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Borrell apologises for controversial metaphor but defends speech

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Borrell apologises for controversial metaphor but defends speech

After days of mounting worldwide backlash, Josep Borrell, the European Union’s outspoken overseas coverage chief, has apologised for his controversial remarks by which he described Europe as an idyllic “backyard” of prosperity and the remainder of the world as largely a “jungle.”

“Some have misinterpreted the metaphor as ‘colonial Euro-centrism’,” Borrell wrote in a weblog publish on Tuesday night. “I’m sorry if some have felt offended.”

However he didn’t reject the determine of speech and as a substitute doubled down on it, arguing the time period jungle is an apt illustration of the lawlessness and dysfunction that at present rule world politics.

“My reference to ‘jungle’ has no racist, cultural or geographical connotation,” the diplomat mentioned. “Sadly, the ‘jungle’ is in all places, together with right now in Ukraine.”

The controversy dates again to final Thursday, when Borrell addressed an viewers on the European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium.

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“Europe is a backyard. We’ve constructed a backyard. Every little thing works. It’s the greatest mixture of political freedom, financial prosperity and social cohesion that the humankind has been capable of construct – the three issues collectively,” Borrell mentioned through the occasion.

“The remainder of the world,” he went on, “shouldn’t be precisely a backyard. Many of the remainder of the world is a jungle, and the jungle might invade the backyard.”

Borrell then appeared to confer with EU ambassadors as “gardeners” and urged them to “go to the jungle,” that’s to hold out their diplomatic work all over the world and advance the bloc’s geopolitical agenda.

“A pleasant small backyard surrounded by excessive partitions with a purpose to stop the jungle from coming in shouldn’t be going to be an answer. As a result of the jungle has a robust development capability, and the wall won’t ever be excessive sufficient with a purpose to shield the backyard,” he mentioned.

“Europeans must be way more engaged with the remainder of the world. In any other case, the remainder of the world will invade us, by alternative ways and means.”

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Borrell’s feedback have been initially overshadowed by his blunt prediction, voiced throughout the identical occasion, that the Russian military could be “annihilated” if it have been to make use of nuclear weapons towards Ukraine.

However over the weekend, the “backyard vs jungle” metaphor gained traction throughout social media, fuelling backlash towards the diplomat for what many noticed as condescending, out-of-touch and racist undertones and a stark reflection of the Western sphere’s superiority complicated over the International South.

Video clips on Twitter obtained a whole bunch of hundreds of views. Worldwide media, such because the New York Instances and Al Jazeera, provided essential protection of the fallout.

The United Arab Emirates summoned the performing head of the EU delegation within the nation and requested for explanations over the “inappropriate and discriminatory” remarks.

Marc Botenga, a Belgian MEP from the Left, mentioned Borrell’s phrases have been “rooted in colonialism and racism.”

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On Monday morning, when requested in regards to the rising criticism towards his remarks, Borrell mentioned he was “very okay” and that “day by day is as a lot as intense because the earlier one.”

Standing his floor

By Tuesday night, as backlash continued, the diplomat, who’s affiliated with the socialist celebration, provided a cautious apology however stood his floor and caught to the metaphor.

“The metaphor of ‘the backyard’ and ‘the jungle’ shouldn’t be my invention. Some really dislike it as a result of, amongst others, it has been utilized by US neo-conservatives, however I’m removed from this college of political thought,” he wrote in his private weblog.

“Regrettably, the world by which we dwell right now seems to be an increasing number of like a ‘jungle’ and fewer and fewer like a ‘backyard’, as a result of in lots of components of the world, the legislation of the strongest is eroding agreed worldwide norms.”

Borrell mentioned Europe had managed to switch centuries of battle with lasting peace, cooperation and the rule of legislation, whereas different international locations outdoors the continent, corresponding to Russia, have been resorting to “drive, intimation and blackmail to get their method.”

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“I even have sufficient expertise to know that neither Europe nor ‘the West’ is ideal and that some international locations of ‘the West’ have at instances violated worldwide legality,” he admitted.

The EU’s overseas coverage chief celebrated the current decision of the United Nations Normal Meeting by which 143 international locations voted to sentence Russia’s unlawful annexation of 4 Ukrainian areas. 

Solely 5 international locations voted towards the textual content, whereas 35 abstained.

“This [resolution] reveals there are a lot of all over the world who need a rules-based system, not one ruled by a ‘may makes proper’ perspective,” Borrell wrote in his weblog publish.

“It follows that ‘gardeners,’ those that need to construct a peaceable and lawful order, in all places ought to unite and work collectively to beat again ‘the jungle.’”

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Asia shares rise, dollar underpinned by elevated bond yields

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Asia shares rise, dollar underpinned by elevated bond yields
Asian stocks edged up on Tuesday, though moves were subdued in a holiday-curtailed week, while the greenback held near a two-year high helped by elevated U.S. Treasury yields as investors prepared for fewer Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025.
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US military carries out airstrike in Syria, killing 2 ISIS operatives

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US military carries out airstrike in Syria, killing 2 ISIS operatives

The U.S. military conducted an airstrike on Monday in Syria, where they killed a pair of ISIS operatives and destroyed a truckload of weapons, according to U.S. Central Command.

A precision airstrike in the Dayr az Zawr Province, which was formerly controlled by the Syrian regime and Russians, killed two ISIS operatives and wounded another, CENTCOM said.

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The U.S. military conducted an airstrike on Monday in Syria, where they killed a pair of ISIS operatives and destroyed a truckload of weapons. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The operatives were driving a truckload of weapons, which was destroyed, when they were targeted in the strike.

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CENTCOM forces conducted a precision airstrike in the Dayr az Zawr Province in Syria. (AP Photo)

“This airstrike is part of CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

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Ciolacu's new government sworn in, tasked with bringing stability

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Ciolacu's new government sworn in, tasked with bringing stability

Romania’s new government headed by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the leftist Social Democratic Party took the oath on Monday. The new pro-Europe government has been tasked with providing stability and maintaining the country’s pro-European trajectory.

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Ciolacu’s new government received 240 votes in favour, seven more than the required 233 votes for motions to pass.

Eight ministries will be under the Social Democratic Party’s (PSD) control, six will be overseen by the National Liberal Party (PNL) while the remaining two cabinet posts will be taken up by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania.

Romania’s new cabinet members took the oath on Monday before incumbent President Klaus Iohannis.

Iohannis said he spoke with all the new cabinet members, wishing them success and urged them to work in unity for the people of Romania.

Iohannis also said all the ministers he had spoken with had expressed interest in the continuation of Romania’s pro-European trajectory.

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On 1 December, Ciolacu’s PSD secured approximately 22% of the votes in an election cycle clouded with controversy.

The parliamentary race came sandwiched between the first and second round of the country’s presidential race, which saw the right-wing make considerable gains in Romania’s political landscape.

Far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians finished in second in the parliamentary race, winning just over 18% of the votes.

Iohannis’ decision to nominate Ciolacu to form a government is widely seen by critics as a tactical push to shut out the far-right.

The country has been thrown into political instability since and Ciolacu understands the task ahead, will be difficult.

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“It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Ciolacu said in a statement Monday. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis. It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.”

The parliamentary election came on the heels of a presidential vote in which the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu won the first round, in which Ciolacu came third. Georgescu’s surprise success plunged Romania into turmoil as allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged.

Days before the 8 December presidential runoff, Romania’s Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race.

President Iohannis, who announced he would stay in his post until a successor is elected, hopes the new government can end a protracted political crisis in the European Union and NATO country.

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