GEOGRAFIA DELL’ACCESSO DIGITALE AL CIBO NEGLI USA

FOCUS – May 11, 2022. By Caroline George and Adie Tomer, Brookings. The rise of e-commerce services and the global COVID-19 pandemic have transformed how Americans eat. Over one-third of U.S. adults have used delivery apps to order from a restaurant or store in the past year, and online grocery spending more than quadrupled between August 2019 and November 2021. The massive growth of digital food services—ranging from grocery pickup and delivery to meal kits and restaurant deliveries—is redefining how Americans get their food. Delivering to deserts: New data reveals the geography of digital access to food in the U.S.

TODAY:

• TECH
• AROUND THE WORLD
• DEFENSE – MILITARY – CYBER – SPACE
• HORIZONS

TECH

• May 11, 2022. By Gavin Wilde and Justin Sherman, Brookings. Over the past decade, the Russian government has attempted to achieve a measure of sovereignty over digital technology. By building a domestic technology industry and controls over internet traffic, the Kremlin has tried to gain independence from the Western technology industry and influence over the information available to Russian citizens. In the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the crushing sanctions and domestic political unrest it precipitated, this project has never been more urgent. Putin’s internet plan: Dependency with a veneer of sovereignty
• May 11, 2022. By Cameron F. Kerry, Brookings. When the late Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow penned his “Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace” in 1996, proclaiming “our virtual selves immune to your sovereignty,” he railed against “the great invertebrate in the White House” and the “Governments of the Industrial World, you weary giants of flesh and steel.” So what would Barlow have thought when, on April 28, 2022, 60 governments, mostly from the industrial world, met (in person or in their virtual selves) at the White House to sign a “Declaration on the Future of the Internet,” initiated by the United States along with Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom? Battle lines for the future of the internet

AROUND THE WORLD

China

• May 12, 2022. By World Nuclear News. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has signed contracts for the civil construction of the nuclear islands and installation engineering for the planned second phases of the Sanmen and Haiyang nuclear power plants. Contracts awarded for new Haiyang and Sanmen units : New Nuclear
• May 11, 2022. By Jeremy Mark and Michael Schuman, Atlantic Council. As COVID-19 reemerges in China, could the repercussions of Beijing’s zero COVID policy undermine the narrative of China’s superior pandemic response and the image and stature of Xi Jinping’s rule? This Global China Hub and GeoEconomics Center report by nonresident senior fellows Jeremy Mark and Michael Schuman explores the domestic political drivers, economic repercussions, and the political, diplomatic, and human costs of zero COVID and identifies why China will likely struggle to move on from the faltering policy. China’s faltering “zero COVID” policy: politics in command, economy in reverse

Europe

• May 12, 2022. By Al Jazeera. Europe is facing increased pressure to secure alternative gas supplies after Moscow imposed sanctions on European subsidiaries of Russia’s state-owned Gazprom energy giant and Ukraine shuttered a major gas transit route, pushing prices higher. Dutch gas prices at the TTF hub, the European benchmark, rose by about 20 percent on Thursday morning. Europe faces gas supply disruption after Russia imposes sanctions

India

• May 12, 2022. By Rumi Aijaz, ORF.  Across India’s burgeoning cities, the supply of affordable homes is highly inadequate to keep pace with the growing need; as a result, slums and other informally built areas, where living conditions are extremely poor, have grown. In 2015 the Indian government implemented a national housing programme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (urban) or PMAY (U) to bridge the gap in affordable housing. This report evaluates the progress of PMAY (U), and finds that the mission has accomplished only 50 percent of its goal of providing housing for all by 2022. The report outlines the administrative and socio-economic impediments to the programme’s success. How Fares the PMAY (U)? Taking Stock of India’s National Housing Programme

Mali

• May 11, 2022. By Catrina Doxsee, Jared Thompson, CSIS. On April 22, 2022, the French military released satellite imagery and drone footage documenting an attempt by Russian Wagner Group mercenaries to stage evidence of French atrocities near an army base in Gossi, in northern Mali. The footage showed Wagner troops arriving at the base and arranging corpses in shallow mass graves to falsify evidence of mass killings by French forces. France transferred control of the base to the Malian armed forces (Forces Armées Maliennes, or FAMa) earlier that week amid the withdrawal of French troops from the country. Russian-linked social media accounts quickly blamed French forces for the killings in a series of inauthentic posts—the latest in an ongoing campaign to discredit French efforts in West Africa and instead promote Russian partnerships. Massacres, Executions, and Falsified Graves: The Wagner Group’s Mounting Humanitarian Cost in Mali

