Framing The World, Numero LIV

HUMAN RIGHTS

Myanmar, a young anti-coup demonstrator dies. On February 19, a girl died, two days after her 20th birthday, from a bullet that hit her a week earlier during the opposition protests against the coup in Myanmar. This is the first victim among the protestors who claim the legitimacy of the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Victim of violent police repression that the circumstances - according to those present - did not require. This episode is a symbol of a campaign of national civil disobedience that is growing in Myanmar, and which aims at the return of democracy as soon as possible.

(Sara Squadrani)

Australia, confrontation with Facebook and blocking of information pages. Since February 18, Facebook has blocked the access to the pages of national and international news sites, including the Human Rights Watch page and official news from the authorities - such as health news. This was the reaction to the bill discussed in Parliament on the introduction of the obligation for the social network to pay for the contents distributed by editors. The Australian government, determined to bring the measure into effect, condemned Facebook's response and started negotiations to redefine the measure. The latter was approved on February 25 as an amendment to the media law, providing for the obligation for Facebook (and Google) to negotiate the compensation of information content with their respective authors in order to "support public interest journalism".

(Sara Squadrani)

India, 21-year-old arrested for her support of the peasant protest. Her name is Disha Ravi, she is a climate activist and created the local group of Fridays For Future - the global movement founded by Greta Thunberg - in Bangalore. Living in an area prone to floods, concerns about climate change and damage to agricultural potential are at the heart of Disha's activism. The girl was arrested between February 14 and 15, after having released a document aimed at supporting Indian farmers who are protesting against the agricultural reform of the Modi government. This disadvantages local production in favor of large production and distribution companies. In court, Disha Ravi was charged with sedition and conspiracy against the Indian state. The arrest shocked Indians and the entire global climate movement.

(Sara Squadrani)

Belarus, human rights situation worsens. On February 25, the High Commissioner for Human Rights spoke on the situation of demonstrations in Belarus. The protests have already seen arbitrary mass arrests, but also allegations of torture and ill-treatment. "It is essential for the future of the country to establish respect for human rights. All those detained for peacefully exercising their rights should be released," said Bachelet, while calling for "thorough, effective, credible and transparent investigations." The recent report by the UN Human Rights Council reported that journalists have been increasingly targeted in the country, even subject to large-scale searches. Some 250 people, reports news.un.org, have received convictions for allegedly politically motivated charges related to the 2020 presidential election.

(Federico Brignacca)

Qatar prepares for World Cup as numerous migrant workers die. More than 6,500 migrant workers have lost their lives in Qatar since the country was awarded World Cup hospitality in 2011. The migrants, from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who died between 2011-2020 may be even more than government estimates. Accurate figures are difficult to come by as many are not classified with official reasons for death. Data released by the Guardian reports that 69% of deaths among workers in India, Nepal and Bangladesh were classified as "natural deaths" and not work-related. Specifically, the Guardian reports, some 37 workers died directly related to the construction of World Cup stadiums. Qatar, which will host the World Cup in 2022, is building more than seven new stadiums, a new airport, roads and more with workers coming from other countries.

(Federico Brignacca)

Sri Lanka, senior state officials guilty of war crimes. Since Rajakpaksa's election as president in 2019, the human rights situation in Sri Lanka has worsened, and Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that "Sri Lanka remains in a state of denial about the past. The current trajectory sets the stage for the repetition of policies and practices that have resulted in serious human rights violations." In fact, the progressive militarization is worrying and the High Commissioner asks the Member States of the Council to act urgently. It will be in the coming days that the Council will express itself on the future of Sri Lanka. Two proposals are on the table: to allow the country to continue on this path or to intervene to protect the most fragile population and consistent with international law.

