Framing The World, Numero LIII

HUMAN RIGHTS

USA, three new immigration decrees towards a greater protection of migrants' rights. The first of the executive orders signed by President Joe Biden on February 3 aims to reunite the families who had been separated by the Trump administration on the border with Mexico, the second is aimed at implementing “safe, legal and orderly” management of the migratory phenomenon in Central America, the third concerns the promotion of integration and inclusion for immigrants. The latter also includes the creation of a task force able to facilitate the naturalization of foreigners on the territory, and this activity is linked to the "US Citizenship Act of 2021" approved on the first day of the presidency. Finally, on February 11, the president blocked the funding dedicated to the construction of the wall at the border with Mexico.

(Sara Squadrani)

Patrick Zaki, detention continues and Italy launches a petition. Patrick Zaki has been in prison in Cairo since 7 February 2020, and on 2 February 2021 the pre-trial detention for the student was again extended by 45 days. In Italy, public initiatives and campaigns in defense of Patrick's rights have multiplied, with the aim of obtaining his release and putting pressure on the Egyptian authorities: from the solidarity initiatives of Italian Universities, to the NGO Amnesty International which has launched a campaign to ask for Patrick's freedom, to the petition promoted by the “Station to Station” community on the change.org platform. The petition asks for the intervention of the institutions to grant "Italian citizenship for special merits to Patrick, in reference to the 2nd paragraph of article 9 of the law on granting Italian citizenship".

(Sara Squadrani)

Russia, arbitrary arrests and violence follow the conviction of Alexei Navalny. Putin's activist and opponent had returned to his homeland on January 17 - already victim of poisoning - when he was immediately arrested, sparking a wave of protests across the country. Police used violence against demonstrators, and it all escalated following the conviction received by Navalny on February 3: a sentence of three and a half years in prison on charges of violating probation, despite Navalny and various supporters believing the conviction stems from political motives. In Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities, the protests have led to thousands of arbitrary arrests, to unblock those asking for Navalny's release and indirectly claiming freedom of opinion and expression.

(Sara Squadrani)

Switzerland, federal criminal court called to judge war crimes in Liberia. The trial of Alieu Kosiah, former commander of the armed group of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia, began on December 3, 2020. This is the first time a citizen of Liberia is being tried for alleged war crimes from the country's first civil war from 1989 to 1996. A second phase of this trial will begin on Feb. 15, giving seven victims and nine witnesses a chance to be heard in court. In Switzerland, it is possible to try him because laws recognize universal jurisdiction thus allowing the prosecution and investigation of certain crimes regardless of the nationality of the suspect or where they were committed. "Kosiah's trial represents an opportunity for the victims of Liberia's first civil war to finally see justice after so many years of suffering," comments Balkees Jarrah of Human Rights Watch.

(Federico Brignacca)

Sahel, abuses during counter-terrorism operations are investigated. In Chad - reports Human Rights Watch - heads of state have gathered to commit to protect the rights of civilians and detainees and investigate alleged abuses in the Sahel, committed during counter-terrorism operations. Since 2019, the United Nations and other Organizations have brought to public attention a high number of unlawful killings in several states in the area such as Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, linked to counterterrorism operations. "The unlawful killings of soldiers and armed Islamists are fueling recruitment into abusive armed groups and exacerbating the security crisis in the region," said Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch. Corinne also noted that changing the current state of affairs requires the leaders of the Sahel G5 (Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad) along with partners to work to ensure discipline in counter-terrorism operations.

(Federico Brignacca)

Federico Brignacca and Sara Squadrani

ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

Wall Street, new record highs. For the ninth time since the beginning of the year, the U.S. stock exchanges reached new all-time highs, driven by the strong numbers from the technology sector, the accelerating pace of vaccinations (over 2 million per day) but also by the rise in oil prices which made the energy sector soar. In addition, the new Treasury Secretary Yellen has reported that unemployment will fall from 6.6 to 5% by the end of the year but that the stimuli proposed by Biden would bring it to 4%, accelerating by one year the achievement of this target. The passage of these measures is highly uncertain, however, given Republican opposition to handing out new funds when those already appropriated have not yet been fully tapped. The GOP counteroffer currently stands at $618 billion, but Biden seems willing only to cut the minimum wage to $15/hour and not back down from the full $1.900 billion in his plan.

