafzal ! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Nuraiz Bin Zaman, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; RFI Listeners Club members Shaira Hosen Mo and Ajharul Islam Tamim, both from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, and last but not least, Rachid Dahmani from M'sila Algeria, who is also an RFI Listeners Club member. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” by George Frederic Handel, played by Paul Barton; “Begin the Beguine” by Cole Porter, performed by Artie Shaw and his 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 traditional pygmy music, arranged by Erwan Rome. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, listen closely to Alison Hird’s story on the 26 January Spotlight on France podcast, or re-read her article “French women protesting pension reform say another way of working is possible” to help you with the answer. You have until 27 February to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 4 March podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Muhammad Usama from District Muzaffargarh, Punjab, Pakistan. Welcome, Muhammad! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 17 December, looking forward to the final match of the 2022 World Cup, you were to send in the name of the team that won as well as the final score. The answer is: Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What motivates you?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!  The winners are: Sultan Mahmud Sarker, who’s the president of the Shetu RFI Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Congratulations Sultan! 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; Ranjit Darnal from Gandaki, Nepal; Liu Wei from Guang Dong Province in China, and Muhammad Nasyr from Katsina State, Nigeria.   Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Hong Kong Orchestral Manoeuvres for Chinese New Year” by Ng King Pan, performed by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra conducted by Yang Huichang; “Shepherds' Dance” from Amahl and The Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti, performed by the NBC Opera Theatre Orchestra conducted by Thomas Schippers; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Love for Sale” by Cole Porter, performed by Joy Brown, Abdias Armenteros, and the Emmet Cohen trio. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Sierra Leone passes gender law reserving 30 percent of jobs for women” to help you with the answer. You have until 20 February 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 25 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Liu Wei from Guangdong Province in China; Hafizur Rahaman from Purba Bardhaman in West Bengal, India, and R.S. Vijay Kumar from Visakhapatnam, India. Welcome, Liu Wei! Welcome, Hafizur Rahaman! Welcome R.S. Vijay Kumar! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 3 December, I asked you a question about the film The Blue Caftan, directed by Moroccan Maryam Touzani, which had just won the Jury Prize at the Marrakech International Film Festival. RFI English journalist Ollia Horton wrote an article, “Unconventional Moroccan love story wins prize at Marrakech Film Festival” which you were to re-read, and send in the answers to these two questions: What is the name of the cinematographer? And which other film of Touzani’s did she work on? The answer is: Virginie Surdej, who also worked on Touzani’s debut film Adam, which was released in 2019. As Ollia wrote about the cinematographer: "The Blue Caftan is a sensual film where facial expressions and gestures weigh as much as words. Scenes take place mostly indoors, filmed in close-up, with tender attention to detail.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “Which city or country that you have visited is your favorite, and why?” The bonus question this week was suggested by Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan. You are welcome to send suggestions for the bonus question, too! The winners are: RFI English listener Shahanoaz Akhter Ripa, the president of the Sonali Badhon Female Radio Listeners Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Shahanoaz Akhter Ripa is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Shahanoaz! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Muhammed Aarosh, who’s a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidibad, India; Ali Shahzad, who’s a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Alan Holder from the Isle of Wight, England, and last but not least, RFI English listener Arundhati Mukherjee, from Barrackpore, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: The anonymous 14th-century French dance “La Prime Estampie Royal”, performed by Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI; “Lahssab, Talata We-Talatin”, a traditional Moroccan belly dance played by Chalf Hassan; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; the Adagio from Franz Schubert’s Quintet in b, op. 956, performed by Le Quatuor Parisii with Emmanuelle Bertrand, cello, and “Mamae Falou” written by Teacher Jekyll and Monica Pereiras, performed by the composers.    Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Paris to hold public vote on continuing e-scooter rental services” to help you with the answer. You have until 13 February 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 18 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! We have new RFI Listeners Club members to welcome: Liu Wei from Guangdong Province in China; Hafizur Rahaman from Purba Bardhaman in West Bengal, India, and R.S. Vijay Kumar from Visakhapatnam, India. Welcome, Liu Wei! Welcome, Hafizur Rahaman! Welcome R.S. Vijay Kumar! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page! You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at [email protected] 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 receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I’ll approve you, and off you go! This week’s quiz: On 3 December, I asked you a question about the environment. Earlier that week, the French government announced that a coal-fired power plant would be re-booted to get the country through the winter. There were worries that the electricity supply here would not be able to keep up with demand over the winter – due to the conflict in Ukraine, and maintenance problems with some nuclear plants. France relies on nuclear for about 70 percent of its electricity. You were to re-read our article “France reboots coal-fired power plant to boost winter electricity supplies” and answer this question: how many nuclear reactors are there in France?  