(Federico Brignacca)

Federico Brignacca and Sara Squadrani

ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

February, a mixed month for the markets. For most of the month the stock markets saw a positive trend with new records, although towards the end optimism gave way to concerns about the possible return of inflation to sustained levels and the consequent raising of interest rates by central banks as a countermeasure. The result was a series of substantial declines for equity markets - more than -3.5% in a single day for the NASDAQ - and a parallel rise to 12-month highs for 10-year US government bonds, whose yields reached 1.6%. The rise in these bonds is perhaps the clearest indication that the economy, at least in the U.S., has finally regained some momentum and investors are abandoning safe-haven assets to invest in sectors that will thrive in an environment of higher growth and inflation, such as energy and financial stocks.

Recovery, reassurance from the FED. In these days of uncertainty, the markets have looked with attention at FED chairman Jerome Powell's semi-annual report to Congress, which did not announce any major news and thus soothed the nerves. The FED confirmed that the economy is on the way to a sustained recovery (between +5 and +6.5% in 2021) but also that the labor market for certain categories (hospitality and tourism, above all else) is compromised due to anti-COV restrictions. Powell also confirmed the expansionary monetary policy ($120 billion per month) and very low rates until a full economic recovery, thus cooling the hypothesis of a rate hike to contain an inflation that is currently below the 2% target and that, in any case, the FED would accept to remain above this threshold for a certain period, as already announced last August.

Lucid, a new rival for Tesla. Lucid Motors, a startup in the electric vehicle industry, has announced that it has reached an agreement to go public, but it will do so through a merger with a SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company), Churchill Capital Corp IV, rather than through a more traditional IPO. The value of the agreement is $15/share, for a total valuation of $24 billion, a very high figure for a company that has yet to produce its first vehicle. This move provides the company founded by Peter Rawlinson ( former Tesla exec) with $4.4 billion in cash to expand its production lines in Arizona, from which the first model, the Lucid Air sedan, is expected to roll out in the spring, and the Gravity SUV by 2023, both directly competing with Tesla. The reaction of the markets has not been kind: the day after the announcement, Churchill Capital Corp IV lost almost 50% in the stock market.

Metals, more than just gold. Along with hopes of a return to normal levels of economic activity, markets have seen a substantial increase in commodity prices. This is a logical consequence of the returning demand for finished products to pre-Covid levels, which also stems from the energy transition. To the first narrative, which has dominated the financial pages since the beginning of the year, belong the increases in oil, natural gas, wood, soybeans, wheat and corn, while to the second, largely remained under the radar, can be attributed the increase in demand for base metals such as nickel, platinum, tin and copper (the latter only partially because it is used in countless industrial applications). Due to the slowness in putting new mines on the market, the growing demand for these materials for renewable applications, which in the next 15 years should reach the value of $1 trillion, could cause a scarcity of supply and a consequent increase in prices, in what could become a real 'commodity super-cycle', the first of the new millennium.

1%, how much do you cost me? For many years, at least since the Wall Street crisis of 2007, some people on the political spectrum have identified those responsible for what is not working in our economies with the richest 1%, accused of pursuing their own interests regardless of (or at the expense of) the well-being of the majority of the population. Looking uncritically at the level of wealth required to be part of this exclusive club, the differences between countries are very high, with a distribution that broadly follows the levels of taxation and economic development. In Monaco, it takes a net worth of €6.5 million, in Switzerland €4.2 million and in the USA €3.6. Then come Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Ireland, all around €2.4 million, while the main European and Asian economies are further behind: between €1.75 and €1.15 million we find France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain and Japan, while in China and Russia €700 and €330 thousand are sufficient respectively.

Leonardo Aldeghi

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Cameroon, polio returns. In the summer of 2020, the World Health Organization announced the "liberation" of Cameroon and Nigeria from the spread of the virus that causes polio (poliovirus) - an infectious disease that affects the central nervous system. The health minister of Cameroon, Manaouda Malachie, has instead announced the appearance of two cases in the city of Yaoundé. Vaccination for protection against poliomyelitis is in fact among those strongly recommended if you want to enter the country.