Qatar – Iran

• May 12, 2022. By Al Jazeera. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has met President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran as the Gulf state tries to help end a dispute between Tehran and Washington over revival of the 2015 nuclear deal. State TV showed the arrival of the Qatari leader at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, where he was received by Iran’s Senior Vice President Mohammad Mokhber. The report said bilateral, regional and international issues are on agenda during the visit. Qatar leader in Iran in bid to help salvage 2015 nuclear pact

Russia – Ukraine

• May 12, 2022. By Al Jazeera. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the West had triggered a global economic crisis and a wave of ruinous inflation by imposing on Russia the most severe sanctions in recent history over the conflict in Ukraine. Putin’s February 24 order of a “special military operation” in Ukraine prompted the United States and its allies to impose sweeping sanctions on Russia and the Russian elite, steps the Kremlin chief casts as a declaration of economic war. Putin: West’s Russia sanctions triggering global economic crisis
• May 12, 2022. By Mansur Mirovalev, Al Jazeera. A Russian military court has sentenced five Muslim men from annexed Crimea to up to 14 years in jail for their alleged membership in an “Islamist” organisation, a community figure told Al Jazeera. Thursday’s decision appears to continue Moscow’s perennial pressure on Crimean Tatars, a Muslim minority that once dominated the Black Sea peninsula and fiercely resisted the 2014 annexation. Russian court sentences Crimean Muslims to jail: Activist
• May 12, 2022. By Al Jazeera. One person was killed and seven were wounded in a Russian village bordering Ukraine in what may be the first death of a Russian civilian inside the country since Moscow launched the war. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of Russia’s Belgorod province said on Thursday the attack by Ukraine forces occurred in the village of Solokhi. Ukraine accused of deadly cross-border attack on Russian village
• May 12, 2022. By Al Jazeera. Russia is the “most direct threat” to the international order because of its invasion of Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan. Russia “is today the most direct threat to the world order with the barbaric war against Ukraine, and its worrying pact with China”, she said after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida along with European Council President Charles Michel. ‘Barbaric war on Ukraine’: EU’s von der Leyen denounces Russia
• May 11, 2022. By Kevin Baron, Defense One. The world was given an ominous warning on Tuesday when U.S. intelligence leaders told Congress that the Russia-Ukraine conflict was entering a “stalemate.”. The last time we heard U.S. officials use that word was to describe the war in Afghanistan. The United States didn’t win that war, and it looks like Ukraine isn’t going to win this one—at least, not with the weapons the world is allowing them to have.  Does the West Want Ukraine to Win or Not?

South Africa

• May 12, 2022. By World Nuclear News. The return to service next month of unit 2 at the Koeberg nuclear power plant will help to reduce pressure on South Africa’s constrained power system, state-owned utility Eskom says. The return to service of the unit, which has been offline for refuelling and maintenance, will support utility efforts to reduce loadshedding and meet high demand as the country moves into winter. End of Koeberg outage to ease South African grid pressure : Energy & Environment

Sri Lanka

• May 12, 2022. By Matt Withers, East Asia Forum. Sri Lanka is in the grips of its worst economic crisis since independence. Behind recent headlines, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed structural problems that were decades in the making. The origins of today’s foreign exchange crisis are rooted in the colonial plantation sector, failed industrial policy and the façade of stability afforded by migrant remittances. The making and masking of Sri Lanka’s debt crisis