The answer is: 56. However, as you read in our article, around two dozen of those reactors have been offline for months, mostly due to fears over micro-cracks discovered in the emergency cooling systems. Aside from the coal plant that will be kept active until the end of March, there is only one other coal-fired power station still open in France. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?” The winners are: RFI English listener Khondaker Rafiqul Islam, who’s the president of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh. Khondaker is also the winner of this week’s bonus question.   Khondaker Rafiqul Islam said the best advice he ever had was from his mother. This is what he wrote: “She was a very pious woman, and she lived very simply. I was only nine years old when she told me: ‘always speak the truth, never quarrel with others, spend your time working, reading, and writing, and build your life independently.’ “I think,” Khondaker continued, “Everybody can follow her simple advice, and prosper.”  Congratulations Khondakar! Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Sakirun Islam Mitu, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; Faheem Noor, the president of the RFI World United Listeners Organization in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan; RFI Listeners Club member Vladimir Gudzenko from Lukhovitsy, Russia, and RFI English listener Momotaz Parvin Naju from Bogura, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “The Tortoise” from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andre Previn; “Autumn Leaves” by Joseph Kosma and Jacques Prévert, performed by the Bill Evans Trio; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Bluesette” by Toots Thieleman, performed by the composer and his ensemble. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Michael Fitzpatrick’s article “France tightens hunting regulations but stops short of weekend ban” to help you with the answer.  You have until 6 February 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 11 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 19 November, I asked you a question about the mascot for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The committee had just announced their decision, which is a … hat. A stuffed animal hat. A toy hat. But not just any hat, a very important hat to the French, a hat which to them embodies French democratic values. It’s called a Phrygian cap and was the cap the women wore when they marched to Versailles calling for a reduction in the price of bread … pretty much the beginning of the French Revolution, as you know. You were to re-read our article “Made-in-China 'Phryges' toys are surprise mascots for Paris Olympics 2024”, and send in the answer to this question: how many of the Phryges toys do the Paris 2024 organizers hope to sell by the start of the games?   The answer is: Two million   In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “When in your life were you a leader?” The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad, Pakistan, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Today’s winners also include Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria; Uzma Khan, who’s a member of the Naz RFI & Internet Fan Club in Faisal Abad, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club member Kristopher Arens from Oregon in the US.  Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Mrs. Boby Khanam, who’s a member of the Friends Radio Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Classical Symphony” by Sergei Prokofiev, performed by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alondra de la Parra; “Galop Infernal” from Orpheus in the Underworld by Jacques Offenbach; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “It Ain’t Fair” by Questlove, performed by Bilal and The Roots. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you’ve listened to the show, re-read Paul Myer’s article “Brazilian president Lula joins the mourners at wake for football icon Pelé” to help you with the answer.   You have until 30 January 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 4 February podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 “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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 12 November, COP27 was in full swing in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, and there were two newly elected leaders at the conference. You were to tell me their names and the countries they represent.  The answer is: Brazil's president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – who promised to protect the Amazon from deforestation after defeating climate-skeptic President Jair Bolsonaro, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who wasn’t going to go, but then changed his mind.   In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, which was suggested by Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India: “What was the happiest moment of your life?” The winners are Mahesh Jain, who’s the president of the RFI Club, Delhi, in Delhi, India. Mahesh is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Mahesh! The other winners this week are Bezazel Ferhat, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and RFI Listeners Club members Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, as well as Khadija Aktar Najni from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rounding out the list is RFI English listener Shahanoaz Sultana from Bogura, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Mr. Sandman” by Pat Ballard, played by Stuart "Stukulele" Fuchs and Babik; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, performed by Herbie Hancock and the Head Hunters. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, look for Paul Myer’s article about the final World Cup 2022 match on our webpage. You have until 23 January 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 28 January podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 5 November, I asked you a question about Brazil’s old/new president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Why “old”? Because Lula – as he is called - served as Brazil's president between 2003 and 2010. “New” because he was called back to office on 30 October of this year, defeating, by a razor-thin margin, the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. President-elect Lula will be inaugurated on the first of January, 2023.  