Niger, presidential elections and controversial incidents. Mohamed Bazoum was the winner with 55.75% of the votes, and will hold the office of president with some continuity compared to the outgoing president Mahamadou Issoufou, in office since 2011. The elections started on February 21. The following day, a mine caused the explosion of an Independent National Electoral Commission (Ceni) vehicle in southwestern Niger killing seven electoral officers, two women and five men. The incident blocked the holding of elections in the area where the agents were heading. Overall, observers from the West African Economic Community, the Central African Economic Community, the African Union, and others attended the voting.

Sara Squadrani

NORTH AMERICA

USA, the vaccination plan and support in favour of Texas. The US vaccination campaign has reached the 50 million doses and is expected to reach the 100 million doses in the first 100 days of the Biden presidency. By now deaths have surpassed those of the two World Wars and the Vietnam War. Another noteworthy news is Biden's announcement in support of the state of Texas, which has been hit in recent weeks by an unprecedented snowstorm. Texas has been in deep trouble due to a lack of electricity and heating, posing a major problem for millions of people.

Marta Annalisa Savino

LATIN AMERICA

Argentina, creation of the Consejo Económico y Social. The Consejo Económico y Social (CES) was created in the last days. It is a collegial body that aims to promote dialogue between citizens, academics, technicians, businesses, trade unions, indigenous people and the state on issues of strategic importance. The Council's aim is to support the President in his decision-making activities by producing recommendations based on technical and objective information on the most important issues from an economic and social point of view. Another aim is to gather as much consensus as possible among Argentine citizens so that the policies implemented are acceptable to the majority. When Alberto Fernández presented this new body, he referred to the need to make capitalism more ethical.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Bolivia, IMF funds rejected. The Banco Central de Bolivia is returning funds received from the government of Jeanine Áñez to the International Monetary Fund, after finding some irregularities. Apparently, the decision was taken after President Luis Arce stated that the IMF's meddling was affecting exchange rates in the country. Jeanine Áñez criticised the decision, saying that the loan had been requested to deal with the pandemic. However, MAS leaders continue to interpret the aid allocated by the IMF as an attempt to interfere in the country's internal affairs.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Chile, integration of the indigenous population. The Chilean government has recently relaunched the study of the language of the indigenous communities in Chile by activating digital dictionaries of the Mapuche, Aymara, Quechua and Rapa Nui languages. The programme was developed in cooperation with the Unidad de Coordinación de Asuntos Indígenas (UCAI). The measure implemented is of fundamental importance because the indigenous population, especially the younger ones, are forgetting the use of their original language. Added to this is the launch of online indigenous language courses, an initiative of the Corporación Nacional de Desarrollo Indígena (CONADI). However, still a large part of the indigenous population does not have access to IT tools, so the effect of these policies needs to be verified.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Cuba, the food shortage and the appeal of the Grupo de Puebla. The Cuban government has run out of resources due to both the pandemic and the sanctions imposed by the US. Food is scarce and Cubans are forced to wait for hours and hours in front of the supermarket to get something to eat. According to some specialists, the only way to improve the country's situation would be to open it up to free trade. Meanwhile, the Grupo de Puebla, an organisation that aims to implement progressive policies as an alternative to neo-liberalism at regional level, has spoken out against the sanctions imposed by various countries against several Latin American states, including Cuba, calling for them to be lifted because of the crisis triggered by the pandemic.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Ecuador, investigation into alleged electoral fraud. After two weeks of tensions, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the official results according to which Andrés Arauz's opponent in the runoff will be Guillermo Lasso and not Yaku Pérez, leader of the indigenous people's party. Pérez has called for an investigation into alleged electoral fraud. While Arauz has said that this is a serious interference, according to Pérez it is a way of understanding whether the digital electoral process can truly be called transparent. The OAS issued a communiqué calling on the CNE to resolve all requests regarding the transparency of the process. In the end, the recount of votes, which was requested in order to have more clarity, was not approved because it did not receive a majority at the CNE meeting.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Mexico, Italians kidnapped in 2018: trial begins for the three police officers under investigation. Three years ago Raffaele Russo, Antonio Russo and Vincenzo Cimmino - all three originally from the province of Naples -, went missing in the Mesoamerican country, where they had gone for work purposes. The circumstances of the disappearance immediately suggested the possible involvement of organised crime, with the complicity of the local authorities: in the last message sent by Antonio Russo to his brother, the former said that they had been detained by a police car at a petrol station, and that the same police officers had asked them to follow them. Later, other wiretaps collected by the Mexican authorities allegedly indicated José Gualupe Rodriguez, a well-known local boss, as the instigator of the kidnapping - the same man who was ambushed a few months after the wiretaps were revealed. The lawyer for the families of the disappeared, Claudio Falleti, who has been following the development of the case from the beginning, hopes that the trial will finally shed light on what happened and restore peace of mind to the families.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Davide Shahhosseini and Ginevra Ricca

ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

North Korea, worsening humanitarian crisis and food shortages. Lee In-young, the unification minister responsible for ties with Pyongyang, has called for greater international support for the country’s 25m people as the nuclear-armed state faces food security and economic pressures stemming from tough sanctions, strict border closures and typhoon damage. With a potential crisis looming, Lee suggested reassessing the efficacy of the sanctions that were bolstered by the US in 2016 after a series of weapons tests. Lee suggested sanctions exemptions for humanitarian aid could be expanded, or enforced with more flexibility, to allow the “non-commercial, public infrastructure projects”, as long as Seoul and other governments could prove they would not be used by the North Korean military or nuclear programmes.

(Andrea Angelo Coldani)

South Korea, mass vaccination at the starting line. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, 18,489 people across the country got their first shots of the two-dose AstraZeneca vaccine on February 26. The Minister of the Interior and Safety Jeon Hae-cheol noted there have been no reports of specific adverse reactions from vaccine recipients, except for mild symptoms, such as headaches and fever. He said the administering of Pfizer's vaccine will also begin at five vaccination centers nationwide Saturday 27, adding the first shipment of 58,500 doses of Pfizer products arrived in Korea on February 26 and an additional 500,000 doses is due to arrive at the beginning of the third week of March.

(Andrea Angelo Coldani)

India, the truce in Kashmir and the groundwater crisis. After months of fighting that led to the death of many civilians, last week, India and Pakistan declared that they want to stop the shootings along the disputed border in Kashmir. A new study published in the journal Science Advances, analyzing satellite images, stressed that the food security of millions of Indians is threatened by the excessive use of water resources, especially groundwater. In fact, this phenomenon could drastically reduce the country’s winter harvests by 2025. According to the study, this could be prevented if the authorities found a way to introduce alternative irrigation measures.

(Margherita Camurri)

Japan, the minister of loneliness' and the partial removal of the state of emergency. The Japanese government decided to appoint a new minister to deal with the problems of loneliness and isolation of citizens. The initiative was born in response to the growing number of suicides in the country, which reached a peak in 2020 mainly because of the effects of the pandemic. This weekend, the state of emergency set up to control the spread of Coronavirus should be suspended in six urban areas, excluding the capital Tokyo. However, many doctors have stressed the need to continue paying attention to health standards.

(Margherita Camurri)

China: a party meeting to discuss the draft of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The members of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee met on Friday to discuss the main points to address in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). The document will be issued after the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress will be over. Its main objective is to regulate Chinese economics and further development. Emphasis is placed on reform and innovation that should drive the country to improve its economy as well as the quality of the life of its citizens. In addition to that the government stressed the idea that the domestic market will be consolidated along with the international market.

(Lydia Milly Certa)

Taiwan: the pineapple that brings discord between Chinese and Taiwanese government. On February 26, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu published a Twitter post denouncing the fact that the Chinese government for the umpteenth time has been targeting Taiwan and trying to undermine its own efforts. In this case he condemned Beijing’s decision to ban Taiwanese pineapple. The alleged cause is the presence of harmful organisms in the fruit. The post launching the "Freedom Pineapple" campaign” has been supported by people from all over the world and Taiwanese government linked this new ban to what happened the previous year with the case of Australian wine.