Oil, the rally continues. Oil prices are back above $60/barrel for the first time in a year thanks to a rise of 55% over the past three months. The growth is due to a number of factors, most notably the production cuts kept in place by the OPEC and the continued improvement in the outlook for the world's major economies, with Chinese demand for crude oil at its highest level in six months and American demand continuing to recover. Also contributing to the rise were the exceptionally cold weather that hit North America and part of central and eastern Asia, which increased demand for heating fuel, and a certain weakness of the dollar, although in recent weeks this latter trend seems to have come to a halt.

Automotive, too much success? The automotive sector is experiencing a much faster recovery than even the most optimistic forecasts and several major brands (Audi, Ford, GM) are unable to keep up with the surprisingly high level of demand for new vehicles due to the lack of chips. It may sound strange, but a car contains from 50 to 150 chips and the combination of a fast return to pre-covid production rates combined with the strong demand for chips for the production of computers and digital devices has led, in several cases, to the exhaustion of chip stocks, already thinned by the just-in-time production model. Increasing chip production is not easy and for at least a couple of months demand will continue to outstrip supply. As a result, an estimated one million fewer cars will be produced in the first half of the year, an amount that will be made up for, hopefully, in the second half.

Tech, a stellar Q4. The great winner of the pandemic period, the technology sector, has not stopped running, with the main companies recording their best results ever in Q4 2020: Google, boosted by the strong growth of advertising, scores a +23% in revenues for the quarter ($56.9 billion); Apple destroys analysts' forecasts with $111. 4 billion in revenues and shows very positive data in the services sector (+24%); Amazon surpasses for the first time the threshold of $100 billion per quarter, with revenues of $125.6 billion (+44% on 2019), an uptick given not only by the inability of many consumers to buy in physical stores, but also due to the growth of Amazon Web Services (+28%), and surprisingly announces the farewell of Jeff Bezos (he will remain as executive chairman). On the other side of the Pacific, Sony's gaming division revenues are up 40% thanks to the success of the PS5, which has sold twice as much as its big rival XBOX Series X.

Amazon, Bezos quits. After more than 25 years, Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon will leave the post of CEO to Andy Jassy, who has been with the company since 1997 and until now headed the AWS division. Bezos, who will remain executive chairman, announced that it is his intention to devote his energies to the other businesses and initiatives he oversees such as the Washington Post, aerospace company Blue Origin and the Bezos Earth Fund. Bezos, who left a career on Wall Street to found Amazon, led the company in its evolution from a simple online book retailer to a $1.7 trillion capitalization behemoth in two decades, a period during which $10,000 invested in the IPO of the company became more than $17.4 million.

Europe, between Draghi and cheap shots. Former ECB President Mario Draghi lifted his reservation and was sworn in by the President of the Republic, thus initiating the 67th italian cabinet since 1946. The government has a majority of ministers chosen among politicians, but key ministries for the management of the Next Generation EU such as Economy, Justice and Technological and Digital Innovation are in the hands of trusted technicians. Optimism reigned on the markets for at least a week, to the extent that the Milan stock exchange gained more than 9% in a few sessions, thus recovering part of the ground lost compared to the other European stock exchanges. Changing the subject, the Amsterdam stock exchange overtook the London one in terms of value of shares traded (€9.2 against €8.6 billion) as a result of the trading ban imposed by Brussels as a consequence of Brexit and the refusal to acknowledge the equivalence of the British supervisory regime.

Leonardo Aldeghi

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Central African Republic, the conflict continues. Last February 6th marked the second anniversary of a peace agreement that saw the convergence of the current government and the armed groups present in the country. The conflict that began in 2012 did not end there and instead of renewing peace, in the days of the anniversary there was the continuation of hostilities - still ongoing - with the pro-government forces that have removed the control of the city of Bouar from the 6 rebel armed groups.

Justice for the crimes committed in South Sudan and Liberia. In early February, two years after the update of the Addis Ababa Peace Agreement, which was initially signed in 2015, South Sudan established a special tribunal to judge war crimes committed during the conflict and heavy human rights violations. On February 3th, a trial began in Finland against Gibril Massaquoi, a former rebel leader from Sierra Leone, accused of war crimes in Liberia between 1990 and 2003 - including the killing of civilians, rape and the recruitment of child soldiers.

Kenya, still struggling with locusts. FAO had already declared last year that what is affecting Kenya is the largest invasion of desert locusts in the last 70 years. A new wave is now sweeping the country, including Sudan and Somalia as well. The consequences on agriculture and pastoralism are devastating. Consequently, the problem of food security affects millions of people in the region and the urgency to eliminate the problem is very pressing. Everything must be done to prevent the reproduction of insects and the aggravation of infestation.

