Framing The World, Numero LIX

HUMAN RIGHTS

Bogota, NGOs report the disappearance of at least 379 people since the beginning of the protests. The missing persons search units in Colombia, in cooperation with the operations of 26 non-governmental organizations, have reported that 471 people have disappeared since the beginning of the protests that have characterized the country in the last week. Among these, 92 have been found, for a total of 379 still missing. The numbers proposed by the institutions, on the other hand, are far lower. There is talk of a total of 89 missing, of which just under 50 were found. In Colombia, the demonstrations have not ceased to exist, not even following the government’s promise to revoke the tax reform that triggered the discontent. Several human rights organizations have denounced the brutality and abuse of power by the police since the beginning of the riots.

(Edoardo Cappelli)

Beijing, China condemns the allegations of human rights violations at the G7. Foreign Minister Wang Wenbin rejected to the sender the accusations that, during the last G7, were reserved to China regarding issues such as Tibet, Xinjiang, with concern for what is happening to the Uyghur population, and Hong Kong, regarding a possible manipulation of the local democratic system. Wang said it was a clear attempt to dismantle international relations rules in order to meddle in the internal affairs of the Asian superpower. Relations between China and the West have deteriorated in recent times, also following the intensification of Beijing's military presence in the South China Sea.

(Edoardo Cappelli)

Jerusalem, tensions in anti-eviction demonstrations, at least 53 Palestinians injured. Israeli police tried to contain Palestinian groups in protest against the forced removal of several Palestinian families from their homes in the eastern neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. The demonstrations began on the last Friday of Ramadan, when various faithful gathered at the Al-Aqsa mosque. The reason for the eviction initiative seems to be related to an old legal dispute regarding the belonging of that territory, with a Palestinian majority but with various places of relevance for Jews.

(Edoardo Cappelli)

Myanmar, satellite television banned. The ban on satellite television, after a measure of the Burmese Council of Administration, adds to the restrictions already in place in the country against the press and the Internet. The government, led by a military junta, recently justified this decision by stating that "illegal organizations and news agencies" - according to Human Rights Watch reports - were broadcasting programs that threatened national security. "The ban on satellite TV is a blatant attempt to deny access to independent news broadcasts and further isolate the people of Myanmar," said Linda Lakhdhir, Asia Liaison Advisor at Human Rights Watch, calling on the junta to withdraw the measure.

(Federico Brignacca)

Democratic Republic of Congo, martial law comes into force. In recent days, in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, martial law has been introduced, which - according to a government spokesman - would serve to end the insecurity that is afflicting the country. This measure allows military authorities to search people's homes at any time, ban meetings and publications and arrest any individual for disturbing public order. Concerns about respect for human rights and humanitarian law. In particular, in this regard, a spokesman for the army - reports Human Rights Watch - has reassured that all rights will be respected, but there is still concern about the drift that is coming in the country at the behest of the military junta.

(Federico Brignacca)

Thailand, request for investigation on the killing of an activist. The situation of activists in Thailand is in serious danger and in the first days of May Human Rights Watch appealed to the authorities of the country to investigate the death of Somsak Onchuenjit, lawyer and land rights activist. "Thai authorities should not stand by while grassroots activists in the southern provinces are murdered for defending their communities," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Worryingly, the figures note five land rights activists dead in the past decade. "The government is failing in its obligation to seriously investigate deadly attacks on human rights defenders," Adams added.

(Federico Brignacca)

Federico Brignacca and Edoardo Cappelli

ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

Markets, fluctuations but on the upside. The volatile phase that has been characterizing the markets since the beginning of April is continuing and the differentiation in the performance of the markets linked to the traditional economy (Dow and S&P) and those linked to technology such as the Nasdaq is gaining strength. The former are pushed towards new historical records (touched up for the umpteenth time last Friday) by the continued support offered by the Federal Reserve, by the excellent pace of vaccinations, and in general by all the news that confirms the positive trend of the recovery, while for the Nasdaq the stellar results of Big Tech are not enough to regain the previous highs and instead cling to the signals that suggest caution in declaring victory against the virus. April's monthly labor market report is the most recent example: the "mere" 266,000 jobs created against a forecast of 1 million and the additional support measures profiled by Biden turbocharged the tech sector and the Nasdaq.

USA v. Europe, the gap widens. The first quarter has made clear what economists have been predicting for some time: the United States and Europe are marching at different, almost opposite, rates in their post-pandemic recovery. US GDP grew by 6.4% in the first quarter, just below expectations, thanks in part to an 11% increase in private consumption (aided by accumulated savings) and a rapidly improving labor market, while the old continent disappointed expectations and surprisingly fell officially into recession: European GDP was down 0.6%, sunk by Germany's -1.7%. The difference is due not only to the different levels of government aid but also to the different rate of vaccinations, around 3 times higher in the USA, which has allowed a return to almost normal, at least from a business-related point of view.