(Lydia Milly Certa)

Lydia Milly Certa, Margherita Camurri and Andrea Angelo Coldani

WESTERN WUEOPW AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

The Extraordinary European Council. On 25th and 26th February, an extraordinary European Council was convened in which European leaders met by videoconference. They discussed a variety of issues; essentially the first day was dedicated to dialogue on the COVID-19 pandemic and reiterated the need to continue to work together to address the epidemiological situation in a unified manner. The issue of vaccines was also discussed, in detail the need to increase their production and distribution. On 26th February, defence and security issues were addressed, with the most important topics being: strengthening the EU's defence policy; enhancing the EU's autonomous role and pursuing its strategic interests; strengthening the EU-NATO partnership and the need to increase the Union's cyber resilience.

(Alessandra Fiorani)

France, law on Islamic separatism approved. On the 16th February a law that intends to limit the interference of the Islamic religion has been approved. The phenomenon that is being addressed is "Islamic separatism". The law was strongly desired by President Macron and his Republican party to ensure the security and secularity of the Republic. Since its first drafting, this text has caused dissent among the citizenry, especially among Muslims of French nationality who complain of too much discrimination against them. Despite the protests, the law was approved by the National Assembly with 347 votes in favor and will have to be discussed on the 30th of March in the Senate.

(Alessandra Fiorani)

United Kingdom, towards the exit from the pandemic. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the UK's exit strategy from the pandemic, which is due to be completed on 21 June with a return to 'normality' and the possibility of organising concerts and major events. The plan is divided into four phases, including gradual reopening of businesses and a gradual easing of restrictions on gatherings of people. The UK's flash vaccination campaign was instrumental, resulting in a decrease in severe cases and hospitalisations. To date, some 20 million UK citizens have received their first dose of the vaccine, compared to a much lower European average. The pandemic exit strategy may change in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales depending on the choices of local governments.

(Leonardo Cherici)

European Union, vaccines chaos. While the US, UK and other countries are racing ahead with vaccination campaigns, the EU continues to have problems with supply cuts by pharmaceutical companies. It is not yet possible to know in detail how Brussels conducted the negotiations, but one can speculate on some problems with the agreed price and the legal protections offered. The slowdown in the vaccination campaign, however, has serious political and geopolitical consequences. If the European Union fails to close the gap with the United Kingdom and the United States, Eurosceptic impulses could be rekindled, considering the psychological fatigue of EU citizens. This is one of the reasons why Draghi used a very tough approach at the recent European Council to urge Brussels to speed up on vaccines.

(Leonardo Cherici)

Leonardo Cherici and Alessandra Fiorani

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

Kurti wins in Kosovo. Albin Kurti won the quick elections which were characterized by an overwhelming margin. His party, defined as a ‘‘movement’’, Vetevendosje won 55 seats out of 120. Forming a majority will certainly not be a problem. The classic parties of the small Balkan republic are the real losers: due to the failures of the negotiations with Belgrade for the normalization of bilateral relations, Covid management and the judicial events that overwhelmed the political class in 2020 in a transversal way, the people facing a force until now in a minority. However, Kurti’s nationalist agenda risks to undermine the status quo. The ashes of the conflict with Serbia are still hot and ready to reignite.

(Lorenzo Bonaguro)

Navalnyj case: news from the Kremlin. Russian opponent Alexei Navalny was transferred from Moscow’s Mitrosskaja Tishina prison, where he had been detained since mid-January, to an unknown destination. It will likely be a penal colony, a legacy of the Soviet Union, where he will serve a sentence of two and a half years and will be forced to do hard labor. ‘‘They didn’t tell anyone where he was transferred’’, his lawyers said. Upon the request of the FSIN, a Moscow court converted the suspension of the sentence into detention on February 2 and rejected the appeal last Saturday, by sentencing Navalnyj to three years and six months in prison. The sentence has been then reduced to two and a half years.