You were to refer to our article “Lula takes back the top job in Brazil, defeating Bolsonaro”, and answer this question: what is president-elect Lula acknowledged to have achieved during his previous two terms as president?  The answer is, as we wrote in our article: “Political veteran Lula served two terms as president in 2003 to 2010, and was credited with lifting 30 million Brazilians out of poverty during his tenure.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, which was suggested by Muhammad Nasyr from Katsina State, Nigeria: “Which country would you like to visit in the coming year, and why?” The winners are: Razia Khalid, who’s a member of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan, and who is also this week’s bonus question winner. The other winners this week are RFI Listeners Club members Arne Timm from Harjumaa, Estonia and Ranjit Darnal from Gandaki, Nepal. Rounding out the list are RFI English listeners Arundhati Mukherjee from West Bengal, India, and Shohel Rana Redoy, who’s the president of the Friends DX-ing Club in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “The More I See You” by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon, performed by Sonny Stitt and his ensemble; “Schottish-Choro” from Suite Popular Brasileña by Heitor Villa-Lobos, performed by Pablo De Giusto; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Pájaro Campana” by Cardozo Felix Perez, performed by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz and his ensemble. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Unconventional Moroccan love story wins prize at Marrakech Film Festival” to help you with the answer. You have until 16 January 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 21 January podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 29 October, I asked you a question about a journalism prize received by one of our correspondents for his report on Laura Angela Bagnetto’s podcast Africa Calling. The Open Forum on Agriculture Biotechnology 2022 awarded second prize to Victor Moturi for his story on genetically modified cotton in Kenya.  My question to you was: where will Victor Moturi go for the next round in the competition? The answer is: Nigeria. Although originally it was Mozambique. Depending on when you read the article – which we updated when the event venue was changed - you could have correctly answered Mozambique, or later on, Nigeria.  No idea why they changed the country, but anyway, that’s that. I accepted both answers. Victor Moturi’s report is competing with 16 other reports from across the continent at the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa. Go, Victor! We’re all rooting for you! In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What was the bravest thing you did as a child?” – a question suggested by Karuna Kanta Pal from West Bengal, India. The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State, India, who is also this week’s bonus question winner. The other winners are Saleem Akhtar Chadhar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan; Raihan Ali, who’s a member of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh, and two RFI English listeners: Bushra Nawaz from Muzaffargarh, Pakistan, and Milliam Murigi from Nairobi, Kenya. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Aquellos Ojos Verdes” by Adolfo Utrera and Nilo Menéndez, played by Bolivar “Pollo” Ortiz;  Prelude and Fugue No. 2 in C minor, BWV 847, from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by András Schiff; “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 “Chango”, a traditional Cuban Santaria chant performed by the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, with Felipe Alfonso and Lazaro Ros. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “France reboots coal-fired power plant to boost winter electricity supplies” to help you with the answer. You have until 9 January 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 14 January podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 “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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 22 October, I asked you a question about French footballer Karim Benzema. Benzema had just won the Ballon d’Or, or the Golden Football - the most prestigious individual accolade in world football. Karim Benzema is a striker for Real Madrid, and of course, plays on France’s national team. You were to re-read RFI English journalist Paul Myers’ article “Benzema’s Ballon d'Or triumph gains presidential seal of approval” and answer this question: how many goals, in how many games, did Benzema score for his club last season, and how many of those goals were in the Champions League? The answer is: As Paul wrote: “Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 games for his club last season, including 15 in the Champions League.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “As a teenager, I wanted to be …” The winners are: Mohammad Likhon, who’s a member of the Nilshagor RFI Fan Club in Nilphamari, Bangladesh.  Mohammad is also this week’s bonus question winner.  The other winners this week are: Riaz Ahmad Khan, the president of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club members Tasneem Saleh from Nilphamari, Bangladesh, Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, and Dipita Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, performed by Duke Ellington and his orchestra; the “Minute" Waltz (no 6, op 64 no 6) by Frédéric Chopin, performed by Dinu Lipatti; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Le mot juste” written by Bertrand Belin, and performed by Belin and Camélia Jordan. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Made-in-China 'Phryges' toys are surprise mascots for Paris Olympics 2024” to help you with the answer. You have until 2 January 2023 to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 7 January podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: Last month, French distribution depot workers at TotalEnergies and Esso-Exxon Mobil were on strike and had blockaded fuel depots and refineries - meaning petrol was not getting to the pumps. The lines outside of service stations were very long. On 15 October, I asked you to refer to our article: “French government ready to 'intervene' to break fuel depot strike”, and send in the answer to this question:  How much was the reduction per litre that was granted to the public by TotalEnergies, but was due to expire on the first of November? The answer is: 20 cents per litre. The French state also offered a reduction on petrol prices; that was 30 cents per litre. Although both were due to expire on 1 November, both have been extended until mid-November. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What annoys you the most?” The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Sahadot Hossain from Kishoreganj, Bangladesh – who is also this week’s bonus question winner. Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Mrs. Asifa Riaz, who’s a member of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura City, Pakistan, and RFI Listeners Club member Zenon Teles, who’s the president of the Christian - Marxist - Leninist - Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India. Last but not least, RFI English listeners Liton Hossain Khan from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Malik Momin Raza Khokhar, who’s a member of the Sungat Radio Listeners Club in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan.  Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, performed by Duke Ellington and his orchestra; the prelude to the Cello Suite no 1, BWV 1007 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Mstislav Rostropovitch; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Gämse” by Eve Ritter, performed by the Red Desert Orchestra. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “COP27: Macron urges US, China to pay their fair share for climate change” to help you with the answer. You have until 12 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 17 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 8 October, I asked you a question about RFI English journalist Jan van der Made’s article “Macron hails Nobel prize for 'unswerving defenders of human rights in Europe'”. You were to send in the names of the Peace Prize laureates and why they won.  The answer is: There were three winners: Ales Bialiatski, the International Memorial in Russia, and the Centre for Civil Liberties in Ukraine.  Ales Bialiatski is a political activist in Belarus known for his work with the Viasna Human Rights Center. Bialiatski is currently in prison in Belarus. The Russian International Memorial tracks human rights violations across the Russian Federation. It was officially closed down by the Russian high court just four days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties is attempting to document the human toll resulting from the conflict with Russia.  As the Nobel committee wrote: “The Peace Prize laureates represent civil society in their home countries. They have for many years promoted the right to criticise power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human rights abuses, and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy.” In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What do you remember about your first kiss?” The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Kashif Khalil from Faisalabad Pakistan, who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Also on the list of lucky winners this week is Nafisa Khatun, the president of the RFI Mahila Shrota Sangha Club in West Bengal, India; Sharifun Islam Nitu, who’s a member of the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh; RFI Listeners Club member Solomon Fessahazion from Asmara, Eritrea, and RFI English listener Tutul Khan from Naogaon, Bangladesh. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: “Soothing Relaxation” by Peder B. Helland; “The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished” by Mykhailo Verbytsky, performed by Igor Presnyakov; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “Fly Me to the Moon” by Bart Howard, performed by the Diana Krall Quartet;  “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Roll With It” by Joey DeFrancesco, performed by the DeFrancesco Trio.   Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Lula takes back the top job in Brazil, defeating Bolsonaro” to help you with the answer. You have until 5 December to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 10 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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 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 [email protected]  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 [email protected]  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 which 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 ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) 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! And don’t forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, 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 recognized 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 Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don’t like to do! This week’s quiz: On 1 October, I asked you a question about an article written by RFI English journalist Michael Fitzpatrick, “Meloni's far-right coalition sweeps to victory in Italian general election” about Giorgia Meloni and her coalition partners. I asked you to send in the names of the two parties that are a part of Meloni’s coalition, and the names of the leaders of those two parties. The answer is: Meloni's coalition allies are the far-right League party led by Matteo Salvini and the Forza Italia party led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: What scared you the most as a child? The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Ralf Urbanczyk from Eisleben, Germany - who is also the winner of this week’s bonus question – and Saleem Akhtar, the president of the RFI Seven Stars Radio Listeners Club in District Chiniot, Pakistan; Ferhat Bezazel, president of the Ain Kechera RFI Club in West Skikda, Algeria; RFI Listeners Club member Tahamina Yasmin from Rajbari, Bangladesh, and RFI English listener Kalyani Basak from West Bengal, India. Congratulations winners! Here’s the music you heard on this week’s program: Music from Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho, composed by Bernard Hermann; “Funiculì Funiculà ” by Luigi Denza and Giuseppe Peppino Turco, sung by Luciano Pavarotti; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Tribal Dance” by Robert Glasper, performed by Lionel Loueke and his orchestra. Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]  This week’s question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “RFI correspondent in Kenya wins prize for report on GMO cotton” to help you with the answer. You have until 28 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 3 December podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: [email protected] or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. 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.