This week we focus on the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
In other news, Javier Milei was voted in as Argentina’s next president, hostages have been freed during brief ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a knife attack in Dublin has resulted in anti-immigrant riots in Ireland.
All this and much, much more in our latest issue. Have a read to start your week well informed!
Spotlight: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, In Italy and Abroad
On Saturday 25th of November, thousands took part in protests throughout Italy for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In the backdrop, the ongoing public anger and distress over the murder of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin, the latest in a long string of gender-based murders and acts of violence, could be felt stirring the already heavy atmosphere. As President Mattarella stated in his message on the day: “Dramatic news stories have shaken the country’s conscience;” “a human society that aspires to be civilized cannot accept, cannot endure, this string of attacks on women.” According to data from the interior ministry, 102 women have been killed in acts of gender-based violence in Italy so far this year, 53 of whom at the hand of their partner or ex-partner. On Saturday several demonstrations were organised across major cities in Italy, from Milan to Napoli, Messina and Rome, where the feminist organisation Non una di meno responsible for the event reported 500 thousand participants.
1 in 3 women is likely to be subjected to violence at least once in her life. This is a world-wide statistic. How was the day for the Elimination of Violence against Women marked across the world? Protests spanned from France, where 121 women have been killed so far this year and where the government is being urged to take stronger steps to eradicate violence against women starting from education policies; all the way to Brazil where protesters lined up 722 pairs of women shoes representing the number of feminicides recorded in the country this year (the highest value since 2019). Overall the day, in Italy and the world, appears to have embodied a statement by Giulia Cecchettin’s sister, Elena Cecchettin: “Per Giulia non fate un minuto di silenzio, per Giulia bruciate tutto.”
Around the World
Argentina elects outsider Javier Milei on platform of radical reform. TV celebrity turned politician Javier Milei was voted in as Argentina’s next president on November 19 in a runoff election after the preceding election failed to provide a majority party. Milei, a right-wing libertarian, has drawn comparisons to Donald Trump on account of having a similar eccentric personality and abrasive style. He promises to change political functioning in the country and has initiated the dollarization of Argentina as one of his first moves as the country battles triple-digit inflation rates.
First Captives Freed in Tense Gaza Truce Between Israel and Hamas. After weeks of negotiations involving Egypt, Qatar and the United States, the ceasefire and hostages-release have started in Gaza. On the first day of the truce, Hamas has freed 13 Israelis-mostly children- as well as 10 Thais and one Filipino that were captured while working in Israelis farms. This operation has been followed by the release of 39 Palestinian women and minors imprisoned by the Israeli authorities. Netanyahu have declared that Mossad had received a list with the names of the hostages expected to be relieved in a next operation on Saturday and that Israel will extend the cease-fire by a day for every 10 additional hostages that Hamas releases on top of the numbers previously negotiated.
China says a surge in respiratory illnesses caused by flu and other known pathogens . The Chinese health ministry claimed the recent spike to have emerged due to an overlap of common viruses, such as the influenza virus, the respiratory syncytial virus, or the adenovirus. The official called on local authorities to promote vaccinations among children and the elderly and advised people to wear masks. The declaration comes after the World Health Organization had formally requested that China provide information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children.
‘It Snowballed’: How a Knife Attack in Dublin Led to a Riot. On Thursday, three children and a woman have been wounded by a knife attack outside a school in Dublin. The attacker has been tackled to the ground by a bystander and the Irish police force has refused to comment on his background. Anti-immigrant far-right parties’ sustainers have started circulating an unconfirmed report stating that the attacker was of Algerian origins and organized a call-to-action to gather in the center of Dublin the same night in defense of Irish women and children. The situation has quickly escalated with rioters clashing with the police, looting stores and setting cars on fire.
Dutch election shows far right rising and reshaping Europe. In the Netherlands, the Wilders’ Freedom Party, led by far-right leader Geert Wilders, is leading the presidential race. This latest victory from a far-right-wing politician is further proof of a strengthening right-wing wind blowing across Europe. While the Wilders’ Freedom Party had previously talked of a referendum for ‘Nexit’, the Dutch but perhaps messier version of Brexit, analysts predict that the party would have to let go of this agenda during the tough negotiations for coalition partners.
