France was in a nationwide state of emergency on Saturday following Friday night’s attack in Paris from Islamic State. It comes just 10 months after the Charlie Hebdo magazine attack where 12 people were killed.
The latest terrorist incident was the worst such attack Paris has experienced since World War II. The French President Monsieur Hollande called the coordinated attacks “an act of war.”
ISIS has claimed responsibility. They said eight ISIS militants wearing explosives belts and armed with machine guns attacked precisely selected targets in Paris.
Today’s English lesson looks at the terrible events that took place in France recently. “Je suis Charlie” – “I am Charlie” is the phrase or slogan given in support of the French cartoonists who were killed by attackers in Paris on Wednesday 7th January at the headquarters of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Events began at 10.30am when two masked gunmen raided the offices of the French satirical magazine. The gunmen killed 11 people including the magazine’s editor, and a policeman in a nearby street. The gunmen were identified as brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi.
Paris - After a decade in retreat Marks & Spencer the British retail clothes and food giant has reopened in France. Yesterday, it opened its doors in the French capital. The new three storey shop lies in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe. Its new £50m 10-year lease makes it one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in eurozone territory.
Marks and Spencer will also launch five other stores in Paris and is now searching for suitable premises for its Simply Food outlets. A French language website has also been launched. While some French housewives pouted their cheeks and shrugged off the opening of the new outlet, other loyal followers of well-heeled French housewives were pressing their noses up against the windows in anticipation yesterday.
“We love their sandwiches, little cakes, shoes, trousers,” said Chantal Bruno and Nicole LeClerceq yesterday. “When the shop closed before, we went to London, because we couldn’t bear not to have M&S clothes. Paris is not the capital of style, Marks & Spencer is.” The French you see have a peculiar love affair for the British retailer.
Category: France / Paris / Marks & Spencer
