Continua lo strangolamento dell'Italia da parte degli interessi strategici ed economici USA grazie alla debolezza del ministro di Maio

The United States-Italy Relationship & Transatlantic Unity

Washington, DC (STL.NewsThe US Department of State released the following Factsheet:

“Congratulations, Prime Minister Mario Draghi.  I look forward to working closely with you to deepen our strong bilateral relationship, cooperate during your leadership of the G20, and address global challenges from COVID to climate change.”

– President Joseph R. Biden, February 14, 2021

Secretary Antony J. Blinken will travel to Rome and Matera, Italy, June 27-29, where he will meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio to discuss the importance of Transatlantic unity and our strong bilateral relationship.  They will also discuss the economic and security ties that strengthen our enduring partnership with Italy.  Secretary Blinken will then co-chair the D-ISIS Ministerial with Foreign Minister Di Maio, before traveling to Matera to attend the G20 Foreign Affairs Ministerial Meeting.

The United States and Italy are Close Partners and Allies

  • The United States looks forward to strengthening the excellent cooperation between our two countries, both as NATO Allies and long-standing economic partners.
  • Our relationship is deep and enduring.  The United States established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 and reaffirmed them in 1946 when Italy became a republic.  We have built a strong partnership based on common values and shared historical and familial bonds.
  • More than 20 million Americans proudly claim Italian heritage.  Throughout our history, Italian-Americans have greatly enriched the fabric of American life.
  • Italy and the United States share a commitment to the same values – democracy, human rights, the rule of law, security, and prosperity.
  • We welcome Italy’s focus on combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling the climate crisis, and fostering a sustainable economic recovery during its G20 presidency this year.

Security Cooperation is at the Heart of Our Partnership

  • Italy is a key NATO Ally, a leader and guarantor of security in the international community, and a reliable partner.  Italy plays a crucial role in guaranteeing Transatlantic security, particularly in assuring NATO’s southern flank and through its participation in UN and NATO missions in Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, and Afghanistan.  Italy also plays an important role in marshaling international support for progress in Libya.
  • The U.S. military maintains a presence at five major military installations in Italy, where it is a welcoming host to more than 33,000 U.S. troops, Department of Defense civilians, and their family members.
  • Italy hosts the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet headquarters in Naples and NATO’s Joint Force Command outside of Naples in Lago Patria.
    The United States and Italy agree that we must do more jointly to address shared threats in the Mediterranean region and around the world. At the June 14 NATO Summit, President Biden and Prime Minister Draghi endorsed a series of proposals to revitalize NATO through the NATO 2030 initiative.  The United States and Italy also collaborate closely as part of the Global Coalition’s efforts to defeat ISIS. We look forward to continuing that work.

Economies and Workers Benefit from Our Close Economic and Educational Ties

  • The United States represents Italy’s largest non-EU export market. Our two-way trade in goods and services amounted to $80 billion last year.  Our relationship, which ranges from trade in consumer goods and agricultural products to cooperation in the defense industries, has spurred collaboration in fields outside the economic realm, including security and space technology.
  • As of 2019, Italy’s direct investment in the United States totaled $32.8 billion, while U.S. direct investment in Italy was $34.9 billion. As of 2018, U.S. jobs tied to Italian direct investment in the United States totaled 93,700, while 250,000 Italian jobs were tied to U.S. direct investment in Italy.
  • Italy is the second most popular destination for American study abroad students in the world, with more than 35,000 U.S. students studying there each year.  Italian students are also increasingly attracted to education exchange programs in the United States.  In the 2019/2020 academic year, more than 6,000 Italians chose to study at a U.S. college or university.
  • Since the establishment of the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission in 1948, approximately 14,000 Italian and American students, teachers, lecturers, and researchers have participated in the Fulbright international exchange program, enhancing scholarship through educational exchange.  The U.S.-Italy Fulbright Program has produced alumni who have had enduring impacts on their fields, including Italian Prime Ministers Giuliano Amato and Lamberto Dini, eight Nobel laureates, twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, and five MacArthur Foundation Fellows.

A di Maio gli italiani che stanno morendo di fame e di stenti a Matera gli fanno schifo, preferisce occuparsi di quelli dei PVS

 

G-20 talks in Italy yield pledge to fight hunger in Africa

  • Updated

MATERA, Italy (AP) — A meeting of foreign and development ministers from the Group of 20 nations Tuesday ended with agreement to boost efforts to fight growing hunger in the world, worsened by the pandemic, especially in Africa, as well as climate change effects.

But there were also notes of discord, with Germany and China taking jabs at each other over vaccine policy for developing countries.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, who hosted the meeting, argued that assistance projects in Africa will also affect migration from the continent to Europe.

“The G-20 has the duty to sustain Africa in emerging from a difficult period,” he said at a closing news conference.

“We must do it in a way so that in Africa, people aren’t forced any more to abandon their country and their territory, and I don’t think anyone can carry out this battle alone,” said Di Maio, who announced that Italy would host a conference in October in Rome focused on Africa.

Di Maio said that hunger on the planet has been increasing since 2014 and warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could add another 100 million people to the ranks of the hungry and malnourished. "Clearly one of the first steps to build a better world is to make sure everyone is fed,'' he said.

The one-day gathering yielded the so-called Matera Declaration, a “call to action” on food security, nutrition and food systems. Matera is a picturesque southern hilltop city in Italy's underdeveloped Basilicata region hosting the talks.

In the declaration, the ministers concurred that “advancing these goals requires the collective and coordinated leadership and action at the global level and a people-centered approach,.”

"The G-20 is well positioned to provide such leadership, while promoting an inclusive approach with all stakeholders, private and public, and pursuing ambitious yet concrete and actionable programs,” the declaration reads.

The Group of 20 nations account for more than half the world's population and some 80% of its GDP.

The declaration also recognizes the need for "accelerating the adaptation of agriculture and food systems to climate change."'

“Beyond the differences and distances among some countries present at the G-20 table, we are all in agreement on climate change, sustainability, on the great issues that today can only be resolved with global cooperation,” Di Maio said.

But there were some sharp exchanges involving some of the major powers during the day.