Commodities, prices skyrocket. In addition to the well-known oil and copper, two fundamental materials whose price varies according to economic growth and have therefore seen substantial rises in recent months, other agricultural commodities have fared even better. This is the case, for example, of lumber, which has grown by 322% in 12 months and whose run, both for the demand for new houses in the U.S. and for a supply not meeting demand (also caused by tariffs on imports from Canada), shows no sign of stopping, or corn (+16% in April, + 44% since January), whose rise is not so much due to direct food consumption but to its use in animal feed, in the production of fuel additives and insulation materials for construction.

Big tech, an incredible quarter. The first quarter of 2021 brought record revenues and profits for the U.S. tech sector, and unlike other sectors, the comparison to 2020 is significant because, in general, the sector benefited from the restrictions imposed. Amazon and Alphabet are the stars of the quarter, with revenues up 44% and 34%, respectively, and profits up an impressive +215% and 166%, respectively. Apple's figures were also very good, dragged by +65% sales of iPhones (especially 5G models in China), although the results were overshadowed by the EU Commission, which assessed an infringement of competition regulations in the music streaming sector, with Apple allegedly abusing its dominant position, an appeal initiated by Spotify in 2019.

Chip, the crisis gets worse. Semiconductor shortages are straining the operations (and revenues) of the world's largest automakers. Stellantis produced 17% less than expected whereas Ford, while beating forecasts in the first quarter, now expects to have to cut 50% of second-quarter production due to a fire at a Japanese supplier's plants, an adverse event that has only worsened already very poor supply levels. Bad news also comes from Honda and BMW, with their respective plants in Japan and Germany and England to be shut down temporarily, as well as from Apple, which will forfeit $3/4 billion from lost Mac and iPad production.

CEOs, stunning salaries. The median compensation of the chief executives of the 300 largest public companies in the U.S. has reached $13.7 million ($12.8 in 2020) and is equal on average to 320 the salary of one of their employees, a ratio that has been growing strongly in the last 30 (in 1989 it was 61:1) and that has aroused various controversies, so much so that in some cases shareholders have expressed a negative, though not binding, opinion. In the ranking we find Richison, CEO of Paycom, who cashes in $211 million, Rubin, of 1Life Healthcare, with $199 million, and Legere, ex-CEO of T-Mobile, at "only" $137 million. Topping the list, however, and not by a small margin, is Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, who thanks to the IPO received stock options and stock awards for a total of $1.1 billion.

Leonardo Aldeghi

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Uganda, human sacrifice is now a crime. The law criminalizing human sacrifices in the country was approved by the parliament on May 5. Being a very widespread and rooted practice in society, this law called Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifices Bill 2020 affects every aspect of it. Those who commit human sacrifices or finance them, those who own human parts, those who use them in medicine and those who sell them, as well as those who spread the belief in human sacrifice for gain or for ritual purposes, can be sentenced with the death penalty. Now it is up to the President to approve the law definitively.

(Sara Squadrani)

Kenya, two camps hosting about 400,000 refugees will close. This is what the interior ministry announced on Thursday 29 April, and President Kenyatta later communicated it to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. These are the camps of Dadaab, near the border with Somalia, and Kakuma, near the border with Uganda, which currently host more than 400,000 refugees mainly of Somali and South Sudanese origin. The closure will take place on June 30 next year and will be supported by a roadmap that the Kenyan government will follow in the coming months. This roadmap includes the need to find new solutions for refugees, including voluntary return for those who are able to do it, departure to other countries or alternative solutions to camps to stay in Kenya.

(Sara Squadrani)

Democratic Republic of the Congo, a state of siege in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. Given the violence of the armed groups and the difficult situation, on 1 May the President Félix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege in these provinces, in accordance with Art. 85 of the Constitution. This provides that a state of emergency or siege can be called in the presence of serious circumstances that threaten the independence or integrity of the national territory or cause the regular functioning of the institutions to be interrupted. The measure became effective from 6 May with a duration of one month and the possibility of an extension. The military authorities are assuming the functions of government and control in the area. If the President's decision is to restore stability in the area, there are, however, concerns about abuses by the security forces that can lead to human rights violations, which could therefore hinder the achievement of the goal.