USA

• May 11, 2022. By Brookings. On July 1, 2021, the Congressional Study Group on Foreign Relations and National Security convened over Zoom to discuss separation of powers issues surrounding treaty withdrawal and re-entry. The Trump administration’s withdrawals from the INF Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty, and the WHO Constitution, among other international agreements, and threats to withdraw from NAFTA and NATO focused attention on unilateral Presidential treaty withdrawal. President Trump’s actions raised questions about whether the president can withdraw from a treaty without congressional authorization or when Congress specifically bars withdrawal via statute. The Biden administration’s vocal opposition to such withdrawals has also raised questions about the president’s power to re-enter treaties on a similar unilateral basis. Congress’s Control Over Treaties
• May 11, 2022. By Brookings. On May 21, 2021, the Congressional Study Group on Foreign Relations and National Security convened over Zoom to discuss reforming the Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs). Recent discussions of AUMF reform have been critical of the President’s use of both the 2001 AUMF, enacted after the 9/11, attacks and the 2002 AUMF, enacted prior to the invasion of Iraq, as the legal foundation for most overseas U.S. military operations over the past two decades. Critics consider these AUMFs outdated and used in ways that Congress never intended, resulting in legal basis for wars counter to democratic will. The session focused on the possibilities and justifications for reform, as well as the legal and policy concerns that policymakers should consider when crafting such reforms. Reforming the Authorizations for Use of Military Force
• May 11, 2022. By Brookings. On Feb. 5, 2021, the Congressional Study Group on Foreign Relations and National Security met to discuss the export and proliferation of civilian nuclear technology. Over the course of the Biden administration’s first term, the United States will have to decide not only whether to re-enter a nuclear agreement with Iran, but also whether to renew or amend U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation agreements with Egypt (2021), Morocco (2021), South Korea (2021) and Turkey (2023), enter into an agreement with Saudi Arabia, and resume or expand nuclear cooperation with Russia and China. But what input does Congress have into these decisions? And how could it choose to structure legal authorities differently if it wanted to expand that role? The Export and Proliferation of Nuclear Technology
• May 11, 2022. By Brookings. On Dec. 18, 2020, the Congressional Study Group on Foreign Relations and National Security met to discuss the growing convergence of economic and national security policy. Once thought of as separate domains, legal authorities associated with economic policy have often been used to advance national security objectives in recent years–and sometimes vice versa. Should the two areas of law and policy be treated separately? Or as a cohesive whole? Congress and the Convergence of Economics and National Security

USA – ASEAN

• May 11, 2022. By CSIS. CSIS is honored to host Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 11 at 3 p.m. EDT for his first speech in the United States in the lead up to the U.S.-ASEAN Summit. This year’s summit marks 45 years of U.S. ties with Southeast Asia and 27 years since the United States and Vietnam have established diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ahead of U.S.-ASEAN Summit
• May 11, 2022. By Sharon Seah, East Asia Forum. In hindsight, perhaps ASEAN was too optimistic about the Biden presidency. Who could blame them? After four years of the Trump administration, the region was more than ready to return to deeper engagement with the United States. A survey of regional elites showed that confidence that the United States would increase its engagement jumped from 9.9 per cent in 2020 under Trump to 68.6 per cent under Biden. Herds of elephants in the room at the ASEAN–US Summit
• May 11, 2022. By Jonatham  Stromseth, Brookings. This week, eight Southeast Asian leaders descend on Washington for a special summit hosted by President Joe Biden. They represent most of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a diverse grouping ranging from the city state of Singapore to the sprawling archipelago of Indonesia. Taken together, ASEAN’s 10 countries boast a population of over 680 million — more than Latin America, the Middle East, or the European Union — forming the fifth largest economy in the world with a GDP of $3.2 trillion. Taking stock of US-ASEAN relations as Biden convenes a special summit

USA – Iran

• May 11, 2022. By Laurie Mylroie, Kurdistan24. Last week, the US released a devastating report on Iran’s aggressive actions in the region. On Tuesday, the Lead Inspector General (LIG) for US counter-terrorism operations in Iraq and Syria issued an important report covering developments in the Jan. 1 – Mar. 31 quarter. US intel details Iranian aggression in the Middle East
• May 11, 2022. By Emanuele Ottolenghi, Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The U.S.-sanctioned Iranian airline Qeshm Fars Air has flown to Moscow at least seven times since mid-April after having made that trip only twice last year, according to the flight tracking service FlightRadar24. The airline’s sudden uptick in cargo flights to Moscow may reflect Iranian efforts to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. IRGC-Controlled Iranian Airline Makes Unexplained Flights to Russia Amidst Invasion of Ukraine