Arriving, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said it was “important that we sit together in this round with countries like Russia and China, and that we openly address the fact that we do not think much of their vaccine diplomacy.”

Maas was referring to China and Russia providing or selling their own produced vaccines to less developed countries, although some European countries, including Hungary and San Marino, were eager to get the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. Some in the West believe China and Russia have been supplying their vaccines to poorer countries in order to bolster their power.

Neither China nor Russia sent their foreign ministers. China's minister, Wang Yi , addressed the meeting remotely and jabbed back at Maas.

China, he said, “has supplied more than 450 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 100 countries.” The Chinese minister took a swipe at Western nations, adding that countries able to supply vaccines ought to ”avoid restrictions on exports and excessive hording" of vaccines,

“To bring the pandemic to an end, we must get more vaccine to more places,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the gathering. “Multilateral cooperation will be key to stop this global health crisis.”

Blinken took the occasion to tout U.S. contributions to COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to get vaccines to needy nations, which include around 500 million Pfizer doses and 80 million other doses.

Germany's Maas signaled urgency. “I think the main thing now is to quickly create alternatives so that countries, regions like Africa, for example, are able to be supplied with more vaccine more quickly,” he told AP. He suggested focusing on providing supply chains as well as production facilities.

The decision earlier this year by President Joe Biden's administration to return to the climate change fight and help lead it has heartened advocates pressing for urgent tackling of climate change threats. Last year, under the Trump administration, the United States became the only country to leave the 2015 agreement.

———

D'Emilio reported from Rome.

di Maio preoccupato per quello che mangiano nei PVS, mentre glissa elegantemente sugli italiani all'estero ridotti alla fame dalle politiche sue e di Contedraghi

 

FAO Director-General urges G20: invest in rural areas and step up actions to eradicate hunger and poverty

G20, UN and partners adopt the Matera Declaration and call for more partners to join the Food Coalition


FAO Director-General with Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, at press conference, after G20 meetings in Matera.

29 June 2021, Matera - The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, QU Dongyu, today urged Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers of G20 countries to make more investments in rural areas and double down on actions to eradicate hunger and poverty.

Qu made the appeal at the Italy-presided G20 Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers' meeting where - for the first time - food security and nutrition were at the centre of the agenda.

"Governments must refocus their energies and investment to rural areas. Agricultural sector is the solution to eradicate poverty and undernourishment while reducing unwanted migration," said Qu.

Eighty percent of the world's poorest, or 600 million people - more than Europe's entire population - live in rural areas, working in the agricultural sector, and yet go to bed hungry. Almost half of them are children under 15, with fewer opportunities for education and jobs than their peers in urban areas.

"Eradicating poverty and hunger doesn't have to be prohibitively expensive," said Qu.

He cited a recent modelling study by FAO and partners that found that if industrialized countries doubled their investment for 10 years and if poorer countries kept up with their investment to promote a series of low-cost interventions - such as in agricultural research and development, agricultural information and communications services, improvement of literacy for women and girls - and scaled up existing social protection programmes, this could help 500 million people escape from hunger. Moreover, an additional $39 billion to 50 billion per year is needed to end hunger by 2030, as envisaged by the second Sustainable Development Goal.

"Public, private, bilateral, multilateral and innovative forms of funding and partnerships are all needed to support the transformation of our economic and agri-food systems, particularly in low-income countries," stressed Qu.

FAO welcomes the G20 Presidency's decision to place food security and nutrition, COVID-19 response and recovery at the centre of the G20 meetings in Matera.

As the COVID-19 pandemic started, nearly one in ten people in the world were exposed to severe levels of food insecurity. The economic slow-down caused by the pandemic raises more concerns over global food security since the access to food by the poorest and most vulnerable is significantly affected by unemployment and income loss.

"I would like to commend the Government of Italy for its initiative with the Food Coalition, as a global alliance for coordination, our shared commitment in response to the pandemic," said Qu.

"In this historical joint meeting, FAO would like to call upon the G20 and its partners to renew their collective commitment and joint actions to eradicating hunger and poverty," concluded the FAO Director-General.

The Matera Declaration

The Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers' meeting culminated in the Matera Declaration on food security, nutrition and food systems. A call to action in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond - a declaration by the G20 Ministers, FAO and other UN agencies and partners.

In it, the signatories "agree to deliver on food security priorities by enhancing efforts in ensuring safe and adequate nutrition for all, ending all forms of malnutrition, preserving agrobiodiversity, as well as relying on science, innovation, advanced business practices and responsible behavior complementing traditional knowledge, local food culture and best practices in order to achieve SDG 2 targets".

Renewed calls for partners to join the Food Coalition

The G20 Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers and FAO - through the Matera Declaration - encouraged "partners and stakeholders to collaborate with or join the Food Coalition launched by FAO whose goal is to build a global alliance to trigger coordinated action in response to COVID-19, with a focus on the thematic priorities identified in this Matera Declaration around food security, nutrition and food systems, and to mobilize political, financial, policy and technical support based on needs and demands of developing countries, with a focus on smallholder farmers, women and youth."

Proposed by the Government of Italy and led by FAO, the Food Coalition is a multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral mechanism that aims to mobilize political, financial and technical assistance in support of countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today FAO is launching "Food Coalition - Call for proposals" encouraging all its Members to join efforts and submit proposals offering their support in response to needs on the ground.

A number of FAO Members and non-state actors with the technical support of FAO have already taken steps to build cross-county coalitions around priority topics such as: reducing food loss and waste; transforming agri-food systems; improving farmers' access to markets and credits; adopting the One Health approach - all with the aim of responding to concrete needs and demands on the ground.

The Matera Declaration also called for the promotion of a science-based holistic One Health approach - which recognises the strong links between humans, animals and the environment and the need to tackle global health threats holistically.

In addition, the signatories of the Declaration committed to leveraging opportunities such as the 2021 UN Food Systems' Summit - described as having the "potential to improve the sustainability of food systems" - and to explore existing initiatives, including the Global Network against Food Crisis (an international alliance of the UN, the EU, governmental and non-governmental agencies working to tackle food crises together, founded by EU, FAO and WFP in 2016) to reach the objectives of the Matera Declaration.