(Sara Squadrani)

Nigeria, the army guarantees its support to the President. Despite the recent release of a group of 29 Nigerian students kidnapped in the northeastern state of Kaduna in March, the situation in Nigeria remains very critical. Growing insecurity, characterized by a high number of kidnappings, attacks by armed groups and killings of civilians, has led to a call by parliament to President Buhari to declare a state of national emergency. These solicitations were followed by statements by a well-known parliamentarian according to who Nigeria is on the verge of collapse and the leadership should therefore pass the hand to the army, in order to guarantee greater security. However, the army responded to these statements claiming that they intend to remain politically neutral and will continue to fully support the government.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Sara Squadrani e Andrea Ghilardi

NORTH AMERICA

Honolulu, Congress prevents payment of debt owed to Hawaii. In the 1990s, Hawaii's two oldest lawmakers, US Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, worked hard to ensure that the United States compensated Native Hawaiians for their ancestral lands stolen from them over the years. However, an investigation by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser found that those same senators each voted multiple times to support legislation that frustrates efforts to repay the millions of dollars of land debt to Hawaiians. At least six other current and former members of the Hawaii Congressional delegation have supported such legislation one or more times. To date, the land in question has been used by the federal government to sell it to private entities or for industrial use, from which the natives have rarely benefited.

Washington, April employment figures disappoint expectations. Employment remains the most complex aspect when it comes to recovering from the effects of the pandemic. In the United States, only 266,000 people have found a job in the past month. The forecasts in this regard were much more optimistic. There was talk of an increase of nearly a million jobs, with those who were more inclined to hope that they were aiming for two million new hires. The unemployment rate even rose to 6.1%, after settling at 6% in March. The Department of Labor has emphasized the creation of jobs in catering, more generally in services, and in the public sector, as far as leisure is concerned.

Edoardo Cappelli

LATIN AMERICA

Bolivia, against the European Parliament’s resolution. The Bolivian government has declared itself against a resolution issued by the European Parliament. This resolution calls for the release of Jeanine Áñez, president of the Bolivian state in 2019, who has been in prison since March 2021 on charges of terrorism and conspiracy directed against her by the MAS, and some of her associates. The government also accused the EU of meddling in Bolivia's internal affairs. The EU, which considers Áñez a political prisoner, has also accused Bolivia's judiciary of not being impartial. For this reason, the European Union has asked Bolivia to carry out structural reforms in the judicial system.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Brazil, a controversial police operation. Rio de Janeiro, Jacarezinho neighbourhood: at least 25 people were killed in the most controversial and deadly police operation of the last five years, carried out after a report of children being recruited by a gang of drug traffickers. According to media reports, the gang is involved not only in drug trafficking, but also in robbery, murder and kidnapping, while police intelligence indicates that the gang is adept at ensuring territorial control through the use of weapons. The police raid provoked dissent and protests from local residents of the Jacarezinho favela, who denounced an excessive and unnecessary use of force, testifying to the officers' intrusion into their homes without showing search warrants and killing suspects who wanted to surrender. The police claimed they acted in self-defence. The UN Human Rights Office intervened demanding an independent investigation.

(Elisa Maggiore)

Chile, Piñera under indictment. Several Chilean and international social organisations such as the Comisión Chilena de Derechos Humanos, the Asociación Americana de Juristas and the Centre for Research and Elaboration for Democracy, have appealed to the International Criminal Court (ICC) proposing the indictment of President Sebastián Piñera for crimes against humanity, in reference to the events that took place during the 2019 protests. The document presented to the ICC is based on facts already denounced in the past by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organisations. The violence with which the state responded to the 2019 protests represents, according to these organisations, a serious and systematic violation of human rights.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Ecuador, Modern Slavery. For almost six decades Furukawa Plantaciones, a leading Japanese producer of abaca fibre, has been operating in Ecuador. In the past few months, 23 of its former employees have sued the company for the inhuman working and living conditions they suffered on the company's farms: no access to drinking water, electricity or sanitation; no employment contracts or social security; overcrowding, child labour, mutilation and chronic diseases, especially respiratory. Historic was the decision on 19 April by a constitutional judge to order the company to pay compensation to 123 former employees: it was the first time a company had been convicted of slave labour in Ecuador. The same judgement also found the Ministry of Labour liable for blindness and lack of controls. Despite the value of the sentence, the company was not closed down, and apart from the fine of US$ 42,880 and a 90-day closure, suffered no other sanctions.

