GEOPOLITICA DEL MONDO MODERNO

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Defence - page 10

Alpine Taurinense redeployment in Lebanon

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Handover for the Combat Service Support Battalion of the Joint Task Force Lebanon, in the base “Millevoi” of Shama, Headquarters of the Italian contingent.

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Logistics Regiment “Taurinense” Rivoli (To), under the command of Colonel Sergio Conte, replaced the Logistic Regiment “Friuli” Budrio (Bo), under the command of Colonel Daniele Bolzoni. The commander of Sector West of UNIFlL, who attended the ceremony, thanked the soldiers of Logistics Regiment Friuli for their work and their commitment, especially for supporting the entrance into Lebanon of the Alpine Taurinense Brigade, who is conducting the first term in the “cedars’ land. “

During the past half operating, the military Logistics Regiment Friuli ensured the logistical movements by land and sea to the staff of the Italian contingent inflowing and outflowing from Lebanon, managed supplies and ensured the efficiency of equipment and materials. The health unit, who provided assistance to the staff of the base of Shama, carried out several significant “Medical Care” interventions in favor of local population. Finally, the Commander, wished a good work to “his” Logistics Regiment, that completes the deployment of the Alpine Brigade in Lebanon.
Viviana Passalacqua

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UNIFIL Lebanon, Italy: water tank in school

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Italian peacekeepers based on Alpina Taurinense Brigade have completed the construction of a covered cistern for collecting rainwater in the school of Ayta Ash Sha’b, in South Lebanon, attended by disabled children.

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The project, carried out by the joint task force within the civil military cooperation, pursues the objectives set by Resolution 1701 for the improvement of living conditions in Lebanese villages. It has been realized thanks to the Italian funds dedicated to the development of civil and military cooperation projects.

The work just inaugurated allows better operation and rationalization of institute water resources, devoided of water tanks, thus confirming the excellent relationships existing between local population and Italian peacekeepers.

Protagonist of the delivering, the Alpine Taurinense Brigade, maneuver unit of the Italian Army deployed in Lebanon since about a month in UNIFIL mission. For the first time, our soldiers operate in bi-national and non-permanent Italo-French conformation. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the commander of the Western Sector of UNIFIL and of Italian contingent, civil and religious authorities of the village including mayor Youssefi Srour, elders and school teachers of Ayta Ash Sha’b. All them expressed appreciation and gratitude for the work done.
Viviana Passalacqua

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Business value and risk management

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All businesses face similar risks in their daily routine. Understanding what risks we are going through is not as simple as it seems to be. But it is sure, no matter what business we are involved in, that we have to deal with risks of different nature, that will hit our interests in various ways and will affect the health of our business.

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The way it will happen is strictly linked to two points, that are pivotal: the first concerns the planning of the appropriate countermeasures, the second concerns the actions. This two big areas include multiple activities, that all start from the very understanding of the meaning of risk.

Considering the risk and therefore the possibility that an undesired event might take place is, first of all, an assumption of responsibility. It is so because it involves the structure of the business as a whole. It involves not only the money but the people behind them, involves the physical infrastructure (consider the example of a natural disaster), the IT infrastructures.

Risk can be defined as the probability that a damaging event has to happen. It is therefore a probability, which means that is based on two opposite considerations, that finally determine the likelihood of an event, given some variables: whether if an undesired and harmful event will happen or not. From here it comes natural that, before considering the probability of an event, and whether we are going to face it or not, or whether we will rather consider it or not, we have to accept it. This is the first step, a step we could call “the acceptance” of the risk. Gaining acceptance of risk will give us big advantages. This step is going to shape decision making policies in all the aspects of the organization, since it is related with the factor that is probably the most important among all those involved in the processes: the human factor. Gaining acceptance of risk means gain acceptance of the role of uncertainty. Especially in a globalized world, guided by the globalizations of the financial flows (volatility of the financial markets) and the globalization of the information, that amplifies and differentiates incomes and outcomes.

A comprehensive understanding of risk must take into consideration also the consequences of the event. This is even more important because it allows us to focus not only on data and scenarios that, at least at the beginning can seem to be unclear and dispersive, but allows us to stay focused on the importance of our business, showing what could be the consequences once one or more events will take place. We are not talking about a step, neither we are talking about an overnight and immediate success.

Then, what risk management is? It can be considered as a process, a sum of actions focused on a specific but not static path, whose goal is to foreseen accidents to whom oppose a predetermined action. What a good risk management policy is aimed to do is to protect the value at a firm. The value can be considered as the intrinsic and extrinsic merit of the assets, that will ultimately bring an increase of money, better reputation and so on. So we have tangible and intangible value (think about the value of the experience of the employees). And despite the intangible value is often underestimated because apparently not able to bring added value or profit, it is the very treasure of every corporation.