More than 70 Russian drones hit Kyiv, wounding five: Ukrainian officials. Starting from Saturday early morning, more than 70 Russian drones hit Kyiv in what Ukrainian officials have defined as the largest drone attack in the war so far. The city’s mayor has reported that several buildings in districts across the city have been damaged and 5 people have been injured, including a 11-years-old girl. Fragments of one drone have also started a fire in a children nursery.
A stampede during a music festival in southern India university has killed at least 4 students. The disaster took place at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kerala where students were enjoying a live musical event that was interrupted by rain, which led the audience to scamper for shelter that resulted in a stampede. Pinarayi Vijayan, the top elected official in Kerala, said he had ordered an investigation into the matter.
Ecuador’s newly sworn-in president repeals guidelines allowing people to carry limited drug amounts. After less than 48 hours into his term, newly elected President Daniel Noboa fulfilled his campaign promise to overturn controversial guidelines that eliminated penalties for people found carrying illegal drugs under certain amounts. According to a statement from the Presidential office, the old guidelines “were a harmful element for Ecuadorian society, encouraging micro-trafficking”. Noboa was sworn into office on Thursday after defeating Luisa Gonzalez in a runoff election.
Italian News
Le condanne nel più grande processo di sempre contro la ’ndrangheta. È arrivata la condanna in primo grado per 207 imputati, nell’ambito del processo “Rinascita Scott”, per un totale di 2200 anni di carcere complessivi. L’operazione, iniziata nel 2019 dall’ormai celebre PM Nicola Grattieri, era mirata a minare le fondamenta stesse della ‘Ndrangheta Calabrese. In questo processo, il più grande contro la mafia dal maxi–processo di Falcone e Borsellino, vede infatti condannate figure apicali, come i boss Saverio Razionale e Domenico Bonavota. L’opinione pubblica si è inoltre concentrata su un’altra figura: l’ex parlamentare di Forza Italia Giancarlo Pirelli, che dovrà scontare 11 anni di carcere.
Violenza sulle donne, via libera al ddl Roccella al Senato. Il senato approva il disegno di legge ddl Roccella. L’obbiettivo è di incrementare una “prevenzione secondaria” a tutela delle donne, che hanno denunciato il loro partner per violenze. La premier Giorgia Meloni si è ritrovata in accordo con la segretaria del PD Elly Schlein, permettendo così di raggiungere una maggioranza a favore della proposta de PD. “Approviamo un disegno di legge che renda obbligatoria l’educazione al rispetto e all’affettività” esordisce la leader democratica.
Droghe, lo spot del governo tra politica, parodia e bufale sul proibizionismo. Ha generato molto scalpore nell’opinione pubblica italiana il nuovo spot antidroga promosso dal governo di Giorgia Meloni. Oltre alle criticità relative al video in se si è molto parlato di come questo approccio al problema delle sostanze sia frutto di un proibizionismo ormai fin troppo anacronistico e di un paternalismo di raeganiana memoria. Diversi esponenti dell’opposizione, primo fa tutti Magi, hanno fortemente criticato i toni e le modalità esposte dallo spot, nonché la demonizzazione stessa di una sostanza come la cannabis, ormai legalizzata in molti paesi con effetti tutt’altro che catastrofici.
Proteste contro Amazon in Europa: sciopero di lavoratori e attivisti per il Black Friday. Scioperano i lavoratori di Amazon nei giorni del Black Friday; nei dieci giorni di sconti indetti dal colosso dell’e-commerce sono previsti in tutta Europa scioperi degli addetti ai magazzini ed alle consegne per rivendicare migliori condizioni di lavoro e aumenti salariali. A ciò si aggiungono azioni di organizzazioni no-global che tappezzeranno di manifesti e nastro adesivo i Locker per impedirne l’utilizzo. L’azienda ribatte rivendicando di essere all’avanguardia nelle sue politiche del lavoro e della sostenibilità ambientale con l’obiettivo di raggiungere un livello di emissioni nette di CO2 pari a zero entro il 2040; rivendica in particolare di aver investito in Italia 16,9 miliardi di euro e creato 18.000 posti di lavoro a tempo indeterminato in oltre 60 siti.
Bocconi news: Upcoming Events
November 27, 9:30 am – 6:00 pm | SDA Bocconi, Via Sarfatti, 10, Milan
OPENING CEREMONY CALL TECH ACTION – Celebrating the start of a week dedicated to the blend of technology, innovation, and the new generation—promoting encounters between innovative ideas and technologies, marking the beginning of a promising future.