South Africa, vaccination and economic recovery plan. President Cyril Ramaphosa is struggling to implement his health and economic plans, in a country heavily affected by the virus, even in its local variant, and whose economy will appear to worsen by 7.2 percentage points this year. Ramaphosa therefore asks for support for his government activity. The vaccination plan will begin with the administration of the “Johnson and Johnson” vaccine to healthcare professionals, to get 67% of the population to be vaccinated by the year. In economics, however, the plan is to increase investment, fight corruption and increase the ability of energy companies to produce electricity and become independent producers.

Angola, some schools reopen after 11 months of closure. The opening especially concerns primary schools, although not all. There are many rules and measures that children and young people will have to respect and were first explained to parents, to build a relationship of trust with schools as well as to ensure that the environment is as safe as possible. Another novelty for the country's school system concerns the new calendar that comes into force this year, in line with the European one from September to July.

Sara Squadrani

NORTH AMERICA

USA, Trump's impeachment and the phone call between Biden and Xi Jinping. On February 8, the Senate impeachment proceedings against Trump began for the events of January 6. Not before there was recognition of its constitutionality with the favorable vote of Democrats and 6 Republican senators. This second impeachment, as well as the first, ended with Trump's acquittal. Nevertheless, it is important to signal the vote of 7 Republicans in favour of his conviction. Turning to the current US President, let us mention the conversation with Xi Jinping, in which Biden showed concern about the issues related to Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Xinjiang region. The President said afterwards, 'if America does not make a move on China, China will eat all our lunch'.

(Marta Annalisa Savino)

Canada, the Conservative Party and the western part of the country. The electoral base of the Canadian Conservative Party, led by Erin O'Toole since the summer of 2020, has always been Western Canada, but that is likely to change in the near future. Western Canada has always experienced waves of discontent with the federal government, accused of not doing enough to stimulate the region's economic development. Discontent has coagulated around the main city Alberta, where an independence movement has been born in recent years. O’Toole's party is accused of not protecting local interests, carrying out policies to attract voters to the eastern regions. However, moving your voting pool east, having to compete with other parties, more rooted in the territory, could be fatal in the next elections.

(Lorenzo Bonaguro)

Marta Annalisa Savino and Lorenzo Bonaguro

LATIN AMERICA

Brazil, Bolsonaro's priorities. Becoming a full member of the OECD is a priority for Jair Bolsonaro. At the moment, the country only retains guest status in the organisation, but is seeking membership to attract more investment. The OECD had decided to admit Brazil on the condition that it would speed up its compliance with environmental guidelines. However, after a complaint by Human Rights Watch about Jair Bolsonaro's environmental policy, the OECD has revised its decision. In addition, Bolsonaro's political priorities include opening up indigenous territories to mining. This activity destroys the environment and local communities, and encourages the spread of diseases, including Covid-19 and its variants, which are decimating indigenous populations.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Chile, BID projects. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has provided $125 million to Chilean energy company Engie to promote the transition to renewable energy sources. The funds will be used over the course of 12 years and will focus on the maintenance and expansion of an existing wind farm. In addition, in recent weeks the IDB has signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Social Development to promote the indigenous economy in the context of the crisis exacerbated by the pandemic. One of the objectives of the plan is to help indigenous businesses to lift themselves out of poverty in a sustainable and permanent way, including through local public procurement dedicated to them, especially in the Araucanía region.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Ecuador, elections on 7 February. Official results show Andrés Arauz, a left-wing economist, leading the electoral race, followed by indigenous party leader Yaku Pérez and right-wingers led by businessman Guillermo Lasso. Although Arauz shouted victory early on, he did not get a majority. For this reason, a runoff is planned for April. It seems that Arauz's challenger will be Pérez, who got 20.04% of the vote, as Lasso only got 19.97%. The centre of Lenin Moreno, currently president, is thus defeated. Despite the fact that the pandemic hit Ecuador hard, the turnout was higher than expected, a fact much appreciated by the OAS.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Mexico, Biden keeps his promise: stop funding border wall. The decision by the newly elected 46th president to block federal funding for the construction of the wall on the US-Mexico border marks a definitive turning point in immigration policy compared to the previous administration. The state of emergency that Trump had evoked in 2019, through which he had forced his hand with Congress to obtain the release of more funds, was officially declared "no longer necessary" by Biden, who reiterated that no more US dollars would be invested for the construction of the wall.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Nicaragua, the first effects of the Ley de Agentes Extranjeros. In the last few weeks, two organisations promoting press freedom have been dismantled in Nicaragua, despite the fact that they had submitted all the documentation required to operate in the country. This was established by Daniel Ortega's regime on the basis of the Ley de Agentes Extranjeros, approved at the end of last year. The two organisations involved are Pen Internacional and the Fundación Violeta Barrios de Chamorro. The leaders of these organisations have stated that they have no intention of accepting the regime's decision. However, to date, the bank accounts of both associations have already been cancelled.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Peru, the pandemic and the amendment of the Constitution. While the first vaccines produced by the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm are being distributed in Peru, the country is heading for another lockdown period due to the uncontrolled increase in the number of infections, the spread of the Brazilian variant and a collapsing health system. Meanwhile, at the political level, the Peruvian Congress approved the abolition of parliamentary immunity. For this bill to become law, it must either be submitted to a referendum or approved a second time by a subsequent ordinary parliamentary assembly. Should this amendment to the Constitution be approved, congressmen will be able to be tried and judged by the Supreme Court of Justice for common crimes without the prior consent of Congress.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Davide Shahhosseini and Ginevra Ricca

ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

China, audio-based app reportedly banned. ‘Clubhouse’, an audio-based app that allows users to create and join rooms to talk to other people around the world about various topics, has been banned in China since February 8. The ban came after Chinese-speaking users began discussing sensitive issues, such as China-Taiwan relations and the Chinese government's treatment of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. Several chat rooms have arisen on Clubhouse to discuss blocking the app. They were joined by hundreds of users, including some who said they were based in mainland China. Even before the app was blocked, potential security issues had emerged for users of that area, as accounts are tied to mobile numbers, which in China are registered with the real names of the owners.

(Andrea Angelo Coldani)

North Korea, the United Nations charges against the cyber theft. A recent United Nation confidential report suggested in a preliminary analysis that North Korea probably stole $316.4 million worth of ‘virtual resources from 2019 to November 2020’. The theft, carried out by cyber-attacks, aimed at financing the country’s nuclear and missile programs, bypassing the sanctions imposed by the Security Council and trying not to aggravate the North Korean economy. The statement could significantly damage the relations between North Korea and Western countries, in particular with the United States.

(Margherita Camurri)

South Korea, projects with the United States and vaccines for animals. The first telephone calls between the South Korean Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State stressed the need to cooperate for the total denuclearization of South Korea. Moreover, the two countries are taking steps towards a new agreement about the sharing of costs of US troops in South Korea. In particular, the agreement would increase the economic contributions from Seoul. Meanwhile, the country has started to do free tests for pets who, after being in contact with a positive, have symptoms similar to those of Covid-19.

(Margherita Camurri)

Japan, vaccine rollout minister Taro Kono outshines current PM Suga to become potential successor. Just as Yoshihide Suga is facing a crucial moment in his first ministry, he finds himself eclipsed by cabinet member Taro Kono, appointed in January to lead an upcoming vaccine launch. Polls show Kono is already voters’ favorite for Prime Minister, an ominous sign for Suga ahead of a party leadership vote in September. Suga has seen his support halved since taking office five months ago, as his emphasis on the economy jarred with voters more concerned about controlling the virus, while a series of scandals sullied his image. Kono’s public persona has found broader appeal with the younger generation, and he could be a rare Japanese prime minister who brings an international image to the office.

(Andrea Angelo Coldani)

India, Indian and Chinese troops to pull back from the disputed border. India and China are about to withdraw troops from part of the disputed Himalayan border, with what is seen as a step forward in resolving the dispute. India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the move was the result of ‘sustained talks’ between the nuclear-armed neighbours. He told the Indian parliament that since September, both sides had been communicating through military and diplomatic channels. He said that after nine rounds of meetings between senior military commanders, ‘we have been able to reach an agreement on disengagement in the north and south bank of the Pangong Lake’. His remarks came a day after a similar announcement from China. A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday that a ‘synchronised and organised disengagement’ from Pangong Tso lake had started.

(Andrea Angelo Coldani)

Taiwan, representative in the United States and US State Department official hold the first public meeting A meeting between Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and a senior US Department of State was held on February 10, and its public announcement could be indicative of the continuation of high-level contacts with Taiwan under the administration of US President Joe Biden. ‘The US is deepening ties with Taiwan, a leading democracy and important economic and security partner,’ the bureau wrote on Twitter. It was the first formal meeting between a Taiwanese and a US official, that was publicly announced under the Biden administration. Neither side disclosed specifics of what was discussed at Wednesday’s meeting.