Note to editors:

The FAO Director-General's address at the G20 Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers' meeting is available here.

The FAO Director General and the G20 Presidency, Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, will deliver statements at the end of the meetings today to the media highlighting needs and actions to eradicate hunger and poverty. This can be followed live here, starting from around 20.00, Italy time.

di Maio preoccupato per quello che mangiano nei PVS, mentre glissa elegantemente sugli italiani all'estero ridotti alla fame dalle politiche sue e di Contedraghi

 

The G20 wants to “reduce the gap between the world’s north and south” – EURACTIV.de

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said the Matera Declaration on Food Security, adopted by the G20, aims to increase investments in the richest countries in order to achieve “stable results in the medium term” in the fight against world hunger. Document “Teacher”.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, more than 840 million people are currently at risk of not getting enough food this decade. Another 100 million have lost their jobs and income due to COVID-19.

“Our plan reinforces the role of the Food Alliance launched by Italy within the Food and Agriculture Organization and is in line with Italy’s strategy to confront global crises exacerbated by the pandemic,” Di Maio commented. He highlighted “United Nations leadership” as “the cornerstone of an effective multilateral system”.

On the topic of climate change and the environment, he added: “Through the United Nations Conferences on Climate (COP26) and Biodiversity (COP15), we have a unique opportunity to implement the Paris Agreements by making ambitious short-term commitments and supporting the goal of climate neutrality that we strive for in 2050.” .

Italy wanted to adequately fulfill its role as the current G20 Presidency and as a close partner of the United Kingdom at COP26. For example, a special climate official will soon be appointed, as the USA and UK have already done, according to Di Maio.

In closing, the Minister stressed that “beyond the differences and differences at the G20 table, we all agree that we must work together on climate change in order to make our societies sustainable.”

“Award-winning music trailblazer. Gamer. Lifelong alcohol enthusiast. Thinker. Passionate analyst.”

di Maio prosegue imperterrito la sua politica di genocidio degli italiani all'estero: meglio importare asilanti che fare tornare gli italiani che gli potrebbero fare il culo

 

Logo


Italian FM calls for ensuring humanitarian access to crisis zones

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Wednesday called on developed countries to take steps to ensure humanitarian access to crisis zones

Italian Foreign Minister, Lugi Di Maio
Lugi Di Maio, Italian Foreign Minister

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Wednesday called on developed countries to take steps to ensure humanitarian access to crisis zones.

He made the remarks at special ministerial talks which were attended by representatives from the Group of 20 (G20) countries and organised in collaboration with the Rome-based World Food Program (WFP).

The coronavirus crisis shed light on the need for wealthy countries to take steps to help those in need in poor and developing countries, said the minister from the southern Italian city of Brindisi.

The coronavirus pandemic could add another 100 million people to the global ranks of the hungry and malnourished, he said.

"One of the first steps to building a better world is to make sure everyone is fed," the minister added.

WFP Executive Director David Beasley said via social media that the world has "a window of opportunity to prevent famine, mass migration, and destabilization."

Beasley also called for wealthy countries to dedicate more resources to the effort.

In the "Matera Declaration," a joint statement released Tuesday at the end of a G20 foreign and development ministers meeting, the world's 20 biggest economies said they "recognize that poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable food systems, are key to ending hunger, encouraging social cohesion and community development, reducing socio-economic inequalities both between and within countries..."

The talks represented an important phase of the process for rethinking the global economic system to help it better withstand blows like the one from the coronavirus pandemic, said Roberto Race, co-founder of think tank Competere.

"This is just a first step but there are some promising signs," Race told Xinhua, expressing hope that the meeting would represent a "relaunch for multilateralism" after the impacts of the pandemic.

"Ministers highlighted many important priorities," said Gian Franco Gallo, a political affairs analyst with ABS Securities.

"But the only way for an ambitious meeting like this one to make a difference will be: the promises and goals are followed by concrete action. We will know the value of the meeting only in the coming months or years," Gallo told Xinhua.

Singapore dismette la politica dei lockdown e della conta degli infetti: Il piano di vaccinazione mondiale sta per finire.

 

Singapore wants to stop counting Covid cases. Its roadmap could be a model for other countries

Helen Regan, CNN • Updated 30th June 2021
 
(CNN) — As countries around the Asia-Pacific region tighten restrictions once again to curb potential breakouts of the Delta coronavirus variant, Singapore has laid out a new vision for life to return to normal.
The roadmap, proposed by three members of Singapore's Covid-19 task force, would scrap lockdowns and mass contact tracing and allow for a return to quarantine-free travel and the resumption of large gatherings. It would even stop counting the daily Covid cases.
The proposal is a radical departure from the so-called "zero transmission" model adopted by several countries and territories -- including rival Asian business hub Hong Kong -- which have so far proved successful at avoiding large outbreaks.
But this "zero transmission" model, which requires stringent, often punishing quarantine measures, will be almost impossible to maintain as new variants spread, and long term is simply not sustainable, the task force members claim. Instead, they say living with Covid can be done.
"The bad news is that Covid-19 may never go away. The good news is that it is possible to live normally with it in our midst," said Singapore's Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, in an op-ed in the Straits Times last week.
"We can turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza, hand, foot and mouth disease, or chickenpox, and get on with our lives."
It's a bold plan that could become a template for other countries looking to return to normal life and resume travel and tourism -- and offer hope for frustrated residents eager to get their lives back on track after 18 months of pandemic restrictions.