DEFENSE – MILITARY – CYBER – SPACE

• May 12, 2022. By Naval News. Tasmanian manufacturer, PFG, has launched its newest vessel in The Sentinel Range; an ultra-durable High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) 11-metre tactical watercraft at Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2022 in Sydney. PFG unveils Sentinel 1100 watercraft at Indo Pacific 2022
• May 11, 2022. By H.I. Sutton, Naval News. One of Russia’s first moves in its invasion of Ukraine was the capture of Snake Island. Two months later they are desperately struggling to keep it. This is a sign of their weakening dominance over the Northern Black Sea. How The Russian Navy Is Losing Dominance: The Curse Of Snake Island
• May 11, 2022. By Benjamin Felton, Naval News. Schiebel Pacific trounced all the competition earlier this month when it won a sole-source acquisition to deliver additional S-100 Unmanned Aerial Systems to the Royal Australian Navy under Project Sea 129 Phase 5. Naval News took the time during INDO PACIFIC 2022 to learn more about the platform and the new capabilities that were on display at the show. Advanced New Capabilities Demonstrated for the S-100 Drone
• May 11, 2022. By Benjamin Felton, Naval News. Austal unveiled a new range of offshore patrol vessels at Indo Pacific 2022. Based on the in-service Evolved Cape Class Patrol Boat, the “Offshore Patrol 60” design comes in three main variants built upon a common hull. Austal Unveils New ‘Offshore Patrol 60’ Range of OPVs
• May 11, 2022. By Naval News. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced on 10 May that it has been awarded a sole-source delivery task order from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) to provide structural hardware for the propulsor of the U.S. Navy’s new Columbia-class submarine. General Atomics to provide propulsor equipment for Columbia-class subs
• May 11, 2022. By Naval News. Damen Naval signed a contract with ABB to supply its Onboard DC Grid systems for all four F126 frigates that are under construction for the German Navy. Damen agrees with ABB Marine to support power systems of F126 frigates
• May 11, 2022. By Naval News. ECA Group is showcasing its autonomous systems at the Indo Pacific 2022 Maritime Industry Expo in Sydney between May 10-12. ECA Group showcases cutting-edge marine robots in Indo Pacific 2022
• May 11, 2022. By Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense. The Space Force’s new training strategy will combine traditional development and operational testing into one regime — a move that senior officials say should reduce costs and speed acquisition of new capabilities. Space Force to pioneer ‘integrated testing,’ digital range concepts
• May 11, 2022. By Aaron Mehta, Breaking Defense. With the Navy’s fiscal 2023 budget request looking to cut the overall number of ships, the service’s top uniformed officer is making the case that such cuts are needed to ensure weapons stockpiles don’t fall short in a conflict. Decommissioned ship funds would go towards buying missiles, Navy says
• May 11, 2022. By Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense. The Missile Defense Agency plans this year to narrow down the competitors in its effort to develop a new interceptor to shoot down hypersonic missiles, says Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill. MDA looks to narrow competition for hypersonic missile killer
• May 11, 2022. By Jacqueline Feldscher, Defense One. Navy leaders on Wednesday defended their decision to cut the fleet, rebutting Republicans’ claims that the fiscal 2023 budget proposal will make the Navy weaker against adversaries like China. Navy Leaders Defend Plan To Cut the Fleet Amid GOP Criticism
• May 11, 2022. By Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One. The U.S. Marine Corps wants loitering munitions for the flexible targeting and unnerving effect they’ve shown in Ukraine, the commandant said Tuesday. The newly-released update to Force Design 2030 calls for fielding such weapons with small units to “provide the close-combat lethality enhancements long-envisioned by infantry Marines.”. Marine Corps Wants Loitering Munitions for its Infantry Units
• May 11, 2022. By Elizabeth Howe, Defense One. While it’s still early in the year, the Army’s suicide numbers for 2022 are “significantly lower” than they were last year, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told Congress on Tuesday. However, key resources for some of the Army’s installations hardest hit by suicides are on the Army’s unfunded priorities list. Army Suicide Numbers for 2022 ‘Significantly Lower,’ Army Secretary Says