(Elisa Maggiore)

Peru, clashes between parties. The political clash between the two parties that obtained the largest percentage of votes in the April 2021 elections continues. These are the extreme left-wing Peru Libre, headed by Pedro Castillo, and the extreme right-wing Fuerza Popular led by Keiko Fujimori. Castillo seems to be in the lead, but the game is still open and the outcome of the ballot on 6 June is awaited. The two parties have not been able to agree on how to organise the four debates scheduled by the Jurado Nacional de Elecciones. The debates are supposed to take place before the ballot to better define the positions of the two parties on the most important issues such as the management of the pandemic, infrastructures and the economy.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Elisa Maggiore and Ginevra Ricca

ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

India, the tragic oxygen shortage in the hospitals. India continues to be affected by a very high number of cases of Covid-19, reaching in a single day a total of over 400 thousand infected people and almost 4000 deaths. The tragic lack of oxygen in hospitals is hindering the work of the doctors, who often fail to guarantee their patients the care to which they would be entitled. Last week, the Indian government, under the order of the Supreme Court, granted more oxygen to the health facilities of the capital New Delhi. The Supreme Court intervened after 12 patients died due to lack of oxygen, in a hospital, over a period of 80 minutes.

(Margherita Camurri)

Japan, the debate on the Olympics. In the past few days, an online petition for the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics has collected more than 200 thousand signatures. In fact, according to the polls, 70-80% of Japanese citizens are against the organization of the Games due to the growing number of cases of Covid-19 in the country. However, the government has announced its intention to continue with the organization of the event. In particular, last week, Tokyo decided to extend the state of emergency to several cities to stop the spread of the virus in view of the Olympics and concluded an agreement with Pfizer to vaccinate all the competitors of the Games.

(Margherita Camurri)

China, rising tensions in the South China Sea. For a couple of weeks now, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines has been at the center of growing tensions between Manila and Beijing. Following the Chinese government's ban on fishing in the Philippine’s EEZ, and the continued Chinese military presence aimed at enforcing the ban, Duterte's government accused China of sending ‘dangerous signals' towards Philippine fishing vessels. During a press conference, President Duterte stated that although China is ‘a good friend’, the Philippines' sovereignty in the EEZ ‘cannot be bargainable’. In late April, Duterte ordered a number of navy ships to patrol and conduct drills in the waters of Scarborough Shoal: a small atoll, de facto administered by China, off the Philippines' EEZ, whose fish-rich waters are an ideal fishing ground.

(Francesco Ancona)

Taiwan, drought threatens to exacerbate global shortage of microchips and conductors. In the digitized world of the 21st century, microchips and other conductive materials have become critical to the economic growth and development of countless industries. In this sector, Taiwan is considered the number one microchip and semiconductor producer in the world. A full year of worldwide lockdowns and a high increase in demand had a major negative impact on the production of these essential components for the majority of mechanical and electrical industries (vehicles, home appliances, cell phones, defense systems, etc.). To make matters worse, for several weeks now Taiwan has been experiencing one of the most severe droughts of the last 50 years. The severe water shortage in some southern areas could therefore put at risk a large part of the world’s production of microchips.

(Francesco Ancona)

Margrerita Camurri and Francesco Ancona

WESTERN EUROPE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

European Union, the EU Parliament approves the agreement with the United Kingdom. On April 28, the European Parliament approved with a large majority the partnership agreement concluded with London last December. The treaty endorsed by the Parliament was defined by the President of the European Commission Von der Leyen as a necessary pillar for a strong and close relationship with the United Kingdom, the President of the European Council Michel instead affirmed that it represents the beginning of a new era. British Premier Johnson also wanted to underline the importance of this agreement. The agreement aims to guarantee trade continuity between the EU and the United Kingdom almost unchanged. However, although the pact eliminates the need for customs tariffs, controls at the borders of the Union will still be necessary as for any third country. The agreement, together with fundamental issues such as the exchange of goods and services, also establishes common norms about environmental protection, state aids and workers' rights. It also regulates the rules on police and judicial cooperation and establishes a reference framework for the sharing of fishing, research and transports. Finally, the agreement also includes special provisions to avoid a physical border in Ireland.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Brexit, tension on fishing between the United Kingdom and France. The delicate question of fishing has recently returned to fuel tensions between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Last Thursday, in fact, the waters around the British island of Jersey, which is only 14 miles from the French coast, were the stage for unusual scenes. About sixty French fishing boats have in fact gathered near the port of St Helier to protest against the limitations, coming from the United Kingdom, to their fishing activities. Fishermen accuse the overseas country of serious delays in granting the necessary licenses to fish in British waters, and also protest against the new conditions, modified by the British authorities at the end of April, for fishing around the island of Jersey. Faced with this situation, London has sent two warships to the area, to prevent the French protest from blocking the British port. Consequently, Paris sent two patrol boats. After a few hours, the fishing boats ended their protest and the tension therefore subsided, thus leading to the return of the military ships.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Spain, the Right takes Madrid. The administrative elections for the Madrid Region crowned Isabel Diaz Ayuso. Her Popular Party has in fact doubled the votes obtained just two years ago, stopping at just four seats from the 69 needed to govern alone. However, she will probably be able to count on Vox's far right support. The harsh criticism of the Spanish central government's work on managing the pandemic was one of the winning weapons for achieving this goal. These elections could be the signal of a future turn to the right of the whole of Spain, from the headquarters of the Popular Party the words of the national leader Casado resound, who said "today freedom has won in Madrid, tomorrow it will win in all Spain". Following these electoral results, extremely disappointing for the left-wing Podemos Party, the candidate and former deputy premier, Pablo Iglesias, has announced his farewell to active politics. Finally, should also be highlighted the heavy collapse of the liberals of Ciudadanos, which goes from 19% to less than 4%.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