How they'll do it

The key for a lighter approach to the pandemic? High vaccination rates.
Singapore is on track for two-thirds of its population to have received their first vaccine dose by early July, and aims to fully vaccinate that figure by August 9.
"Vaccines are highly effective in reducing the risk of infection as well as transmission. Even if you are infected, vaccines will help prevent severe Covid-19 symptoms," the ministers said.
As more people get vaccinated, the way Singapore monitors daily Covid-19 infection numbers will change. Following a path similar to how it tracks influenza infections, Singapore will monitor those who fall seriously sick or how many are in intensive care units. Infected people will be allowed to recover at home.
"We will worry less about the health care system being overwhelmed," they said.
With new, potentially more contagious variants posing a concern around the world, the minsters said booster shots may be needed in the future and suggested a "multi-year vaccination program" be established.
While testing and surveillance will still be needed, they propose conducting tests in specific scenarios such as ahead of large social events, or when traveling back from abroad, rather than to track and quarantine close contacts.
To do this, the ministers say faster and easier methods of testing will be rolled out as PCR tests take too long to provide results. Other methods "in the pipeline" include breathalysers that take about one to two minutes to produce results.
In time, more treatments will become available for Covid-19. Already, the ministers point to therapeutics that are effective in treating the critically ill, and quicken recovery, as well as reducing severity of illness and deaths.
They also say citizens will be urged to practice "social responsibility" such as good hygiene and staying away from crowds when feeling unwell to reduce transmission rates.
"With vaccination, testing, treatment and social responsibility, it may mean that in the near future, when someone gets Covid-19, our response can be very different from now," the ministers said.

Other countries remain cautious

Singapore had been held up as a success story in controlling the virus, thanks to strict border controls, instituting quarantines and contact tracing as well as rules on social gatherings and mask wearing.
It managed to contain earlier outbreaks, including a peak of cases in April last year. In May, a small cluster of cases was connected to Changi Airport employees, prompting tighter curbs.
The city-state of 5.7 million people has been averaging about 18 cases a day in the past month and has recorded just 36 deaths since the pandemic started, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Its new approach is a departure from other places that have been successful at managing the pandemic but have comparatively low vaccination rates and have recently reimposed tougher restrictions.
A variant of the Covid-19 virus known as the Delta variant, first identified in India, is spreading rapidly in some regions and on track to become the dominant virus strain globally, health experts warn. CNN's Michael Holmes reports.
Several Australian states put their capital cities -- home to around 10.2 million people -- into lockdown on Monday over concerns the Delta strain could spark significant outbreaks.
Australia was celebrated for its initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but vaccine rates are low. Australia has fully vaccinated nearly 5% of its population, compared with more than 46% in the United States and 48% in the UK, according to Our World in Data.
New Zealand said it was considering making masks compulsory at high alert levels and halted a quarantine-free travel bubble with neighboring Australia following an outbreak of the Delta variant.
And financial center Hong Kong, where vaccine hesitancy is high and only 21% of the population has been fully vaccinated, announced it will suspend passenger flights from the United Kingdom from July 1, over rising cases of the Delta variant there.
Meanwhile, mainland China may have administered more than 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, but it is thinking about keeping its borders shut for another year. The southern city of Guangzhou, a major international travel hub, is planning on building a huge quarantine center with 5,000 rooms to house travelers and Covid-19 close contacts over fears of the Delta variant's spread, according to state-run newspaper Global Times.

Facebook ha vinto solo una battaglia contro il governo federale, non la guerra

 

Win, lose or settle: Facebook lawsuits will take years to resolve

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facebook, faced with two major antitrust lawsuits, could be forced to breakup, settle with changes to its business, or it could prove its government challengers wrong and win in court, antitrust experts said.

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

The Federal Trade Commission and a major coalition of states are asking that Facebook be forced to sell WhatsApp and Instagram, saying it used a “buy or bury” strategy to snap up rivals and keep smaller competitors at bay.

THE FTC AND STATES WIN

If the government wins, the judge could rule Facebook must divest its photo sharing app Instagram and messaging app WhatsApp.

“At first blush, it’s a very strong case on the merits. The remedy is tough, because breakup is an unusual remedy, but it certainly may be merited here,” said Sam Weinstein, who teaches at Cardozo Law.

While a “breakup remedy” is rare, Weinstein said, “this is a case where it’s possible, I’d say, and maybe even likely.” He noted the Facebook case contained damning evidence from the company’s own documents, unlike the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Google.

Although breakup is not common, even on a small scale, in 2014 the Justice Department sued BazaarVoice after it bought PowerReviews and forced the deal between the consumer review sites to be undone. Most famously it forced the breakup of the telephone company ATT in 1982.

President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration, which did not respond to a request for comment, would also likely support the lawsuit. FTC commissioners voted 3-2 to file its lawsuit with two of the three votes in favor coming from Democrats.

A FACEBOOK WIN

One difficulty the FTC will face is that it cleared Facebook's purchase of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 -- a point Facebook made in its response here to the lawsuits.

“It’s very difficult to unwind a consummated merger that’s been in place for years,” said Seth Bloom of Bloom Strategic Counsel. “A court would be very reluctant to unwind the merger.”

Further, Bloom said the argument in the complaint that Facebook required software developers on its platform to refrain from competing with Facebook was potentially outdated and certainly easy to resolve.

The complaint said: “Specifically, between 2011 and 2018, Facebook made Facebook Platform, including certain commercially significant APIs, available to developers only on the condition that their apps neither competed with Facebook ... nor promoted competitors.”

In a blog post, Facebook argued that the restrictions were standard in the industry.

“Companies are allowed to choose their business partners, and it gives platforms comfort that they can open access to other developers without that access being exploited unfairly,” wrote Facebook General Counsel Jennifer Newstead.

Facebook also believes it can prevail in court.

Newstead said the company continues “to operate in a highly competitive space.

“We look forward to our day in court, when we’re confident the evidence will show that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp belong together, competing on the merits with great products,” she said.

WILL THE TWO SIDES SETTLE?

With no criminal charges in the lawsuit there is no incentive for Facebook to cut a deal, argues George Hay, who teaches antitrust at Cornell University law school. He also predicted the case would take years of litigation.

“It’s not an obvious winner,” he said of the government’s arguments. “Everything that Facebook does is out in the open and it’s been out in the open for 15 years. They’ve never done anything without consulting with teams of antitrust lawyers.”

Still, Facebook agreed last year to pay $5 billion to resolve an FTC investigation into its privacy practices.

Reporting by Diane Bartz and Katie Paul; Editing by Aurora Ellis

FTC perde la causa contro Facebook: segno della qualita' degli avvocati del governo Biden o dello strapotere di corporate Amerika?