(Arianna Giannino)

Russia Vs EU: Russia is further and further away. Russia ‘‘is disconnecting from the EU’’ and Putin ‘‘is using all means, including a lot of disinformation, to ensure survival and fight the opposition’’. This is what EU High Representative Josep Borrell underlines on Twitter, relaunching his video speech in which he takes stock of bilateral relations after the experience he had in his recent visit to Moscow. "The liberal and democratic values" of Europe, continues Borrell, ‘‘are considered’’ by the Moscow government ‘‘to be a threat to its existence’’. The High Representative expresses the hope that next week the list of Russian officials who will be affected by European sanctions can become operational, as decided by the foreign ministers of the 27. Furthermore, for Borrell, stronger actions are needed by the EU, against disinformation and cyberattacks from Russia.

(Arianna Giannino)

Arianna Giannino and Lorenzo Bonaguro

MIDDLE-EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

Egypt, towards concrete internationalization of GERD negotiations. The Egyptian Foreign Minister has announced that the Country of the Pharaohs is in favor of the Sudanese proposal to create an international committee to act as mediator in the long-standing issue of the dam on the Blue Nile, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The "quartet" devised would see sitting at the negotiating table - now in a deadlock with no way out - the parties concerned (Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia) together with the coordinator of unit in charge this year of African Union (AU) affairs, the Congolese Professor Alphonse Ntumba, since the Democratic Congo chairs the AU in the current year. Ntumba has already declared his country's support for the solution put forward by Sudan. On the pandemic response front, however, the Egyptian Medicines Authority announced that it has approved the Sputnik V vaccine one month before the start of the vaccination campaign in Egypt. The Russian serum, imported from South Korea, joins two other vaccines that have been granted an emergency license: Astrazeneca and Sinopharm.

(Federica Sulpizio)

Tunisia, the country to the straits: "No more fear, the streets belong to the people". Young Tunisians seem far from saying goodbye to the streets and squares that ten years ago welcomed the revolution. In the demands presented there is an end to police repression, the elimination of corruption and the conditions of poverty in which more and more individuals are afflicted. With soaring unemployment rates and a lack of clear, long-term political goals, young people flooded 14 Tunisian cities generating nights of riots and arrests, with citizens armed with stones and Molotov bottles on one side and police ready to respond with tear gas and water cannons on the other. In addition, with the increase in Covid-19 infections, China has decided to donate 100,000 doses of vaccines to the country to help to fight the virus. There are many players in the international community willing to offer support to the young democracy that could collapse under the weight of a hard-hit economy. On the internal political scene there is also the emerging protagonism of the President of the Parliament, who seems to want to weaken the action of the Head of State and Premier Mechichi: in the absence of the Constitutional Court, such gestures are destined to create deep fractures.

(Federica Sulpizio)

Algeria, Friday protests rekindle after the abrupt stop imposed a year ago by the pandemic. In Algeria for the second week in a row took place anti-government and pro-democracy protests, considered a fixture before the outbreak of the pandemic in the early 2020. Thousands of protesters filled the streets of Algiers, with the capital witnessing the harsh response of the police, who used tear gas and batons against the crowd. Protest organizers made several appeals to emphasize the mandatory use of masks for protesters. The government reshuffle and the coming into force of the constitutional changes approved by referendum seem not to have satisfied the demands of the population.

(Federica Sulpizio)

Libya, a delicate transition: while preparations for the formation of the new government were underway, former GNA interior minister and Misrata strongman Fathi Bashaga was involved in tensions between his security convoy and some Tripolitan militias hostile to him. Subsequently, the premier in charge, Abdul Hamid Dbebiba, finally decided on the composition of his government team. The names have not yet been revealed but Dbebiba says he has composed a government team that is as inclusive as possible. By 19 March, the executive must receive the confidence of both legislative chambers of the country, those in Tobruk and Tripoli. This process may face some difficulties, the chambers have not yet agreed on the city in which to vote on the confidence of the new executive.

