Monday, February 20

The most important foreign affairs events of the week

Special analysis

Last week, Foreign Affairs Magazine published an opinion piece called “Biden’s Foreign Policy Is a Mess”, in which the author enumerates failures of the American government in the international sphere. Take a look at this excerpt:

“For decades, Power argues, ‘advocates of democracy have focused too narrowly on defending rights and freedoms, neglecting the pain and dangers of economic hardship and inequality.’ Meanwhile, antidemocratic forces have been able to exploit economic and social grievances to ‘gain a political foothold on every continent.’ ‘To seize this moment and swing the pendulum of history back toward democratic rule,’ Power writes, the United States and its partners must focus on emerging threats to democracy, such as corruption, lack of economic mobility, and new digital surveillance technologies. Only then, she argues, can Washington ‘demonstrate that democracies can deliver for their people.’”

The expression gain a foothold (in something) means “to obtain a stable position that offers the potential for progress or expansion in a particular industry or area.”

The expression seize the moment means “to take full advantage of life's opportunities whenever and wherever they present themselves; to live life to one's full potential.”

February 13, 2023

“On Monday, roughly 100,000 Israeli protesters from across the country filled the streets outside Parliament in Jerusalem in one of the biggest-ever demonstrations in the city. They rally against a sweeping judicial overhaul proposed by Israel’s new government,  the most right-wing and religiously conservative in the country’s history, that has bitterly divided Israelis. The changes, envisioned by the governing coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would reduce the Supreme Court’s ability to revoke laws passed in Parliament and give the government greater influence over who gets to be a judge.”

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The adjective sweeping means “having wide-ranging influence or effect”. Close synonyms are “Overwhelming”, “complete”, “indiscriminate”, and “wholesale”.

The adverb bitterly means “in an intense or harsh way”. It derives from the adjective bitter, which means “causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh.”

February 14, 2023

“The European Parliament formally approved a law to effectively ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars in the European Union from 2035. The primary objective is to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles and mitigate climate change effects. The landmark rules will require that by 2035 carmakers must achieve a 100% cut in CO2 emissions from new cars sold, which would make it impossible to sell new fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the 27-country bloc. The law will also set a 55% cut in CO2 emissions for new cars sold from 2030 versus 2021 levels, much higher than the existing target of 37.5%.”

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The transitive verb mitigate means “to make less severe or intense; moderate or alleviate.” Close synonyms are “ease”, “moderate”, “assuage”, and “extenuate”.

The transitive verb achieve means “to succeed in accomplishing; bring about.” Close synonyms are “accomplish”, “attain”, and “reach”.

February 15, 2023

“China accused the United States of flying high-altitude balloons over the western Chinese regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, pointing the finger at Washington amid growing scrutiny over Beijing’s global surveillance efforts. The two regions are highly sensitive areas because of their restive ethnic populations, the large presence of military and security forces, and tense border conditions with geopolitical rivals such as India. Washington and Beijing have been trading barbs for more than two weeks, ever since a sprawling Chinese balloon was spotted over North America.”

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The expression point the finger at (one) means “to indicate that one is guilty of (doing) something; to blame or accuse one of (doing) something.” This expression can be used in formal English texts.

The adjective restive means “uneasily impatient or hard to control under restriction, opposition, criticism, or delay.” Close synonyms are “unsettled”, “restless”, “impatient”, “recalcitrant”, and “unruly”.

February 16, 2023

“The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Volker Türk, informed that the Italian Parliament proposed a new law on humanitarian search-and-rescue operations that could hinder the provision of lifesaving assistance in the Central Mediterranean and result in more deaths. The Senate is scheduled to consider the proposed law next week. The law would effectively punish both migrants and those who seek to help them. Türk also warned that this penalization of humanitarian actions would likely deter human rights and humanitarian organizations from doing their crucial work.”

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The transitive verb hinder means “to obstruct or delay the progress of (something).” Close synonyms are “hamper”, “impede”, “obstruct”, and “encumber”. These verbs mean to slow or prevent progress or movement. To hinder is to hold back or delay, as by barring the way forward.

The transitive verb deter is also a synonym with hinder, in the sense of “To prevent or discourage (an action or behavior).” 

February 17, 2023

“On Friday, Russia and South Africa, along with China, started a 11-day joint military exercise off the east coast of South Africa, including a Russian warship bearing the letters Z and V (Russia’s patriotic symbols for its war in Ukraine) and carrying what Russia boasts is a hypersonic missile. According to Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, Moscow and Pretoria enjoy excellent diplomatic relations. As South Africa is one of the most prominent voices of Africa and its most developed economy, Russia engages in deepening their relations.”

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The transitive verb bear, in this context, means “to have as a visible characteristic or attribute.”

The intransitive verb boast means “to talk or write about oneself or something related to oneself in a proud or self-admiring way.”