 

A win for Facebook: FTC complaint struck down in court

The Federal Trade Commission complaint against Facebook was dismissed by The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint was shut down due to a failure to prove Facebook’s monopoly in the market for Personal Social Networking Services. The FTC can amend their complaint and bring the case back to court.

Facebook censura praticamente tutti e tutto, eccetto i maniaci sessuali che abusano di bambini sulle sue pagine

 

Facebook censors those who spread ‘misinformation,’ but looks the other way while pimps abuse children

Graham Dockery
Graham Dockery
is an Irish journalist, commentator, and writer at RT. Previously based in Amsterdam, he wrote for DutchNews and a scatter of local and national newspapers.
Facebook censors those who spread ‘misinformation,’ but looks the other way while pimps abuse children
Before losing a recent landmark court case, Facebook attempted to distance itself from the human trafficking taking place on its platform. If only it were as hands-on about child sex crimes as it is about political speech.

The Texas Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Facebook can be held liable for the conduct of pimps and traffickers on its platform – a landmark decision that opens the firm up to further legal action from a trio of teenage trafficking victims. 

In the suit, filed in 2018, the three young women accused the company of running “an unrestricted platform to stalk, exploit, recruit, groom, and extort children into the sex trade.” One was 15 when an older man contacted her on Facebook, offered her a modeling job, photographed her, posted the pictures on the now-defunct BackPage website, and prostituted her to other men, leading her to be “raped, beaten, and forced into further sex trafficking.” The other two girls were 14, and reported almost identical experiences, with one openly pimped out for “dates” on Instagram, a Facebook subsidiary.

Also on rt.com Amazon, Microsoft staff busted buying sex workers trapped in trafficking industry

Facebook argued that it was shielded from liability by Section 230 of the US’ Communications Decency Act, which distinguishes content posted on Facebook from content posted by Facebook, thereby treating the company as a platform for discussion, rather than a publisher of that discussion. However, Congress amended Section 230 in 2018 to add an exemption for platforms that knowingly allow trafficking to take place, and the Texas court agreed that Facebook had “knowingly or intentionally participate[d] in the evil of online human trafficking.”

What’s interesting here is Facebook’s flippancy about all of this. The company stuck to its Section 230 defense, arguing that the conduct of pimps and abusers is none of its business. A company spokesperson made it clear, however, that sex trafficking was “abhorrent and not allowed on Facebook.” Nonetheless, in one of the cases, a teenage victim’s mother says she reported her daughter’s abuse to the company, only to hear nothing back.

Also on rt.com The switched-on, censorious billionaires of Silicon Valley are now the greatest threat to free speech and the pursuit of truth

Contrast this with Facebook’s attitude towards political speech. The company has a single page of policy on trafficking, urging concerned users to “contact 911 or local law enforcement immediately,” and to notify it “if someone posts something on Facebook related to human trafficking.” Listing its free-speech policies, on the other hand, would have this article running far beyond the word limit. Here’s a short and by no means exhaustive list of what Facebook does to control what users can and cannot say:

  • Provides a button to allow swift reporting of “fake news,” so third-party “fact checkers” can evaluate and remove it, aided by “machine-learning” algorithms.

  • Deploys a “Dangerous Organizations Operations team” to remove pages linked to conspiracy theories and militia groups, even if their content is not violent.

  • Uses artificial intelligence (AI) to delete any content calling into question the safety and efficacy of coronavirus vaccines, and send government-approved information to anyone who’s interacted with this content.

  • Uses this same AI to proactively root out “hate speech” before anyone even reports it. Note that satirical memes are sometimes caught in this dragnet.

  • Bans sitting politicians who engage in controversial speech, including the President of the United States and an Australian MP.

  • Bans any posts questioning the integrity of elections in the US, forbids posts doubting Joe Biden’s victory, and censors articles harmful to Democratic candidates.

Countless other examples of Facebook’s anti-free-speech policies and actions exist, but just imagine if the company dedicated the same resources to purging its platform of traffickers? The cost of creating and training AI to root out vaccine skepticism and conspiracy theories is likely immense, as is the sum Facebook pays its human fact checkers to back up the machines. So, why not refocus this juggernaut on the most heinous of crimes?

“Hate speech” is a controversial and flexible term, and according to Facebook’s definition, ranges from insulting jokes in which certain groups of people are called “smelly” to “calls for exclusion and segregation.” But even at the harsher end of that scale, it’s still just speech. The cases heard in Texas last week culminated in real, brutal sexual violence. Likewise, “misinformation” is just “information” Facebook deems unwelcome. It’s a damn sight less serious than the literal rape of children.

Also on rt.com Team Biden & CNN’s criticism of Facebook not censoring Trump BEFORE the election is wholly un-American

Out of all of this, some good may emerge. Thanks to the Texas Supreme Court, Section 230 no longer protects Facebook from liability in trafficking cases, but Republicans have also threatened for some time to strip the company of its protection in light of its censorship policies. If, they argue, Facebook removes conservative content, it is no longer acting as a neutral publisher and therefore not entitled to Section 230’s protection.

Republicans missed a golden opportunity to do this when they held the presidency and both houses of Congress during the Trump years. Trump himself regularly complained about Silicon Valley’s liberal bias, but ultimately allowed himself to be won over and placated by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Unless Zuckerberg dramatically reorients his company’s surveillance and censorship machinery, whoever follows in Trump’s footsteps in 2024 should work tirelessly to break the Silicon Valley CEO like a dog and bring him to heel. 

The future of free political speech, and the wellbeing of defenseless children depends on it.

IMU: il ragionevole dubbio in una amara realtà continua e persistente

 

IMU: il ragionevole dubbio in una amara realtà continua e persistente

89152408_3044463855604268_787883304882798592_n

Facciamo seguito all’articolo già pubblicato nello scorso mese di febbraio al fine di dare conto delle risposte alle domande inviate ad alcuni parlamentari che ci rappresentano all’estero. Cerchiamo in questo modo di meglio comprendere le decisioni prese dal Governo italiano nella legge di bilancio 2020, riguardanti le modifiche apportate al pagamento dell’IMU per i pensionati, proprietari di immobili in Italia, iscritti all’AIRE.