(Andrea Angelo Coldani)

Margherita Camurri and Andrea Angelo Coldani

WESTERN EUROPE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

Italy, the Draghi government begins its journey. After weeks of government crisis, Mario Draghi has finally reached an agreement with the parliamentary forces to form a new executive that should succeed in bringing Italy out of the pandemic and the economic crisis. The key ministries for the management of the Next Generation EU have been assigned to technicians, with the intention of making the best use of European resources. However, there is also room for representatives of the political forces that support the government, causing some discontent among the members of the 5 Star Movement, who had to accept the entry into the government of some members of Forza Italia. In the coming week, Draghi will have to obtain the confidence’s vote of Parliament.

(Leonardo Cherici)

European capitals hit by anti-lockdown protests. Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands; these are just some of the European countries where the protests against the anti-Covid measures turned into episodes of violence. In Austria, which has been in lockdown since last December, about 180 demonstrators violated the ban on gathering and caused clashes with police. The same thing happened in Brussels, where about 300 people were arrested for infringing the bans to demonstrate or to assemble in public. In France there is concern about the spread of new variants and mutations of the virus, and the French government is considering the possibility of imposing a third lockdown. Furthermore, delays in the COVID‑19 vaccination campaign across the EU are an additional concern.

(Alessandra Fiorani)

European Union, Recovery Regulation approved. The European Parliament has approved by a very large majority the Recovery and Resilience Instrument, the main part of the Next Generation EU. 582 out of 691 MEPs voted in favour, including those of Matteo Salvini's Lega, in line with the new political line taken by the Lega's secretary, who decided to support an executive led by Mario Draghi. The Recovery Fund regulation was then approved by the Council of the European Union and officially came into force. In a joint conference, European Parliament President David Sassoli and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, currently holding the Council presidency, called on national parliaments to ratify the approval as soon as possible.

(Leonardo Cherici)

The United Kingdom will apply to join trans-Pacific free trade bloc. On Monday 1st February, the British Government announced that it had formally sent its request to initiate the procedures for joining the Global and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership represents the free trade agreement among 11 Indo-Pacific countries. As a result of the separation from the European Union, the United Kingdom is rethinking its role as Global Britain starting with a repositioning in the Pacific. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that this choice "is strategically important for the UK in the long and short-term [..]. It will turn the UK into a global hub for businesses and investors wanting to trade with the rest of the world."

(Alessandra Fiorani)

European Union, Borrell's visit to Russia. The High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the Spaniard Borrell, went on a diplomatic mission to Moscow after the tensions aroused by Navalny's arrest and the demonstrations that followed, often repressed by the forces of law and order. However, Borrell's attempt failed, as he did not find any kind of openness from Foreign Minister Lavrov on the issue of human rights and political freedoms. Some MEPs spoke of a real "humiliation" suffered by the European diplomat and called for his resignation. Reporting on his trip to the European Parliament, Borrell said he would address the issue at the next Council of Foreign Ministers and the European Council in March and consider sanctions.

(Leonardo Cherici)

Leonardo Cherici and Alessandra Fiorani

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

Elections in Kosovo. On Sunday 14 February, Kosovo faced early parliamentary elections for the sixth time since 2007, the year in which the first elections of the newborn Balkan republic were held. The cause of these elections was the declaration by the Constitutional Court to invalidate the government coalition led by Hoti’s Democratic League of Kosovo. The motivation was the fact that Hoti received the support vote of a parliamentarian who was subjected to judicial proceedings for criminal activities at the time. In view of the polls, the Central Election Commission has compiled a definitive list of those entitled to vote. More than once in the past people without proper documents have voted, casting more than a shadow over Kosovar democracy.

(Lorenzo Bonaguro)

Russia against EU: here it comes the storm from the Est. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western countries of exploiting the incarceration of the opponent Alexeij Navalnyj as part of their ‘‘policy of containment’’ of Russia during an interview carried out on Wednesday and broadcasted on public television Rossija 24 : ‘‘They are using this character right now, at a time when all the countries of the world, including ours, are experiencing exhaustion, frustration and dissatisfaction’’ because of the conditions they live in, the level of their income. According to the president, Russia’s ‘‘numerous successes’’, on the military level but also on the pandemic front with the anti-covid vaccine Sputnik V, ‘‘begin to irritate’’ Moscow’s opponents: ‘‘The stronger we become, the stronger this containment policy will be’’, he underlined. A clear provocation towards the European Union in one of the most delicate moments in world history.