• May 11, 2022. By Sebastian Sprenger, Defense News. The operation to supply Ukraine with defensive weapons is straining allied supply chains, laying bare the potential for bottlenecks in lower-echelon but high-tech weaponry needed quickly at scale, according to British Defence Minister Ben Wallace. UK defense chief flags iffy weapon stocks for Ukraine war
• May 11, 2022. By Jen Judson, Defense News. The Pentagon’s Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office has wrapped up a demonstration of high-power microwave technology capable of taking out multiple drone threats at once. Pentagon tests high-power microwave systems against drones
• May 11, 2022. By Colin Demarest, Defense News. The war in Ukraine validates the U.S. Army’s efforts to upgrade communication gear and beef up cybersecurity tools, according to officials driving the service’s network modernization. War in Ukraine reinforces need for US Army network upgrades, generals say
• May 11, 2022. By  Rachel S. Cohen, Defense News. The Pentagon Inspector General’s Office announced Tuesday that it believes Air Force officials followed the law and relevant policies when they picked Alabama as the likely permanent home of U.S. Space Command headquarters. But the rules themselves may not have led to the most logical outcome for the key basing decision, the watchdog suggested. No foul play in moving Space Command to Alabama, Pentagon watchdog says
• May 11, 2022. By  Joe Gould and Jen Judson, Defense News. U.S. Army officials facing supply chain snags as they seek to restock Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and Javelin anti-tank weapons sent to Ukraine may get a reprieve. Stinger shortcut: US Army seeks special funding for missile supply chain
• May 11, 2022. By Brookings. On April 2, 2021, the Congressional Study Group on Foreign Relations and National Security convened over Zoom to discuss international and domestic legal regimes governing cyberactivity and cyberwarfare. With the recent SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange hacks, questions of cybersecurity are on the front pages and foremost in many policymakers’ minds. This session focused on the regulatory regime governing how the United States can engage in cyber activity, both offensive and defensive—with a focus on emerging U.S. strategies, including “Defend Forward”—and the unique questions this activity presents to Congress in its oversight and legislative roles. Legal Regimes Governing Cyberactivity and Cyberwarfare
• May 11, 2022. By Mario Arpino, Formiche. L’Italia assume ufficialmente il comando della missione Nato di addestramento in Iraq. Il generale Giovanni Iannucci ha rilevato la posizione dal generale danese Michael Lollesgaard, alla guida dell’impegno dell’Alleanza da maggio del 2021. Per l’operazione, il nostro Paese già schiera mille unità, con 270 mezzi terrestri e dodici mezzi aerei, e un budget di circa 260 milioni di euro, un dispositivo che sarà ora potenziato con nuovi arrivi dall’Italia. Ne parla il generale Mario Arpino, già capo di Stato maggiore della Difesa, su Airpress di aprile 2022. Al via il comando italiano dell’Iraq. Il punto di Arpino

HORIZONS

• May 2022. By Atlantic Council. Our Annual Report 2021/2022 provides a vibrant review of the Atlantic Council’s growth and innovation over the last year. The following pages offer highlights from one of the strongest years in the Atlantic Council’s six-decade existence. The introduction emphasizes the need for the Council’s work now more than ever amid recent global challenges such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Below the introduction you will find a snapshot of our 2021 achievements in numbers. The thematic and regional pages describe the vital and substantive work of our centers and programs. The convenings section demonstrates the influence of our 2021 events, followed by an overview of our finances and supporters. Read on to gain insight into our impact and agility as we enter our seventh decade of operations. Annual Report 2021/2022: Shaping the global future together
• May 11, 2022. By Dan Peleschuk, Atlantic Council. The world has changed in unfathomable ways since the Atlantic Council last recognized a crop of distinguished leaders just six months ago. In November, the Council honored the heroes who guided the world through a historic pandemic with their drive and innovation. The 2022 Distinguished Leadership Awards: Recognizing bravery and vision in wartime
• May 11, 2022. By Homi Kharas and Charlotte Rivard, Brookings. The IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings are a time when financing for sustainable development gets attention. This year, it was apparent that the main channels are clogged. Financing for sustainable development is clogged