Le domande che abbiamo ritenuto opportuno porre sono le seguenti:

1. Non vi sembra che l’abolizione della norma che agevolava i pensionati AIRE non elimini affatto le discriminazioni tra proprietari e proprietari? L’IMU sulla prima casa o la pagano tutti (residenti in Italia o all’estero e che siano pensionati o meno) o non la paga nessuno.

2. Un commento sulla relazione intercorrente tra il divieto di cui all’art. 18 TFUE e la sovranità nazionale in materia di imposizione fiscale sugli immobili.

3. Se si parla di discriminazione per aver introdotto condizioni più favorevoli agli iscritti all’AIRE, l’aver previsto l’esenzione solo per i pensionati all’estero, e non anche per i cittadini italiani iscritti all’AIRE non pensionati ed europei di altra nazionalità proprietari di immobili in Italia, la legge di Bilancio 2020 non elimina affatto le discriminazioni. Quali sono le Vs proposte per ovviare a questo grave problema?

Le risposte dei nostri parlamentari che ci sono pervenute le pubblichiamo in maniera integrale

On. Angela Schiro’:
Risposta alla prima domanda: “La prima domanda si basa su un presupposto controverso dal punto di vista giuridico. E cioè quello di credere che la casa posseduta in Italia dagli italiani residenti all’estero debba essere considerata “prima casa” nell’accezione giuridica statuita dalla legge.

In realtà la normativa sull’IMU (modificata ora dalle nuove disposizioni introdotte dalla Legge di Bilancio per il 2020) definisce “prima casa” o meglio abitazione principale (cfr. comma 2, art. 13 della legge 22 dicembre 2011) l’immobile nel quale il possessore dimora abitualmente e risiede anagraficamente. Condizioni, queste ultime due, che non possono essere soddisfatte da chi risiede all’estero, ma non solo: anche gli italiani residenti in Italia proprietari di immobili se cambiano la residenza per andare a lavorare altrove in Italia sono tenuti a pagare l’IMU sulla casa di proprietà in cui non sono più residenti.

L’esortazione espressa nella Vostra domanda ha senz’altro giustificazioni morali, ma purtroppo non ha basi giuridiche. Comunque, ciò che il Parlamento ha introdotto nel 2014, con una legge targata PD, e con molte difficoltà, è stata l’equiparazione ad abitazione principale della casa posseduta in Italia dai pensionati italiani residenti all’estero. Si è trattato quindi di un risultato politico basato su un fondamento storico, etico e sociale consolidato, oltre che una convenienza per l’Italia a conservare i legami con i nostri connazionali che proprio attraverso la casa hanno sempre mantenuto e consolidato i loro rapporti affettivi ed economici con la terra di origine. Per questa ragione, auspico che il Governo percepisca l’importanza di trovare al più presto una soluzione adeguata per venire incontro alle pressanti e giuste richieste delle nostre collettività che ritengono che lo Stato italiano sia ora venuto meno ad un impegno di riconoscenza e solidarietà nei loro confronti”.

Risposta alla seconda domanda: “L’articolo 18 del TFUE non ha a che fare specificamente con questioni di natura fiscale. Infatti tale articolo si limita a stabilire che nel campo di applicazione dei trattati europei è vietata ogni discriminazione effettuata sulla base della nazionalità. Con l’adesione ai Trattati, gli Stati membri hanno volontariamente consentito al trasferimento a livello europeo di competenze nazionali. Il diritto dell’Unione europea è parte integrante dell’ordinamento giuridico dello Stato e prevale anche sulle disposizioni di diritto interno con esso contrastanti. Per questo, nella formazione e applicazione degli atti normativi di ciascuno Stato membro non è possibile prescindere dalla dimensione europea”.

Risposta alla terza domanda: “Nel gennaio del 2019 la Commissione Europea aveva iniziato una procedura di infrazione contro l’Italia inviando al nostro Paese una lettera di costituzione in mora per aver applicato un trattamento preferenziale in materia di imposta sulle tasse comunali “avendo mantenuto condizioni più favorevoli riguardanti alcune imposte comunali (Imu, Tasi, Tari) sulle abitazioni ubicate in Italia appartenenti a pensionati italiani residenti nella UE o in Paesi membri dello Spazio Economico Europeo” e per non avere esteso tale trattamento a tutti pensionati residenti nelle UE di altra nazionalità e proprietari di immobili in Italia. Siccome il trattato sul funzionamento dell’Unione europea (TFUE) non ammette un tale trattamento discriminatorio, direttamente basato sulla cittadinanza, l’Italia ha deciso di conformarsi ai rilievi della Commissione europea, evitando cioè di fare ricorso e aprire un contenzioso con le istituzioni europee, e abrogare la norma agevolativa oggetto del contendere, e cioè l’esenzione dall’Imu, Tasi e Tari per i cittadini italiani iscritti all’Aire e proprietari di case in Italia.

Cosa può e deve fare a questo punto il Governo italiano se vuole venire incontro alle giuste e pressanti richieste fatte dalle nostre collettività all’estero in materia di imposte immobiliari? Io ritengo che il Governo debba perlomeno ripristinare le norme agevolative a favore dei nostri pensionati residenti all’estero e proprietari di case in Italia, anche se il nostro obiettivo principale dovrebbe essere quello di introdurre l’esenzione per tutti e non solo per i pensionati. Non ho dubbi che se effettivamente esiste la volontà politica di reintrodurre le agevolazioni, il Governo sia in grado di formulare una normativa che rispetti il diritto europeo e che non si presti a possibili censure della Commissione europea per non aver rispettato gli obblighi derivanti da tale diritto.

Da parte mia non mancherò di continuare a sollecitare il Governo a livello politico e parlamentare, come peraltro ho già fatto in diverse occasioni con interrogazioni ed altri interventi, e suggerire le misure da adottare. A questo proposito voglio evidenziare che il Partito Democratico in questa congiuntura si è già attivato per trovare una soluzione a questo problema così sentito dalle nostre collettività all’estero”.