A good risk management policy is, after all, a process through which the elements involved are able to be exploited as best as possible and, by doing this, the involvement of the team is paramount (consider the importance of the Human Resources Manager or Consultant, once far from being at the center of the organization policy, now the core of the biggest and larger success firms). It gives, by the accuracy of the process and the assessment, the possibility to share knowledge, share participation.

Therefore, a good business policy is able to do two pivotal things: on one side it protects and improves the expertises of the single members of the team (and acts as a glue among them), and at the same time allows the business to wisely pinpoint critical factors, elements, verify them and solve the issues. This way it helps evolve the business and the people involved in it. Never take it for granted. This process will give a corporation the benefits of the establishment of a better networking policy between people, colleagues, teams and different corporation environments. The comprehensive use of the good tools in risk management practices will help create a better networking grid in the business, allowing all the floors communicating, acting, assessing and evaluating in a fluid and pragmatic manner.

The assets then can be included in three big categories. Human, organizational and structural asset. What can undermine the value of a business is usually called threat, but the possibility that a single or multiple set of threats are able to harm the interests of a business is increased by the existing links between all the assets and their vulnerabilities. We can imagine a vulnerability as an intrinsic feature of an asset. More, having every asset its own vulnerability (or vulnerabilities) and being connected in a grid with other assets, a harmful event could show up as a cascade process, as a multiplier of threats itself.

Risk has, in its definition (although we have to consider the little convergence of the numerous definitions of the term) a downside and an upside, that are known as crisis and opportunity. Without a correct risk management process we won’t be able to exploit the opportunity. But being concerned about risk doesn’t have to mean that a manager has to avoid it tu cur: the process of managing and assessing risks has one important goal, at the very end. The core of the processes to minimize damages and avoid useless risks, focusing instead on those that are worth it. It’s true that every risk that aims to a better life, more knowledge or more money it’s theoretically worth it. Minimizing risks and minimizing losses, means take those risks that really worth efforts. So, a business that decides not to be exposed to risks, is unlikely to generate new incomes. A business that is exposed to the wrong risks is likely to suffer big losses. What risk management is supposed to do is just a “check and balance” between risk and reward.

Risk management has to be addressed with a wider view. Theories have usually provided different ways to look at it, often too narrow, though every sector has its own policy and methodology. The narrower is the risk a company decides to consider, the more it will be prepared to face it. It is, simply, a more complete and competitive view of risks that enabled, at the very end, their victory and success.
Francesco Danzi

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NATO: Eastern Europe talks up

Defence/Europe di

Many more months before the next NATO summit in Warsaw on July 2016, Poland and Baltic States want a heavy militarization to border with Russia. Their Defence policies, together with far-right organizations popularity, could undercut the weak international balance between West and Russia.

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According to rumors reported by The Wall Street Journal and recalled by international press, discussion about new NATO Defence measures is stressful. Poland and Baltic states would want a heavy militarization to border with Russia. Indeed, to make his way, a 800-1000 soldiers battalion in all these four countries could become real.

In addition, sources close to the US government talk about a possible deployment, in rotation in these four countries, of 150 troops. A hypothesis that would also require, however, use of troops from other Member States.

The shift of dispute between NATO / United States and Russia from Ukraine to Syria has not reduced Eastern Europe and Scandinavia states anxiety. Moreover, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s notice, about imminent creation of two new bases in Hungary and Slovakia, has not toned down some the clash: “Russia has long warned of the undesirability of the danger,” said Dmitri Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But it’s the renewed prominence of some NATO member countries in geopolitical context to stands out, despite other European chancelleries doubts, as Germany, which don’t want to treat Moscow like a permanent enemy and outside continental background.

From its viewpoint, Poland announced to allocate 30 billion euro for military update, as well as the cooperation with Sweden and the creation, by the end of 2015, of a “counter intelligence of excellence “, a training center to enhance counterintelligence skills.

Nonetheless, it was not only Putin behaviour in Ukraine to rekindle the antagonism between Moscow and its European neighbors. Indeed, Russia’s growing presence in the Arctic incited Norway to increase to 20 billion euro defense expenditure: “Our neighbor to the east has increased its military capacity, even in areas close to us. It’s been shown to be willing to use military force to achieve political ambitions, ” Norwegian Navy rumored.

The iron hand of Poland, Hungary and other Eastern European countries in hot issues such as immigration and relations with Russia, together with far-right organizations popularity, are again bringing Europe to a cold war hysteria, to which even a possible political solution to the war in Ukraine could not draw to close.