(Michele Magistretti)

Israel, the vaccination and election campaign continues: the process of vaccinating the population continues unabated. Around four and a half million citizens have received at least one dose of the vaccine, thus exceeding 50% of the total population, while 35% of the total have fully completed the vaccination process. The electoral campaign continues, with a "compact" anti-Netanyahu front made up of Lieberman, Sa'ar and Lapid. It is likely that after the elections, the key player will be the national-conservative Yamina party of former defence minister Naftali Bennet, who has not categorically ruled out an alliance with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud.

(Michele Magistretti)

Federica Sulpizio and Michele Magistretti

TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Germany, extremist preacher sentenced to 10 and a half years. The man, known as Abu Walaa, is believed to be responsible for a campaign of radicalization and recruitment for the Islamic State on German soil. Of Iraqi origin, Abu Walaa settled in Germany in 2001. He carried out religious activities at the mosque in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, and became a well-known preacher in radical circles. He was arrested in 2016 following an investigation, and the trial against him began in 2017. While he was very well known, he was also very careful not to be identified: in propaganda materials he was never portrayed with his face, but always from behind. Several terrorists who have carried out attacks in recent years, both in Germany and Iraq, are believed to be somehow linked to Abu Walaa and his network. The defendant refused to make any statements at the end of the trial. In addition to the main defendant, two other co-defendants were sentenced to four and eight years in prison.

(Laura Morreale)

Security in northeast Syria, plans for the expansion of ISIS prison. The initiative, funded by the UK as part of the US-led international coalition, will involve the Hasakah detention center, run by the SDF and containing about 5 thousand prisoners captured during the advance in the territories previously controlled by ISIS. According to British General K. Copsey, this measure is designed to bring the facility up to Red Cross standards. It could reduce the risk of escape and the consolidation of terrorist networks among prisoners, but it also demonstrates the absence of a shared vision on the legal treatment of former militiamen in the long term. It is not known whether foreign fighters or only indigenous fighters are present in the center.

(Laura Morreale)

Italy, planning terrorist massacres: sentence of 3 years and 6 months for a 26-year-old Tunisian citizen. The sentence for the young construction worker residing in the province of Parma, comes one year after his arrest on charges of 'self-training for terrorist purposes'. The sentence comes after a detailed investigation carried out by the Postal Police together with the local Digos, which brought to light the relationships that the young man had with various members of jihadist groups, through private chats and social profiles. In addition to thousands of propaganda videos linked to Daesh, investigators also had access to various material confirming the radicalisation of the bricklayer: survival manuals in war scenarios; useful techniques to free oneself from handcuffs; a list of components to make Molotov bombs, etc.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

DR Congo, Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio assassinated in a gunfight. Luca Attanasio was travelling to the city of Kanyamahor, in eastern Congo - where Attanasio had been head of the diplomatic mission since 2017 - along with the Monusco (UN Mission) delegation, when the convoy was attacked by what Congolese authorities described as a "terrorist commando with light weapons". In addition to the ambassador, one of the drivers and a carabiniere escort, Vittorio Iacovacci, lost their lives in the attack. There is still no clarity on the dynamics of the incident, however, some rumours leak out that although the area covered is considered high risk, due to the presence of numerous rebel groups, the convoy was not guaranteed an adequate level of security for a mission of such danger. In this regard, the Farnesina has announced that it will make every effort to shed light on what happened.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Afghanistan, negotiations resume after a month of deadlock. On 25 February, delegates from the Taliban and the Afghan government met in Doha (Qatar) to discuss the peace process. Moreover, two days earlier, the Taliban leadership had issued an appeal to its members, asking them not to accept into their ranks militants from other armed groups. Despite this, the violence has not stopped and several provinces of the country have seen an increase in conflict. In particular, in the last week, tensions have increased in the western provinces of Ghor, Faryab (where 7 districts out of 14 have suffered attacks by the Taliban) and Herat (where the explosion of a car bomb caused the death of six people in the night between 24 and 25 February).