On. Massimo Ungaro:
Risposta alla prima domanda: “Sicuramente quanto rilevato dalla Commissione Europea sull’esenzione IMU per i pensionati italiani residenti all’estero – titolari di pensione estera – lascia un fronte aperto che andrà risolto di comune accordo con le Istituzioni europee. Come è noto il Governo è stato costretto a ripristinare questa tassa con la “nuova Imu”, per chiudere i rilievi comunitari in vista di un’imminente procedura d’infrazione. La Commissione Europea ha infatti individuato il vecchio regime di esenzione come discriminante nei confronti dei cittadini degli altri Stati membri dell’Unione Europea e quindi in contrasto con l’articolo 18 del Trattato sul Funzionamento dell’Unione Europea (TFUE). Per cui, a causa di questa infrazione e del perdurante silenzio dell’Italia ai rilievi che le erano stati mossi, la Commissione Europea – nel gennaio 2019 – ha deferito l’Italia alla Corte di Giustizia. La Commissione europea ha così lamentato una condizione di disparità tra i pensionati italiani e quelli di altra cittadinanza, possessori di immobili in Italia. Anche se tutto il Gruppo di Italia Viva si adoperato perciò a superare l’impasse proponendo di estendere l’esenzione anche ai pensionati di origine europea per evitare questo aggravio fiscale ai danni degli italiani pensionati all’estero. Un impegno che il Governo Conte ha detto voler onorare accogliendo un mio ODG che va proprio in tale direzione lo scorso 5 febbraio 2020”.

Risposta alla seconda domanda: “L’articolo 18 del Trattato sul funzionamento dell’Unione Europea così recita: “Nel campo di applicazione dei trattati, e senza pregiudizio delle disposizioni particolari dagli stessi previste, è vietata ogni discriminazione effettuata in base alla nazionalità. Il Parlamento europeo e il Consiglio, deliberando secondo la procedura legislativa ordinaria, possono stabilire regole volte a vietare tali discriminazioni”. Da ciò si deduce che come la Commissione abbia ritenuto superiore il principio costituzionale della parità di trattamento fiscale tra categorie sociali rispetto alla sovranità nazionale in materia di imposizione fiscale. Da qui anche la mia proposta al Governo Italiano di estendere l’esenzione IMU a tutti i pensionati europea che però abbisogna di un’ampia capienza di bilancio”.

Risposta alla terza domanda: “Quale discriminazione? Se un lavoratore siciliano vive e lavora a Torino in affitto ma possiede una casa a Palermo deve comunque pagare l’IMU su quella casa, esattamente come un cittadino italiano che vive in Svizzera deve pagare l’IMU sulla casa che possiede in Italia. Quindi discriminazioni tra italiani in Italia e all’estero su questo punto non ce ne sono: per non pagare l’IMU in una casa occorre avere il domicilio e la residenza nell’abitazione. Io sono dell’idea che andrebbe comunque abolita l’IMU per tutti gli italiani all’estero, per incentivarli a investire nel loro paese senza spingerli a vendere l’immobile.

La buona notizia è che con questo Governo abbiamo ricominciato a dedicare risorse per gli italiani all’estero: nella legge di Bilancio 2020 si è fatto quello che si è potuto e ci sono alcune misure per gli italiani all’estero che desidero elencare. Per l’appunto al fine di rafforzare gli interessi italiani all’estero sono state autorizzate le seguenti spese a favore degli italiani nel mondo: 500.000 euro per ciascuno degli anni 2020, 2021 e 2022 per la promozione della lingua e cultura italiana all’estero, con particolare riferimento al sostegno degli enti gestori di corsi di lingua e cultura italiana all’estero;500.000 euro per ciascuno degli anni 2020, 2021 e 2022 a favore del Consiglio generale degli italiani all’estero e 1 milione di euro per ciascuno degli anni 2020, 2021 e 2022 a favore dei Comitati degli italiani all’estero, nonché 500.000 € per i teatri di proprietà dello Stato all’estero.

Per quanto riguarda la nuova IMU il miglior risultato sarebbe stato ovviamente quello dell’abolizione totale per tutti gli iscritti all’AIRE della tassa sugli immobili di proprietà. Eventualità che si scontra con capitoli di bilancio sempre più stretti. In tutti i casi, nei prossimi provvedimenti utili, lavorerò con il Ministro Gualtieri e tutta la maggioranza per raggiungere questo obiettivo, forte dell’impegno del Governo dato sancito dall’ODG da me presentato di cui ho accennato prima.”

On. Simone Billi:
“Conosco bene le ragioni del dissenso in merito alla questione IMU per noi italiani all’estero. Quando la Lega era al Governo ci stavo lavorando con buone prospettive. Adesso, anche dall’opposizione, mi impegnerò per l’esenzione IMU sulla prima casa di noi italiani all’estero, come già previsto per gli italiani in Italia.

Invece questa nuova maggioranza formata dal PD, Italia Viva e M5S ha addirittura deciso di far pagare l’IMU anche ai pensionati italiani esteri!

Questo governo di sinistra è tutto tasse e manette, non farà ripartire l’economia nel nostro Paese, anzi colpisce direttamente noi italiani all’estero, perché offre uno scenario inqualificabile del nostro Paese oltre confine.”

 

89152408_3044463855604268_787883304882798592_n

Sen. Laura Garavini:
“Anche gli italiani all’estero devono poter usufruire dell’esenzione dal pagamento dell’Imu sull’immobile posseduto in Italia. A partire dalle fasce più deboli, come i pensionati. Per questo, con il Governo Renzi, avevamo abolito questa tassa a partire dal 2015, per i pensionati residenti all‘estero.

C’è un dato, però, che ha causato il ripristino della tassa a partire dal 2020. Questa misura, seppure legittima, così come era stata scritta, avrebbe provocato una sanzione all’Italia da parte dell‘Europa. Così che il Governo la ha abolita. Il nodo della questione adesso è, quindi: individuare una formulazione tecnica della legge che permetta di abolire nuovamente l’Imu a partire dai pensionati, senza esporre l’Italia alla multa europea.