Central and Eastern Europe invasions, submissions and independence effects, during modern and contemporary ages, come to light in 2015. The Russian enemy and the desire of independence from Brussels, as demonstrated by the last Polish election, could undercut the weak international balance between West and Russia.
Giacomo Pratali

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Antarctica, the Italian Defence takes part in the XXIX research expedition

Defence di

The Italian base “Mario Zucchelli”, situated in Baia Terra Nova, will be opened again for the XXXI Antarctic Summer Campaign, which is included in the National Research Program in Antarctica (PNRA). A contingent of Italian soldiers will participate in the project, opening the season 2015/2016. An expedition lasting four months, with the participation of 24 units coming from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and from the Carabinieri army corps, each one within the specific competences of the Armed Forces of belonging. The military will be joined to the initial core of 12 technicians ENEA managing the mission.

The Italian base “Mario Zucchelli”, situated in Baia Terra Nova, will be opened again for the XXXI Antarctic Summer Campaign, which is included in the National Research Program in Antarctica (PNRA). A contingent of Italian soldiers will participate in the project, opening the season 2015/2016.

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An expedition lasting four months, with the participation of 24 units coming from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and from the Carabinieri army corps, each one within the specific competences of the Armed Forces of belonging. The military will be joined to the initial core of 12 technicians ENEA managing the mission.

In the coming weeks, 200 other units including technicians and researchers will join the group. The Italian armed forces will contribute to many activities, from the weather to carry on safety of aircraft operations, high altitude operations with the Alpine guides, naval operations aimed at supplying the Concordia base for the winter campaign, to the so-called “extraordinary jobs” in a location characterized by snow and winds that can reach the speed of 300 Km/h.

Coordinated by the National Research Council and funded by the Ministry of Education in accordance with the strategic guidelines of the National Scientific Committee for Antarctica (CSNA), the activity of the PNRA ranges between biodiversity, evolution and adaptation of Antarctic organisms, earth sciences, glaciology, environmental contamination, atmosphere and space science, weather monitoring at the permanent Observers-climate, astronomy and geophysics.

Soldiers and research staff will face the Antarctic summer in particularly and complex conditions: temperatures between 0°C and -35°C, and 24 hours of light every day. The XXXI Summer campaign will end on 12 February 2016, with the return of the motorship “Italica”, which will support the operations and the closure of the “Mario Zucchelli” base.
Viviana Passalacqua

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Migrants: phase 2 of EUNAVFOR MED is started

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The second phase of EUNAVFOR MED, “Sofia”, started in October. It takes name from a Somali child born during a critic journey in the Mediterranean and rescued by a German ship last August.

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The project aims to stop the trafficking of human beings intercepting smugglers in the sea. The monitoring of international waters, aims to search, control and seize suspicious craft, and it is entrusted to military ships, helicopters and drones. All this, within the framework of the objectives set in July by the European Union to stem the crisis of migrants in the Mediterranean: identification, arrest and destruction of boats and means used by traffickers.

Currently, six European warships are engaged offshore Libya: an Italian one, an English one, a French one, a Spanish one and two German, but later this month three other means should be made available from England, Belgium and Slovenia. Four helicopters, many drones and 1300 military will be added to these.

According to Admiral Enrico Credendino, head of mission, “the order is enforcing law by the use of force, to dislocate traffickers’ business. While the first phase aimed to find the necessary information about transnational criminal network, the second phase provides for the boarding of vessels, their inspection, the reception of migrants, the arrest of traffickers and the destruction of their boats. All this, however, within international waters, 12 nautical miles away from the Libyan coast. We need a United Nations decision and an invitation from Libyan government to operate directly in the territorial waters. The third next phase would allow the temporary landing on the ground for the destruction of smugglers’ structures “.

This last phase, which hasn’t yet received the green light of the EU, would actually be the most effective, since it is in Libyan waters that most of the smugglers operate, but – as the Italian Foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni says – ”UN Security Council can’t authorize this intervention without the express request of Libya “.

14 European countries are participating in EUNAVFOR MED: Italy, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, Luxembourg, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden. The costs of military intervention – apart from an annually European contribution of 12 million Euros – are supported by the individual participating countries. Italy has contributed to the mission with a budget of 26 million euro and 1.020 soldiers.
Viviana Passalacqua

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Lebanon, Alpina T. Brigade: cardiac screening for students

Defence/Middle East - Africa di

The activities performed by Italian Army in favor of local people carry on in South Lebanon.

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The staff of the Alpina Taurinense Brigade followed up the activities of medical cardiological screening in synergy with the civil-military cooperation cell (CIMIC), composed of specialists who belong to the Multinational CIMIC Group of Motta di Livenza, and of medical units of “level 1” based in Shama, headquarter of the western sector of UNIFIL, under Italian command.