United Kingdom, the G7 summit. The British capital hosted the G7 foreign ministers' summit. The topics discussed are numerous and cover the main problems of the international political system. Great attention was paid to Russia, due to the recent troop build-up on the border with Ukraine. The ministers also discussed China and how Beijing must commit to respecting human rights and following the rules of the international system. An important part of the meeting was devoted to democracy, which is under attack from many quarters thanks to disinformation that undermines trust in democratic institutions. Finally, the climate was also discussed, in order to prepare for COP26 in Glasgow and increase the resources to be allocated to the fight against climate change.

(Leonardo Cherici)

European Union, more diplomats expelled from Russia. The diplomatic crisis between Moscow and the West continues. After the expulsions following the Naval'nyj affair, Russia has decided to expel other European diplomats from Latvia, Slovakia, Lithuania and Estonia. To make matters even worse, sanctions have been imposed on a number of EU officials, including the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, and Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova, who has been denied entry to the country. The entire Western political world expressed solidarity with the officials affected by the sanctions. Relations between Russia and the West continue to deteriorate and the Navalny case is just one of the issues that remain to be resolved.

(Leonardo Cherici)

United Kingdom, Scotland and Wales on election day. These were important days, especially for relations between London and Edinburgh. With a record turnout of 63%, Premier Sturgeon's Scottish National Party won the election, narrowly missing the target of an absolute majority. The SNP won 64 seats and will need the support of the Greens to be able to form a new government and probably call for a referendum for independence, on the strength of the popular consensus obtained. In Wales, on the other hand, Labour was reconfirmed, gaining almost half of the seats in the local parliament. The electoral round, however, was not entirely negative for Boris Johnson. The Conservatives won the by-elections and some traditionally Labour constituencies in England. He has certainly rewarded his handling of the pandemic and the vaccination campaign.

(Leonardo Cherici)

Leonardo Cherici and Andrea Ghilardi

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

Croatia, the Constitutional Court confirms the violation of the Human Rights of refugees. In November 2017, an Afghan family with six children was found to have crossed the Serbo-Croatian border illegally. Met the police, they asked for asylum, a right that was not granted to them, despite European regulations. They were taken to the railway to come back to Serbia. Madina Hussiny (6 years old) was hit and killed by the train that night. During these days, the Constitutional Court made a judgement in favour of the family, approving the three pleas. The police officers ordered the family to get on the train, regardless of the tragedy that just happened. The judgement states that ‘Refugees and asylum seekers should not be sent back to Serbia without having examined their legal status. [...] To this family who, after all the horrors and wars, lost their daughter during the journey undertaken to ask for protection, has never been given the opportunity to ask for international protection in our country.’

Czech Republic, tensions in the heart of Eastern Europe. The Czech Republic has been expelling Russian diplomats for days on prosecution of espionage. Tension between the two countries has reached the climax of the Cold War . The cause? Moscow allegedly organised a deadly sabotage against the small state. Russia denies the allegations and rebuts that the Czechs have US support. Tensions have arisen at the annual commemoration in which Soviet troops died to liberate Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation (1945), an event that always causes conflict between those who are pro Russia and who is not. The government publicly accuses the Russian military services (GRU) of being the organisers and responsible for a landfill attack in which two Czech employees lost their lives (2014). Many argue that the country is ‘a nest of spies working under diplomatic coverage’. Police search for two Russian officers, Alexander Mishkin and Anatoly Chepiga accused of poisoning in Salisbury in 2018.

Russia, Kremlin declares Navalny Foundation (FBK) ‘illegal’. The Anticorruption Foundation (FBK) of Alexei Navalnyj, created in 2011, has been declared ‘illegal’ by the Russian court. On April 29, its members announced, in a public notice, the decision to dissolve it to protect members who will be able to promote the ideals just in an exclusively personal way. Leonid Volkov on YouTube said ‘it was impossible to work in these conditions’. The court was in session closed-doors, given that the authorities believe the case contains ‘confidential information’. The verdict is clear: the FBK is accused of ‘extremism’, of ‘causing and encouraging riots across the country’ and of ‘having acted to alter "the foundations of the constitutional order". If members were sentenced they would suffer heavy legal repercussions; including a detention of variable duration depending on their role and the authorities will have the power to freeze their bank accounts.

