The editorial staff of FIRSTonline has retraced for its readers the most significant stages of the year that has just ended, which we present to you again through a selection of some of the articles we have published in the last 12 months. From Trump's moves to the bio-testament, from migrants to Bitcoin, from Macron's victory that put a dam on the disintegrationist pushes in Europe to the earthquake in Italy, here are - among those we have dealt with - the most important events of the 2017.
MONDO
– Climate, Trump: USA outside the Paris agreement. Among the most important facts of 2017 there is certainly the first year of presidency of Donald Trump in the White House. Having to choose among the many moves, from constantly changing seats to the tightening on immigration, we thought about the US exit from the COP21 climate agreements.
– Russiagate, turning point: Flynn confesses and Trump trembles. It always concerns the US president - but in this case also another major international power such as Russia - another major case that characterized 2017. The ties between the Trump clan and the Kremlin almost cost the US president his impeachment .
– North Korea: nuclear race, but Seoul does not fear Pyongyang. 2017 was the year of the nuclear crisis, with the Pyongyang regime carrying out more than one test, establishing itself as a new atomic threat. We offer you a piece of analysis, beyond the continuous provocations that have distinguished the last few months.
– War against Isis, Raqqa liberated. Islamic terrorism is more alive than ever, but this year the epicenter of the caliphate, between Syria and Iraq, has suffered major blows. In particular, the Raqqa stronghold was liberated from pro-American militias.
– G7: no to terrorism and protectionism. In May, the first G7 of the Trump era was held in Taormina, the first opportunity for discussion between the recently elected president of the United States and the great European leaders, including the Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. Above all, there was talk of terrorism and trade.
EUROPA
– France, Macron wins and Europe wins: he is the new President of the Republic. The year that has just ended was marked by various electoral rounds in the Old Continent: those in France and Germany stand out in terms of importance, but Holland and Austria also voted. In France, the pro-European Emmanuel Macron won after defeating the Eurosceptic Marine Le Pen.
– Elections Germany: Merkel wins but loses votes, ultra-right boom, SPD collapse. Unlike in Holland and Austria, where the populist forces did very well, in Germany too – as in France – the establishment won. Indeed, albeit with a narrower majority and despite her unpopular position on migrants, Chancellor Angela Merkel was confirmed.
– Catalonia referendum: 90% yes. Rajoy: “Illegal”. Another major continental event of 2017 was the Catalan affair: from the referendum for independence with the clear victory of Yes, to the new elections for the Catalan Parliamento, who once again saw the independence activists win.
– Migrants, Juncker: heroic Italy. Also at the European level, it is impossible not to recall once again the tragedy of the migrants who died in the waters of the Mediterranean. An agreement was reached this summer to reduce landings, while between May and June the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker repeatedly gave credit to Italy for managing the phenomenon.
– Barcelona, terrorism bloodied the Ramblas: dozens of dead and wounded. Among the various attacks of 2017, the one that hit one of the symbolic cities of Europe should certainly be mentioned. On 17 August there were also several Italians among the victims.
ITALY
– The biowill is law: yes of the Senate, here's what changes. Returning to our domestic issues, we have chosen as the first piece of news one of the most recent but also significant and long-awaited: this is how, after so many years of battle, the end-of-life discipline has changed.
– Renzi: "Pd split conceived by D'Alema". On the political front, in addition to the new electoral law and the many topics of discussion of these 12 months, the split of the Democratic Party, the first party in the last general elections of 2013, should be noted.
– Fincantieri: 50+1 per cent of Stx to the Italians. This case concerns Italy but also Europe, since after a long tug of war between Rome and Paris, which also involved the respective governments, the Italian naval company managed to have a majority stake in the French group which manages the historic facilities of Saint-Nazaire, on the Atlantic.
– Pharmaco Agency, Milan mocked: Amsterdam wins the draw. Always Italy and always in the European context, but this time in a negative key, it concerns the unfortunate event that saw Milan bet all its cards on the assignment of the EMA (European drug agency) and lose in the draw in favor of Amsterdam .
– Earthquake and snow: 1 dead, 3 missing and an avalanche on a hotel (VIDEO). The news story that most shook Italians in 2017 came almost a year ago: the avalanche on the Hotel Rigopiano, in Farindola in Abruzzo, cost the lives of 29 people. This is the most serious tragedy caused by an avalanche that has occurred in Italy since 1916 and since 1999 in Europe.
ECONOMY AND FINANCE
– Bitcoin, all the strengths and weaknesses of cryptocurrencies. As a financial newspaper, we could not fail to pay particular attention to events related to the international economy, markets and technology. And in this sense, no one will be able to deny that 2017 was also and above all the year of the explosion of the Bitcoin. We offer you the analysis of Alessandro Fugnoli.
– Jerome Powell, who is the new Fed chairman. She will take office in 2018 in place of Janet Yellen, but her appointment took place this calendar year. Here's how you, presumably, will switch the Federal Reserve with Jerome Powell.
– Bank of Italy: Gentiloni reconfirms Visco. In Italy, on the other hand, Ignazio Visco remains in the seat of the highest banking institution, despite all the controversies over the various banking scandals of recent years, from Mps to the Veneto banks up to Banca Etruria.
– Borsa: Pirelli returns to the FtseMib from 18 December. After an absence of two years from Piazza Affari, the historic stock has returned to the main basket of the Milan stock exchange. He was replaced by Banca Mediolanum, slipped among the Mid Caps.
– Jeff Bezos is the new richest man in the world, here is the ranking. The scrooge of the world is no longer Bill Gates: the owner of Amazon makes room for him, while the wealth of the planet's ultra-billionaires continues to grow dramatically, especially Americans and Chinese.
– The iPhone turns 10: the story of a revolution. As often happens, even if few people know it, Apple's jewel was born from one of the biggest failures in computer history. Here's how it went.
GOODBYE
2017 was also the year of excellent deaths: singers, artists, actors, but also personalities from the world of politics, news, made in Italy and the underworld. We have chosen some that, by importance or for reasons that are close to our heart, are to be remembered: Guido Rossi, Carla Fendi, Helmut Kohl, Laura Biagiotti, James Vaciago, Gualtiero Marchesi, Alexander Pansa. After a long imprisonment, the "chief of chiefs" Toto Riina died in prison in Parma bringing with him the secrets of his heinous crimes.