(Arianna Giannino)

Blue dogs in Russia: pollution alert. They have been seen by several people walking around in the snow that falls abundantly in this period in Russia, in the town of Dzerzhinsk, in the province of Nizhni Novgorod. These are several stray dogs, a herd of seven animals, according to some, which has been seen wandering the streets of the city by attracting the attention of many people. If initially no one understood the reason for the strange color of the animals, the experts thought the dogs were colored with the company waste from a local chemical industry to give an explanation for this. Specifically, it could be copper sulphate which is a chemical compound based on copper, sulfur and oxygen whose color is just the bright blue. In Soviet times, the city was known for its chemical industries. Currently, despite the closure of some companies in the sector, Dzerzhinsk is considered one of the most polluted population centers on the planet.

(Arianna Giannino)

Arianna Giannino and Lorenzo Bonaguro

MIDDLE-EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

Turkey, lunatic period. It is news of these days Turkey’s goal to "make the first step towards the Moon” already in 2023, not by chance coinciding with the centenary of the Republic. Undoubtedly, the space project is not entirely new-fangled, since the country has been investing for some time in the idea of a national production in the field of technology and innovation, in parallel with an already well-established path of enfranchisement in the military field. However, many critics see this announcement as an element of distraction from the problems that continue to affect the country. First and foremost, although the vaccination campaign continues at a good pace, lockdown measures are still shaking the long-term prospects for economic care. In addition, domestic and foreign policy are once again overlapping, with criticism coming from the US and Europe regarding the Turkish government's methods of action: above all, the arrests following the continuous protests of university students and academics, which risk creating friction within the AKP-MHP coalition itself too.

(Samuele Abrami)

Iran, return to de-normalization?If before Biden’s official entry into the White House the Iranian camp seemed uncertain about the posture to adopt, now the most typical (rhetorical and real) dose of hostility seems to prevail. In a symbolic move, but one that could cost them in terms of health security, the most radicals close to Supreme Leader Khamenei insist on rejecting Western vaccines in favor of Russian Sputnik and domestic production. While it is true that the country can boast of good facilities in this regard, such rhetoric is also emblematic of Iran's movements on the international chessboard. Firstly, the great expectations for a reopening of the nuclear dossier now seem to be waning, with the EU accusing Iran of disproportionate production of uranium and with Washington reluctant to take the first step and ease sanctions without guarantees. A clear sign of the still strong discrepancies is the continuation of joint Iran-Russia-China military exercises: an affront to the Democracy Promotion of the "new-old" US enemies?

(Samuele Abrami)

Tunisia, democracy requires courageous choices. In a country where the political class has given priority to the logic of compromise and consensus for ten years now, what has been lacking at the end of the day has been the incisiveness necessary for government action to trigger real change. Economic disparities are a harsh reality against which Tunisians struggle every day, with the pandemic that has exacerbated the population's discontent. So, while the people return to demonstrate profusely in the streets, violating the curfew, the government is grappling with a serious constitutional crisis and with deep gaps in the health and hospital plan to be filled. Hospitals are the very symbol of regional differences with regard to available resources, although they are all equally in a situation of suffering due to the increase in admissions. While the Islamic party Ennahda invites its supporters to demonstrate for democracy on Thursday in the Tunisian streets, the government extends restrictive measures until March 7 and authorizes the use of the Russian vaccine, although no dose has been ordered. The vaccine plan in Tunisia has yet to take flight, as well as democracy.

(Federica Sulpizio)

Egypt, the reopening of the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip. This is the main land link with the outside world for residents of the Strip, reopened for the first time in years - except for what fleeting opening - for an as yet undetermined period of time. The decision comes after the talks held in Cairo between the Egyptian authorities and the Palestinian factions, which committed themselves to accepting and respecting the results of the parliamentary and presidential elections that should be held between May and July. Meanwhile, abroad - more precisely in Istanbul - a new political front of the Egyptian opposition to al-Sisi, "Union of Egyptian National Forces", comes to life with the aim of unifying the efforts of the various Egyptian political figures abroad against a regime that seems not to digest dissent within the national borders. In the meantime, the UN is concerned about the "improper" use of the anti-terrorism law, whose heaviest repercussions are also recorded against activists. Precisely for this reason, the organization has urged Egypt to remove the names of activists from the "black list" of terrorists; the decision will be taken on March 10. Finally, in a joint statement with Cyprus and Greece, Egypt called for the respect of maritime sovereignty, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean area.