Giulia Patrizi

MIDDLE-EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

Syria at crossroads: who will be the President? The Syrian Constitutional Court has selected two candidates who will compete alongside Bashar al-Assad for the presidential elections on May 26th. Jihad al-Laham, the President of the Court, approved the candidacy of only two men (in addition to the President already in office) out of 51. These are Abdallah Salloum Abdallah, former minister between 2016 and 2020, and Mahmoud Marei, leader of the opposition tolerated by the regime. The other 48, on the other hand, were not accepted because they did not meet the legal requirements of the Syrian Constitution.

Damascus also suggested Russia, Iran, China, Venezuela and Cuba to monitor the electoral process. Despite this, Western States continue to criticize and show themselves sceptical of the legitimacy and democracy of these elections.

(Sara Oldani)

Lebanon, maritime dispute with the neighbour Israel. Lebanon and Israel resume negotiations on maritime borders and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the eastern Mediterranean. They will be mediated by the US, whose ambassador John Desrocher has landed in Beirut recently, declaring that the reopening of dialogue between the two states is a positive sign and the beginning of a long path of reconciliation. The two contenders, however, are in completely opposite positions and are both eager to see the modification of the maritime border demarcation, in order to exploit to their advantage the natural gas fields that are located within Block 9 and partly in Block 4.

Israel, Bibi's failure and tensions at Al-Aqsa: after almost 12 years of unchallenged rule, the king maker of Israeli politics, Benjamin Netanyahu, failed in his attempt to form a new coalition government. Despite the 28-day mandate available, Bibi failed to win the support of 61 members of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. President Rvilin therefore gave the mandate to the opposition leader Yair Lapid, who will have to unite an extremely heterogeneous group of parties. In the meantime, the country's security forces have to deal with various tensions between the extreme fringes of Jewish supremacism and the Palestinians. The situation became so heated that clashes broke out between the police and the faithful who were praying inside the mosque for the end of Ramadan.

(Michele Magistretti)

Libya, amidst tensions and incidents: the foreign minister of the Libyan government, Najla al-Mangoush, has long been in the spotlight for her courageous stances. In order to ensure a complete and peaceful transition, she has repeatedly stressed the need for foreign mercenary troops to leave Libyan soil. These statements created a lot of discontent both within the composite political landscape of Tripolitania and with the main sponsor of the former Tripolitan government, President Erdogan's Turkey. Moreover, in recent weeks there have been several incidents between Italian fishing vessels and the country's maritime security forces. The latest incident involved the wounding of an Italian fisherman by the Misurata Coast Guard.

(Michele Magistretti)

Turkey, between hostility and neighborhood competition. For some time now, Ankara's tone towards its regional competitors seems to have embarked on a new direction. In fact, as evidenced by several signs of cautious openness towards actors such as Egypt and the Gulf, Turkey seems to have understood the long-term dangers of its unilateral and aggressive strategy of recent years. Hence, the need for a change of course in relations with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf in general, with the hope of a double advantage deriving from its "marriage" with Qatar. What is more impressive, however, is the rapprochement with Egypt which, having become an enemy on all fronts in the post-Arab Spring period, remains a strong impediment to Turkish aims in the Mediterranean. Therefore, although not being a total rehabilitation, the recent bilateral summit shows how both sides need more pragmatism to support their objectives: Libya, energy resources, as well as the desire for their own leading role with respect to the US administration. Unresolved issue remains the Muslim Brotherhood and the network of alliances.

(Samuele Abrami)

Iran, who’s the "Great Satan"? If usually the sworn enemies of the Islamic Republic have been the USA and Israel, some contemporary conjunctures seem at least to have inverted the order of degree of this mutual perception. On the one hand, the Supreme Guide Khamenei has declared that Israel "is not a state but a terrorist base", thus confirming how suspicions, disagreements and threats with Tel Aviv seem to be rather escalating. On the other hand, an exception that confirms the rule, come unusual signals tied to a double thread. The Saudi rival has shown itself willing to reduce direct (and strategically limiting for both) tensions on single fronts. While the viability of such intentions remains to be understood, undoubtedly Riyadh's move serves to prepare the ground for the "new" US strategy." In fact, in view of the continuation of the Vienna talks on the nuclear issue, Biden is likely to persuade Teheran with humanitarian aid before the elections in Iran change the governmental structure towards a greater extremism and, therefore, a failure of any compromise.

