Off La Réunion, the French Navy inspects and diverts an oil tanker

Le 12 octobre, la Marine nationale est intervenue sur le pétrolier DF Peak au sud de La Réunion, dans l’océan Indien.

Être in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.

Emmanuel Macron a annoncé des soupçons de navigation sous faux pavillon.

The passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.

Un faux pavillon est soupçonné et une enquête judiciaire se poursuit.

The passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).

Selon le communiqué militaire, après le contrôle des documents à bord, le navire a été dérouté à la demande de la procureure et escorté vers un mouillage au large de La Réunion.

The past passive means “was done”. Its form is present of avoir + été (past participle of être) + past participle. Été does not change, but the last participle agrees with the subject in gender and number (la loi a été votée / les textes ont été votés). It is frequent in news reporting results such as votes, decisions and announcements.

Cette seule information ne permet pas d’annoncer un changement immédiat des prix ou de l’approvisionnement en carburant.

The gerund means “while doing”, “by doing” or “when doing”. Its form is en + present participle (-ant). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons and add -ant (faire → faisant). The subject is normally that of the main clause. It shows things happening at the same time, or the means.

Distinguez les soupçons des procédures déjà annoncées.

The imperative expresses commands, requests and advice. It has no subject: the sentence starts with the verb (Consultez les informations.). The vous form ends in -ez, nous in -ons (Restons prudents.), and tu in -e for -er verbs (Consulte). It is very common in notices and warnings (Vérifiez, Consultez, Restez informé).

Un contrôle ou une enquête ne constitue pas une condamnation.

Normally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.

Selon le communiqué militaire, après le contrôle des documents à bord, le navire a été dérouté à la demande de la procureure et escorté vers un mouillage au large de La Réunion.

Selon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.

Retour sur l’intervention du 12 octobre.

Le 15 octobre means “on 15 October”. Distinguish the le before a date from the le that marks a weekly habit like a weekday. Du is de + le and au is à + le, so decide the meaning from the verb and period expressions around them. Their role depends on the group: a range of dates, the date of a bulletin or another complement.

Le 12 octobre, la Marine nationale est intervenue sur le pétrolier DF Peak au sud de La Réunion, dans l’océan Indien.

Dans means “in, inside” for places, but also for a scope such as a system or period. With future time, dans deux jours means “in two days”. In the article’s example, check what it is “inside” and which scope it marks. Identify the value of dans in the passage.

軍の発表によると、軍が乗船して書類を確認したあと、検察の要請で航路を変えさせ、レユニオン沖まで護衛しています。

As in “LCPによると”, it shows where the information comes from. What that source reported follows. It is used differently from “私にとって”, which gives one’s own opinion.

12日の介入について13日朝のニュースで整理。

As in “予算について”, it shows the topic to be talked about or explained. In the form “〜についての報道”, の is added so that the group qualifies the following noun.

海上輸送の取り締まりに関するニュースとして、疑いの段階の話と、確認された手続きを分けて読みましょう。

As in “税控除に関する採決”, it explains what the following noun relates to. It is close to “about” and is common in headlines and descriptions.

偽の船籍を示す旗などが疑われ、司法捜査が続いています。

“暴言など” gives “abusive language” as one example. It is not necessarily a closed list of only the things named. It also helps when reading the scope of a news story.

フランス海軍は12日、インド洋のレユニオン島南方でタンカーDF Peakに介入しました。

In “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.

マクロン大統領は、偽の船籍を示す旗を掲げて航行した疑いがあると説明しています。

と takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.