(Vincenzo Battaglia)

Nigeria, more than 300 schoolgirls kidnapped. On 26 February, a new mass kidnapping shocked the African State: in the district of Zamfara, north-west of the country, more than 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped by an armed gang. According to witnesses, the attackers first attacked a military checkpoint near the school, so as to prevent the soldiers from intervening to prevent the kidnapping. Moreover, only a week earlier, 43 people (including 28 students) were kidnapped in a school in Niger. The incident on 26 February was tragically reminiscent of the kidnapping by Boko Haram of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok (Borno) in 2014.

(Vincenzo Battaglia)

Davide Shahhosseini, Laura Morreale and Vincenzo Battaglia

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

International Criminal Court, new British Chief Prosecutor. On February 12, British human rights lawyer Karim Khan was elected as the new prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. With his 28-year career as UK prosecutor and defense attorney in national and international criminal courts, he will replace Fatou Bensouda - from Gambia - in June 16. Karim Khan received 72 votes out of 123 from the members of the Assembly of States parties to the Rome Statute, surpassing the other candidates: Carlos Castresana Fernández from Spain, Francesco Lo Voi from Italy, and Fergal Gaynor from Ireland.

(Sara Squadrani)

ASEAN, towards a solution for Myanmar? The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a ‘‘controversial’’ member, immediately called for ‘‘dialogue, reconciliation and a return to normal’’ when Myanmar’s instability triggered the coup on February 1. However, the principle of non-interference on which ASEAN is founded has not led to an immediate response. However, from Indonesia - in a position of leadership in the region - comes a push towards a possible solution of stability, security and peace to be pursued within the ASEAN framework. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi went to Brunei on February 17 and Singapore on February 18 to discuss this possibility, considering ASEAN ‘‘an effective mechanism to help Myanmar out of this delicate situation’’.

(Sara Squadrani)

United Nations Human Rights Council, the 46th Regular Session has begun. From 22 February to 23 March 2021, the Council will conduct its work at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. Secretary General Guterres sent a message for the start of the works, indicating that ‘‘Now is the time to reset. To reshape. To rebuild. To recover better, guided by human rights and human dignity for all’’. In the initial phase - high-level segment, February 22-24 - the Heads of State and Government of more than 130 countries intervened in the debate. During the session, specific issues will be discussed - including death penalty, the rights of children and people with disabilities, the effects of the pandemic - and about 100 reports by experts and investigative bodies will be examined. Then the final reports of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 States will be drafted.

(Sara Squadrani)

COVAX, Ghana first country to receive vaccines from the program, Ivory Coast to follow. On February 24, 600 thousand doses of the vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) were delivered through UNICEF in Accra. The event was greeted with enthusiasm by Executive Director Henrietta Fore, who stressed the historical value of the moment in inaugurating the largest immunization campaign to date. The Director General of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also spoke on the subject, reiterating the need to ensure universal access to vaccines to truly end the health emergency. On February 26, it was the turn of the Ivory Coast, which received more than 500,000 doses. WHO is pursuing the goal of vaccinating health workers and the elderly within the first 100 days of 2021.

(Laura Morreale)

Climate crisis, stronger measures urgently needed. This is what a report of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) stated, it calls upon the member states to take more effective and decisive action in the fight against climate change. According to the Paris Agreements, countries should take actions to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, but the results exposed by the report are not encouraging. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, pointed out that the results are nonetheless incomplete, as they only take data provided by 75 countries into account. Espinosa invited the other States to communicate their data as soon as possible, as they will be integrated in a second report that will be published before COP26 in November. Strong words of concern came from the Secretary General Guterres, who spoke of the report as a “red alert” for the planet, stating that 2021 will be a crucial year to make a breakthrough in the fight against climate change.

(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.