(Samuele Abrami)

Samuele Abrami, Michele Magistretti and Sara Oldani

TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Maldives, attack on former President. On 6 May, Mohamed Nasheed was injured in an explosion in the capital Malé. The device, planted on a motorbike, exploded as the man was getting into his car. Nasheed, one of the founders of the Democratic Party of the Maldives, was the first democratically elected president in 2008. He was forced to resign in 2012 due to a military coup and has lived in exile in Britain since 2016. He returned to the Island in 2019 after his party's presidential victory and became Speaker of Parliament - the country's second most important post. Although Nasheed has always been a staunch critic of Islamic extremism, the motives for the attack are still unknown and no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

(Vincenzo Battaglia)

Afghanistan, journalist killed in Kandahar. Once again, a journalist has fallen victim to an attack in Afghanistan. He was Neman Rawan, communication specialist in the press office of the Ministry of Finance and former host of a political talk show for Tolo News - the country's most important private broadcaster. Neman was assassinated on 6 May in Kandahar (south-east of the country) by a group of armed men. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, accusations have been levelled at the Taliban, who have been responsible for attacks on journalists in the past months. Furthermore, the day before the ambush, the Taliban themselves had accused the Afghan media of lack of impartiality.

(Vincenzo Battaglia)

Afghanistan, attack against a school. On May 8, about 40 people died in the attack perpetrated against a school in Kabul. Among the victims there were mainly female students attending the school. The Taliban immediately denied responsibility for the attack, which they strongly condemned. The explosions took place in a district of the Afghan capital with a Shiite majority, which is often the target of attacks by the Islamic State. The same neighborhood has already suffered several attacks by the local branch of Isis.

(Vincenzo Battaglia)

Germany, dismantled the NGO ‘Ansaar International’: it is accused of financing terrorist activities. The decision, announced by the spokesman of the Federal Minister of the Interior, Steve Alter, came after a maxi anti-terrorism operation conducted at national level. According to German authorities, the humanitarian association - founded in 2012 by German rapper Joel Kayser - would have funded the activities of several terrorist groups, including Hamas and Al-Shabaab, through private donations. Another accusation made against the NGO by the German government is that of ideological indoctrination of minors. In fact, according to the investigators, the proselytizing activities were conducted in various facilities hosting minors and were aimed at making internalize the Salafi-extremist content.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

France, maxi anti-terrorism operation on the Rome-Paris axis: 7 former R.B. militants arrested. The maxi operation, called "Ombre Rosse", was carried out by the Antiterrorism Department of the French National Police (Sdat) in collaboration with the International Cooperation Service of the Criminalpol and the Antiterrorism Department of the Italian Police. The turning point of the issue, which for decades had seen Paris beating around the bush in the face of Italian extradition requests, was the meeting between the Minister of Justice Cartabia and her French counterpart Eric Dupond-Moretti on April 8th. During the virtual meeting, Minister Cartabia urged the French government to cooperate more closely with the Italian authorities in order to close one of the darkest chapters in republican history. Among the arrested there is also Giorgio Pietrostefani, founder of the extra-parliamentary formation Lotta Continua, sentenced to 22 years as the instigator of the murder of Commissioner Luigi Calabresi. On the possible extradition of the former Brigade members, the Elysée Palace does not give an opinion, leaving all decisions to the judicial authorities.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

France, new anti-terrorism law causes debate. The proposal, presented on 28 April by Interior Minister Darmanin, aims at making permanent some measures provisionally introduced in recent years. Among these, the most controversial is a data processing technique to monitor possible interactions with online extremist propaganda content. Darmanin has responded to criticism from associations that fear the new law would give the state excessive tools to control citizens' privacy, saying that similar algorithms are already being used by private companies for other purposes. Other measures, which are also object of doubts and controversies, concern the administrative closure of places of worship, home visits for suspects involved in investigations on "serious threats" files (no longer limited to "particular gravity" cases), administrative surveillance for those who have served a sentence of at least five years for terrorism and searches at the entrances to major events.

(Laura Morreale)

Niger, Islamic State attacks government soldiers near the border with Mali. Two recent incidents, on 1 and 4 May, were claimed through IS West Africa media channels. Along with the claim, images of weaponry allegedly seized by the militia were published. IS claimed to have acted in response to a previous attack by the government army against the local population. As analyst Wassim Nasr notes, this is the first time that the terrorist group claims to be acting in defence of civilians, who on several occasions have instead been the victims of the jihadists. This could indicate a greater willingness on the part of the organisation to entrench with local dynamics, taking advantage of the widespread discontent towards the State and its abuses among the population.