(Federica Sulpizio)

Libya, habemus governum. After the failure of the first round of planned elections, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum has finally selected the figures who will preside over the transitional government and presidential council. The big losers running for some of the top positions are Aguila Saleh, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Tobruk, and Fathi Bashaga, former Interior Minister of the Tripolitan GNA. Passing the second round of voting through the list system were Mohammad Younes Menfi, a diplomat from Cyrenaica, who will serve as head of the presidential council and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, a Tripolitanian businessman designated as the new premier of the transitional unity government.

(Michele Magistretti)

Israel, the success of the vaccine race. The vaccination campaign in Israel is proceeding at a fast pace and gives hope to outside observers and the scientific community. The success of the campaign and of the vaccine itself is confirmed by the fact that about half a million people have received the second dose, of whom only 544 have contracted the virus, according to the report drawn up by the competent body. Of this half a thousand, only 15 had to be hospitalised and only four had serious symptoms, but none of them died. According to the Maccabi Health Centre, the Pfizer vaccine was therefore 93% effective, with only 0.1% of those who completed the procedure contracting the disease. Confirming these positive data is the drop in patients in serious condition and deaths among the over 60s.

(Michele Magistretti)

Federica Sulpizio, Samuele Abrami and Michele Magistretti

TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Afghanistan, six victims in the suicide attack at the Military Academy in Kabul. The attack took place just over a week after a series of attacks in the capital, one of which was directed against a shuttle of the Italian Embassy. According to the initial reconstructions, it was an explosion, probably triggered by a car bomb placed in front of the main entrance of the academy, which caused the death of six people (including the attacker) and the wounding of 12 others, including military and civilians. At the moment, there have been no claims, even though the modus operandi does not leave many doubts about the involvement of those extremist forces, which have been using the weapon of terror for a decade, with the ultimate objective of opposing the State-building process and restoring the status quo.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Somalia, jihadist attack in Mogadishu. At least three people were killed in a terrorist attack that took place on Saturday at a checkpoint near the Parliament in the crowded centre of the capital. According to sources close to the Somali authorities, the attack was carried out by militiamen of Al-Shabaab, the terrorist organisation that has been spreading terror in the region for more than a decade, exploiting the deep instability that has traditionally dominated the internal political scene. The attack coincides with one of the most crisis-ridy periods for Somali institutions as they, given the expiry of Farmaajo's mandate on 8 February, have not yet been able to agree on how the next presidential elections will take place.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Mali, stability is still far away. Government soldiers and international forces in the sights of rebels. On February 3, a military post of the Bamako army was attacked by armed individuals near Boni, a village in central Mali. The attack, which killed 10 soldiers, was claimed by JNIM, whose statement reiterated that France and the other international allies of the Malian government are still considered a target. The battleground remains mainly the Sahelian region, in line with the trend of focusing jihadist strategies on local contexts, highly visible in the Sahel. The army has announced to have conducted air raids in response to the attack with the support of French forces. The last attack against UN peacekeeping forces dates back to February 10, in which 27 soldiers of a contingent from Togo were wounded and one died because of the injuries reported.

(Laura Morreale)

Denmark, 13 arrests on suspicion of planning a terrorist plot. This was announced by the Danish Security and Intelligence Agency on February 12, stating that the first 7 arrests were conducted between February 6 and 8, during a police operation. The charges, from which the defendants reportedly pleaded not guilty, relate to possession of weapons and explosive materials. The other six arrests are allegedly related to the same investigation, as would an additional arrest in Germany. The accused, among whom there would be five or six women, belonged to militant Islamist circles. The risk of terrorism in the country has been described as “significant”, although in this specific case the explosive materials had not yet been assembled to carry out an attack.

(Laura Morreale)

Davide Shahhosseini and Laura Morreale

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

NATO, donation of ventilators in the Balkans. As early as last March, Montenegro had asked NATO for help regarding the supply of medical-health material, including respirators, tests and masks. On 1 February, the Organization intervened through the NATO Pandemic Response Stockpile coordinated by the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center (EADRCC) for the delivery of 20 sets of ventilators to Montenegro. On February 2, 60 sets were delivered to Macedonia. These assistance interventions were funded with contributions from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

(Sara Squadrani)

International Criminal Court, developments on several fronts. On February 5, the ICC pre-trial Chamber I claimed it had jurisdiction to investigate and judge on war crimes and atrocities that have been committed by the state of Israel in the Palestinian territories ‘‘occupied since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem’’ - not without Israeli disapproval. On the same day, the ICC also convicted Dominic Ongwen of war crimes and crimes against humanity, for his actions as commander of the Lord’s Army in Uganda, including forced pregnancy, rape, murder and recruitment of child soldiers - what he had also been from the age of 9/10 years. Moreover, on February 16, the trial will be held to try two anti-Balaka leaders convicted of serious crimes committed during the conflict in the Central African Republic started in 2012.