Students of institutes and schools located in Sothern Lebanon have benefited of medical monitoring, started from the 130 students of Alma Ash Shaab high school. Specifically, about 20 visits were carried out with its track by electrocardiogram and measurement of oxygen saturation, history and physical examination of the carotid pulses. These initiatives are contextualized within the support and assistance activities in favour of local population and institutions promoted by the multinational mission UNIFIL, in execution of Resolution 1701 of the Security Council of the United Nations.

The cardiac screening for children was inaugurated at the ned of last September by the Italian CIMIC staff in the educational center for disabled people of Ayta Ash Shaab, a southern Lebanon village, which houses 123 children aged between 2 and 25 years. Humanitarian interventions carried out by Italian contingent based on site are particularly appreciated by local people, who live in conditions of poverty and instability as a result of repeated conflicts with Israel and because of the near Syrian crisis.

Father Maroun Ghafari, director of the first institute monitored by medical units, expressed heartfelt gratitude to our soldiers for their continued support and attention devoted to his students.
Viviana Passalacqua

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EUROPOL supported spanish police against cyber criminal

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Europol has supported Spanish police* in an operation codenamed Walker, to take down a serious cybercriminal group during a coordinated action in Barcelona. With on-the-spot support from Europol, the action in Spain on 6 July resulted in the arrest of nine suspects, the dismantling of a sophisticated illegal call centre, six house searches and the seizure of numerous pieces of evidence; over 100 mobiles phones and stolen SIM cards, more than EUR 10 000 in cash, credit cards, computer equipment and other devices were taken away for further forensic examination.

The aim of this investigation was to target the cybercriminals and their accomplices who were involved in large scale telecommunication fraud as well as channelling and cashing-out the proceeds of their crimes. The criminals made fraudulent phone calls to premium service numbers set up and managed by other members of the criminal group based outside the EU. Each cybercriminal had their specialty and the group was involved in receiving mobile phones stolen from tourists in Spain, then harvesting and misusing the foreign mobile numbers (until they were blocked by the telecom operators in their countries), before then sending the money earned abroad.

Law enforcement analysed thousands of financial transactions to reconstruct the money flows and destinations across several jurisdictions. The criminal group relied on a network of accomplices who operated the destination bank accounts.

This was a very active criminal group and the damage caused by them is estimated to be at least EUR 2 million, affecting victims in various countries.

This international revenue share fraud (IRSF) is an insidious form of organised criminal activity that generates significant profits for the criminal groups and undermines the legal economy. The global estimated illegal income from this type of crime is more than EUR 45 million. Cooperation between law enforcement authorities, Europol and the telecommunication companies was crucial for the success of this operation, which represents a milestone in this specific area of digital crime.

EU and NATO a strong partnership

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Jointly declared the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker during their meeting at the European Community

“The EU and NATO are unique and essential partners who share common values ​​and strategic interests.” Said Jens Stoltenberg, “We work side by side in the operations of crisis management, capacity building and policy consultations to support peace and international security “

A joint statement comes at a critical moment of the relations between the European Union and Russia in response to the NATO exercises being accused NATO of getting too close to the Russian border

“Our cooperation is particularly important – continues the Secretary General of NATO – in the context of a declining defense budgets in many of our Member States. We must strengthen the potential of our strategic partnership to minimize duplication and maximize profitability.

Stoltenberg knows that Junkers hope growth of the efforts of the member countries in enhancing the capacity to work together and in close cooperation aspiring to a European defense and effective.

It then waits with interest the June European during which you will have to look decisive measures to that effect.

Frontex: “Triton will extend to 139 Nm south of Sicily”

Defence/Europe di

Frontex’s operation area will expand during this summer. Moreover, 3 airplanes, 6 Offshore Patrol Vessels, 12 patrol boats, 2 helicopters, 9 debriefing and 6 screening teams will make avaible to Triton.

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“We have dramatically increased the deployment levels in the Central Mediterranean to support the Italian authorities in controlling its sea borders and in saving lives, too many of which have already been tragically lost this year – Frontex’s Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri said. The role of the debriefing officers is particularly important because they collect intelligence about the criminals operating in Libya and other countries of transit. In this way Frontex is assisting the Italian authorities and Europol in their investigations and efforts to dismantle the smuggling networks preying on desperate people”, he added.

After funding’s increasing decided by the last European Council, Triton in Italy and Poseidon Sea in Greece will be stand to Eur 38 and 18 million by the European Commission. And it will be boosted Frontex with further Eur 45 million for both operations from next year.

26 European countries will equip Triton with their experts and technical equipment: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom.
Giacomo Pratali

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