November 27, 6:15 pm | Room Zappa
Movies & Languages Film Festival: La boda de Rosa (Rosa’s Wedding)- The Fall edition of The Movies & Languages Film Festival concludes with “La boda de Rosa,” directed by Iciar Bollaín.
November 27, 2023, 6:30 pm | AULA 24
NEUTRALIZING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE- Legal experts, including Avv. Emanuela Fumagalli and judge Roberto Crepaldi, discuss strategies to neutralize gender-based violence through legal safeguards and on-field efforts.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023, 6:30 pm | Aula 12
WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN SOCIETY- An important talk on gender-based violence with Harvard Professor Rosenfeld, Bocconi Professor Romeo, and Fatima Haidari, the first female guide in Afghanistan.
November 29, 2023, 6:00 pm | Aula Magna, via Gobbi 5
OFF THE RECORD: ERMAIL META – “UN MILIONE DI COSE DA DIRVI”- An intimate evening with Ermal Meta, the Albanian-Italian singer-songwriter discussing his musical journey, life principles, and dedication to his craft.
November 28, 2023, 6:30 pm | AULA 301
CLIMATE CHANGE: DO STATES HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY?- A dedicated event about two important pending decisions concerning the question of the existence of a legal responsibility on States taking action to prevent global warming.
November 29, 2023, 6:30 pm | AULA N10
HOW ESG IS SHAPING FINANCIAL MARKETS: NAVIGATING OPPORTUNITIES AND CONCERNS- A discussion delving into strategic approaches, challenges, and macro-trends, including the impact of ESG awareness and financial services democratization.
November 29, 2023, 6:45 pm | AULA ZAPPA
THE FUTURE OF HERITAGE: RE-BRANDING AND REVOLUTION- A discussion with Pucci artistic director and Missoni manging director.
Globetrotter: Spain, Sánchez and the Catalan Separatist Movement
We travel the world one country at a time analysing the past, present and future of pressing sociopolitical phenomenons. This week we land in Spain.
This week, we focus on Pedro Sánchez’s reelection as the Prime Minister in Spain. In order to secure a majority, Sánchez brokered a deal with Catalan separatists, agreeing to grant amnesty to those involved in the illegal independence referendum in 2017. The Catalan issue has long been a divisive one in the country, especially considering the social, cultural, and economic prominence of the Catalan region.
Pedro Sánchez is once again the Prime Minister of Spain. Sánchez’s Socialist Party (PSOE) will govern a minority coalition government with left-wing Sumar. Following this year’s inconclusive elections, in which the center-right People’s Party (PP) came first but fell short of forming a government with far-right Vox, Socialists were required to garner support from separatist parties, Catalan Republican Left and the more radical Junts per Catalunya. Sánchez offered the Catalan separatists amnesty to end criminal cases against several hundred pro-independence leaders and supporters of the illegal Catalan independence referendum held in the region in 2017. Sánchez argued that the conservative hard-line approach had brought about the unsuccessful 2017 move for secession in the first place. Polls show that two-thirds of Spanish voters oppose the amnesty. The Conservative opposition organized protests in 53 cities, including Barcelona and Madrid, with the participation of thousands of people. During the demonstrations in Madrid, Santiago Abascal, the leader of far-right Vox, called the amnesty deal a “coup d’etat.”
The deal opens the door to the return of the de facto leader of the radical Junts per Catalunya, Mr. Puigdemont. Puigdemont was the president of the Catalan region in 2017. He led the efforts to organize a referendum and eventually declared Catalonia as an independent state. However, Sánchez says the amnesty will end the criminalization of the Catalan conflict and promote “peaceful coexistence” between the region and the rest of Spain.
This deal and what it will bring in the future is particularly important for Spaniards as the question of Catalan independence has long been causing polarization within the country. Sánchez believes it is time to make peace with the past and move on altogether. While this is welcomed by the left, many still disagree with granting amnesty to Catalan separatists. The common concern that the people share, on the other hand, is that this move could further boost extremist political ideologies on both sides of the political spectrum and weaken the centrist parties. After all, despite a dissimilar trend in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and France, Spanish voters overwhelmingly voted for the center-right and center-left parties, denying the far-right Vox Party the possibility to enter the government.