(Laura Morreale)

Davide Shahhosseini, Laura Morreale and Vincenzo Battaglia

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

UN DESA, Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation. Held on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 May, it was the sixth annual event that saw the presence of various stakeholders in the field of science, technology and innovation. The forum was organized by the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT) and organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD). The aim was to discuss the role of international cooperation in science, technology and innovation in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The issue takes on a particular role in the context of the post-Covid-19 recovery pandemic.

(Sara Squadrani)

ECOSOC, a Forum to promote partnerships. The Partnership Forum of the United Nations Economic and Social Council was held on 3 May and, as every year, aims to discuss the role of partnerships in the path to sustainable development - in line with the sustainable development goal number 17 "Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development". On this occasion, space was given to good practices that have so far contributed to getting closer to the achievement of the SDGs, as well as to the debate between Member States, non-state actors and United Nations agencies to discuss possible ways forward in the near future.

(Sara Squadrani)

NATO, the multinational exercise "Steadfast Defender 2021" kicks off. The NATO exercise "Steadfast Defender 2021", in which Italy will also be involved, was announced on the 6th of May. The news was confirmed in a virtual press release by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the "Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe" (SHAPE), Lieutenant General Brice Houdet. "Steadfast Defender 2021" has been defined as one of the most important exercises for the alliance, with inter-operational involvement from 20 countries, and a total deployment of more than 9000 troops and 18 warships. The main purpose of the exercise is to "demonstrate that NATO possesses the capabilities and resolve to protect all allies against any threat," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. This will be achieved through a series of exercises designed to ensure a rapid response in the face of an attack scenario against an ally, as explained by Gen. Tod D. Wolters, Supreme Commander of the European Theater.

(Francesco Ancona)

WHO, the 11 global experts to the new "Council on the Economics of Health for All" have been appointed. The 11 global experts at the new "Council on the Economics of Health for All," established in November 2020 in response to the health and economic challenges imposed by the COVID-19 emergency, gathered for the first time on May 6. The new body is composed of 11 experts from around the world in fields such as economics, medicine, policy and finance, all gathered with the ambitious goal of devising new strategies and tools for economic and health revitalization aimed at building a healthier, more equitable and sustainable global society. The main task of the Council of experts will be to provide advice and counsel to the WHO Director-General and Member States on the tools and approaches to use to address economic and health challenges at the systemic level.

(Francesco Ancona)

UN, the meeting between the President of the General Assembly and the Security Council. The briefing on 7 May focused on the importance of multilateralism in pursuing international peace and security. The Security Council, according to GA President Bozkir, is the main responsible for the success or failure of this goal. According to Bozkir, the impasse in the Council has on many occasions highlighted the need to reform the body in favour of greater representativeness, to prevent national rivalries among the permanent members from prevailing over collective interests. However, the intervention of the US Secretary of State and the Russian Foreign Minister seem to confirm traditional positions held by the two countries: Blinken reiterated that the US will continue to act in front of violations of international rules promoted by the UN; Lavrov, on the other hand, stressed the importance of non-interference in internal affairs to maintain a multipolar order.

(Laura Morreale)

COVID-19 emergency in India, an appeal from UNICEF. In response to the deteriorating health situation in the country, UNICEF together with WHO and local partners is working to increase the availability of oxygen and health equipment needed to fight the pandemic. In addition to medical priorities, UNICEF addresses the needs of children in distance learning: the risk of dropping out of school at this time is high. Moreover, many children are not receiving basic vaccinations and treatment for common diseases, as the national medical effort is focused on COVID-19 and citizens are asked to stay at home. Inviting to make a donation, UNICEF estimates that about $21 million will be needed to implement an effective pandemic containment strategy.

(Laura Morreale)

Laura Morreale, Sara Squadrani and Francesco Ancona

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

Andrea Ghilardi: Western Europe and the European Union

Arianna Giannino: Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Davide Shahhosseini: Terrorism and International Security, Latin America

Edoardo Cappelli: Human Rights, North America

Elisa Maggiore: Latin America

Federica Sulpizio: Middle-East and North Africa

Federico Brignacca: Human Rights

Francesco Ancona: Asia and the Far East, International Organizations

Ginevra Ricca: Latin America

Giulia Patrizi: Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Laura Morreale: Terrorism and International Security, International Organizations

Leonardo Aldeghi: Economics and International Finance

Leonardo Cherici: Western Europe and the European Union

Lorenzo Bonaguro: North America, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Margherita Camurri: Asia and the Far East

Michele Magistretti: Middle-East and North Africa

Samuele Abrami: Middle-East and North Africa

Sara Oldani: Middle-East and North-Africa

Sara Squadrani: Sub-Saharan Africa, International Organizations

Vincenzo Battaglia: Terrorism and International Security