Al fine di raggiungere questo scopo sto seguendo la via istituzionale e ministeriale. Ho avviato, infatti, un confronto con i vertici del Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze, competenti per i rapporti europei, proponendo loro un’ipotesi di intervento. Il dipartimento internazionale del Mef si è impegnato a confrontarsi con le competenti autorità europee.

Nel caso in cui, come credo, la formulazione da me prospettata passi il vaglio dell‘Unione Europea, a quel punto serve la volontà politica delle altre forze di Governo a ripristinare l‘esenzione Imu nel primo provvedimento utile.

Mi auguro di potere finalmente contare sull’appoggio degli altri gruppi di maggioranza: Pd, Leu, 5 stelle e Maie. Solo poche settimane fa, in occasione del varo della Legge di Bilancio, a parte singoli eletti all‘estero, come Italia Viva siamo stati l‘unica forza politica che si è battuta per togliere l‘Imu ai pensionati all‘estero, evitando l‘abolizione dell’esenzione.

Se ci fosse la volontà politica degli altri partiti di Governo si potrebbe intervenire in fretta, già nella legge di Delegazione Europea, attualmente all‘ordine del giorno delle Commissioni al Senato.

Nel frattempo, sto sensibilizzando singoli amministratori locali di comuni con concittadini all’estero, affinché introducano l’esonero Imu per i propri concittadini espatriati, proprietari di un immobile in paese, attraverso una delibera di giunta comunale. Questa possibilità è stata introdotta infatti con l‘ultima legge di bilancio.

E alcuni comuni, con Sindaci lungimiranti, consapevoli di quanto sia utile mantenere un legame stretto con i loro connazionali, proprietari di immobili, stanno già dando un riscontro positivo. Ad esempio in Sicilia, a Cattolica Eraclea, dove la giunta ha già deliberato in merito. O come a Mirabella Imbaccari, dove il consiglio comunale ha approvato una mozione in questo senso all‘unanimità. Anche in Calabria ed in Campania diversi Sindaci stanno mobilitandosi per fare altrettanto, consapevoli che la reintroduzione dell‘esonero dall‘imu sia qualcosa di molto positivo per lo stesso territorio, prima ancora che per i diretti interessati.”

Indipendentemente da tutto ciò, il risultato, attualmente è che le conseguenze di questa decisione gravano sui cittadini italiani residenti all’estero che hanno sempre di più la sensazione di essere considerati dal proprio Paese solo per “far cassa”, per così dire da parte di istituzioni miopi e spesso mal organizzate.

Esporre l’Italia ad una procedura di infrazione da parte dell’Europa, significa ogni volta un esborso di denaro pubblico che poi si pretende di recuperare dai soliti noti. Ci sembra un sistema iniquo e malsano. Uno spreco annunciato (ricordiamo che nel 2013, dunque l’anno precedente al varo della legge di esenzione dal pagamento dell’IMU da parte dei pensionati iscritti all’AIRE, la Commissione Europea si era già espressa esattamente sul punto parlando di potenziale infrazione dell’Italia), anche questa volta, la cui soluzione è quella di far pagare di nuovo le imposte anche ai pensionati all’estero.

Le imposte vanno pagate, su questo non c’è alcun dubbio, ma quando queste diventano troppo pesanti, ingiustificate, inique ed anche mal gestite, ecco allora che ai cittadini, che siano in Italia o all’estero, diventa gravoso pagare il dovuto e si allontanano dalla politica non ritenendo di potersi fidare né affidare a chi espone il Paese a spese sicure che potrebbero essere evitate con il buonsenso, che continua ad aumentare le imposte e gli oneri e che non dà tutti i servizi necessari ad una società civile. Una gestione del denaro pubblico che francamente non ci piace.

Condividi adesso!

Possibile Quarantena imposta per gli AIRE al momento del rientro in Italia.

 

Possibile Quarantena imposta per gli AIRE al momento del rientro in Italia.

Carissimi,
In questi ultimi due giorni sono stato contattato da un elevatissimo numero di connazionali iscritti all’AIRE del Distretto di Barcellona, persone che hanno programmato da tempo il loro (spesso breve) rientro in Italia per trascorrere qualche giorno con i loro cari.
Tutti i nostri connazionali hanno acquistato il volo di andata e ritorno per l’Italia da molto tempo e si sono organizzati  per sottoporsi al Test per la verifica della loro negatività a Covid-19 prima della partenza oppure seguendo le indicazioni delle autorità sanitarie regionali una volta atterrati nei vari aeroporti italiani.
Secondo molteplici indiscrezioni di stampa sembrerebbe che il Governo sia ora intenzionato ad imporre una quarantena a tutti gli AIRE una volta atterrati in Italia, quarantena obbligatoria anche in caso di negatività al Covid-19.
Questa potenziale decisione/imposizione sarebbe estremamente penalizzante per gli oltre sei milioni di connazionali regolarmente residenti all’estero, bloccare in casa persone che si sono ritagliati pochi giorni di permesso lavorativo per poter vedere i loro affetti e le loro famiglie toglierebbe ogni possibilità di vivere i momenti fortemente desiderati nel momento della programmazione del volo per l’Italia.
Gli italiani residenti in Italia potranno riunirsi (con tutte le dovute precauzioni) alle loro famiglie, mentre gli italiani che risiedono e lavorano all’estero sarebbe invece permesso farlo pur a fronte delle stesse (o maggiori considerata l’obbligatorietà del test Covid-19) precauzioni, creando, nei fatti, una fortissima discriminazione per tutti noi iscritti all’AIRE.
Una preoccupazione che condivido in pieno e che vorrei fosse riportata all’Ambasciatore ed alle Autorità competenti in sede ministeriale in Italia.
Certi di un vostro sollecito riscontro alla presente vi porgo i miei più cordiali saluti.

Alessandro Zehentner
Presidente del Com.It.Es del Consolato Generale di Barcellona.
(lettera aperta)

Lettera aperta al signor Luigi di Maio, deputato del Popolo Italiano

ZZZ, 04.07.2020 C.A. deputato Luigi di Maio sia nella sua funzione di deputato sia nella sua funzione di ministro degli esteri ...