(Sara Squadrani)

WHO, news on the study of the Covid-19 origin. The hypothesis that the virus was produced or spread from a laboratory has been discredited by the World Health Organization, which is conducting research in the city of Wuhan in hospitals, laboratories and markets. The origin therefore seems to be “animal” although it is not yet clear which "host" initiated the transmission. The study still needs work, but in addition to this news, the period of the beginning of the circulation of the virus has been confirmed: December 2019. In fact, there is no evidence that it began before this date.

(Sara Squadrani)

WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to be appointed new Director General. After several delays, the special meeting of the General Council to officially approve the appointment will take place online on February 15. The position has been uncovered since last August 31, when Roberto Azevedo, Brazilian diplomat at the head of the organization since 2013, ended his second term one year earlier. Among the eight possible successors initially proposed, the choice had already been reduced to two by October: Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank economist and former finance minister of Nigeria, and Yoo Myung-hee, current South-Korean trade minister. Okonjo-Iweala’s candidature was supported by most member states, but not by the US. The change of administration overcame the impasse, along with Yoo Myung-hee's announcement to withdraw his candidacy.

(Laura Morreale)

IOM calls for an end to abuses against migrants at EU external borders. As pointed out by Eugenio Ambrosi, IOM Chief of Staff, EU member States cannot deviate from international law and obligations related to the protection of human rights: several testimonies have denounced the brutal methods used by border police forces across Europe; moreover, collective pushbacks expose migrants who try to reach the EU to violence and vulnerability, which violates the principle of non-refoulement. IOM supports the decision of some states to launch investigations into some of the incidents, as well as the European Commission’s proposal to establish an independent border monitoring mechanism.

(Laura Morreale)

ILO advocates for improved inclusivity in the post-Covid digital economy. A report by the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, presented at the Zero Project Conference on February 10, highlights how the digital transformation of the working field, which has been accelerated by the pandemic, could have positive effects on the employment of people with disabilities. The report identifies a number of actions needed to ensure that the digitization of many job sectors and the ability to work remotely truly lead to greater inclusion, including the expansion of digital education aimed specifically at people with disabilities, the implementation of job training and hiring policies targeting people with disabilities, and experimentation by the digital industry with accessible tools.

(Laura Morreale)

Laura Morreale and Sara Squadrani

Framing The World is a project conceived and created by the collaboration between members of the team of Mondo Internazionale associates.

Alessandra Fiorani: Western Europe and European Union

Andrea Angelo Coldani: Asia and the Far East

Arianna Giannino: Central and Eastern Europe and Russian Federation

Davide Shahhosseini: Terrorism and International Security, Latin America

Federica Sulpizio: Middle East and North Africa

Federico Brignacca: Human Rights

Ginevra Ricca: Latin America

Laura Morreale: Terrorism and International Security and International Organisations

Leonardo Aldeghi: Economy and International Finance

Leonardo Cherici: Western Europe and the European Union

Lorenzo Bonaguro: Central and Eastern Europe and Russian Federation, North America

Lydia Milly Certa: Asia and the Far East

Margherita Camurri: Asia and the Far East

Marta Annalisa Savino: North America

Michele Magistretti: Middle East and North Africa

Samuele Abrami: Middle East and North Africa

Sara Squadrani: Human Rights and International Organizations

Vincenzo Battaglia: Terrorism and International Security

Translated by: Alessandra Fiorani, Andrea Angelo Coldani, Arianna Giannino, Chiara Scuderi, Davide Shahhosseini, Federica Sulpizio, Federico Brignacca, Ginevra Ricca, Laura Morreale, Leonardo Aldeghi, Leonardo Chierici, Lorenzo Bonaguro, Lydia Milly Certa, Margherita Camurri, Marta Annalisa Savino, Martina Pignatelli, Michele Magistretti, Sara Squadrani, Samuele Abrami, Valeria Scuderi, Vincenzo Battaglia.