Murder of Aurora

I've just read Asep's post about the murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota, United States. That woman was killed by a police officer three days ago. That's truly sad, there's no doubt about it. Asep's big question is: why do police officers need to carry lethal weapons when dealing with illegal immigrants❓

Illegal immigration is not easy to manage. While illegal immigrants and human being traffickers try to cross the Italian border illegally or circulate in Italy, police officers don't know whether they are criminals or have escaped from prison in their countries. 

The dramatic video of the U.S. police officer, who opened fire on a woman in Minnesota, has been spread across the world. But the news of the illegal immigrant, Emilio Gabriel Valdez Velazco, who three days ago killed a young woman, Aurora, in Milan, Italy, hasn't been spread in the same way. That illegal immigrant also admitted to abusing the nineteen-year-old Italian women. 

I took the above photo in Rome close the railway station.

I would like to emphasize once again on my blog that illegal immigrants are not allowed to cross the border in Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Slovakia, etc. ... Should I continue❓ If we, Westerners, really want to help Sub-Saharian population, we have to create jobs there, in their countries. 

Have a lovely third week of January ❄

Hegemonic behaviour

On the 3rd of January, 2026, Venezuela president Maduro was removed from power and replaced by a regime compliant to United States demands. 

Nobody asks why Chinese or Russian warships weren't there, close to the numerous Venezuela's Caribbean island and archipelagos. If Russians were to kidnap Moldova's president, United States soldiers, tanks and missiles would be deployed close to the Moldovan border in less than 24 hours. A 5th grade boy/girl would understand this point. 

Otherwise, it is also likely that Russia traded Venezuela to get more, from the president of the United States, at the Ukraine-Russia negotiating table. But we have no evidence about such secret agreement between Washington and Moscow.                

Vatican's nativity scene

The above photo shows the Vatican's nativity scene that was unveiled on the 15th of  December in St. Peter Square.

The nativity scene is surrounded by Vatican police officers, who are responsible for public order and crime prevention. If someone wanted to visit Vatican square and St. Peter Basilica, he/she would  have to pass through Vatican police security checkpoints.

The Christmas tree set up in Vatican square comes from Norther Italy. It is 25 meters tall and weighing 8,000 Kilograms.

Happy Christmas 🎄🎀🎁

Russian frozen assets

I'd like to share Hungarian President's point of view about Russia's frozen assets. Mr. Orban has just said that "there are two countries which are at war. It's not the EU, it's Russia and Ukraine, and somebody, the EU , would like to take away the money of one of the warring parties, and to give it to the other one. It's a marching into the war, so the Belgian Prime Minister is right. We should not do that."  

The above photo shows the Hungarian Parliament building on the eastern bank of the Danube river. I took the picture of that neo-gothic landmark in April this year. 

Greetings

Rome's Christmas decoration

 

Rome's Christmas 20-metre tree was unveiled on the 2nd of December this year. I saw it yesterday. Many locals and tourists were walking and shopping close to the Spanish steps, named after the Spanish Embassy located there. That place is famous for the monumental staircase and its elegant baroque architecture.

People were also enjoying Christmas decoretion.

                 

There were a lot of Christmas decoretions hanging on the front doors of older Rome's residential buildings.

I noticed that some holiday decorations had nothing to do with Christmas, such as the Wolksvagen Bettle, produced by the German company Wolksvagen from 1938 to 2003, 

... and the polar bear. 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature reports that the global population of polar bears is 22,000 to 31,000.

Have a nice weekend 🌲

U.S. tariffs on EU's wine & spirits

 

Glad to hear that pasta, cheese, wine and spirits, as well as olive oil and sunglasses, are among the priority sectors of Italy's goods that the European Union wants Washington to shield from higher tariffs.

Major Irish whishey distillery owners are also hopeful U.S. customs duties will be reduced. 

It seems higher tariffs continue to impact negatively on U.S. sales and jobs, although they generate government revenue.  

The weather has been too cold since the 27th of November ... it's perfect for a glass of red wine 🍷❄🙂

In the meanwhile, on the geopolitical front, the 49-year-old Ukrainian man, Serhii Kuznietsov, arrived in Germany two days ago, after Italy's highest court approved his extradition later last week. That man is suspected of setting off explosions that damaged the EU Nord Stream pipelines in 2022. I clearly know that a very small number of blogging friends don't like such news, as they have been shaped to believe that Ukrainians can never be guilty parties. But we are talking about a German criminal court, not a Belarusian or Russian one. Not to mention that EU, UK and US' newspapers don't highlight this news as it should.

Have a nice weekend 🍁🍷🌰

Scandals that were once overlooked

The machinery of Ukraine war's support begins to slow. And Western media begins to expose Kyiv government's scandals that were once overlooked.

The more Western investigators and journalists uncover about corruption and mismanagement in Ukraine, the easier it becomes for Washington & EU to justify a gradual disengagement without admitting strategic defeat to Russia.   

I don't forget 2022 Pope Francis' interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. He said "Transatlantic military alliance "barking" at Russia's door may have led to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine". In other words, he said Ukraine war was perhaps somehow provoked.

The stupidity is that if someone were to understand how Russia-Ukraine war was provoked, he/she would be labelled as pro-Putin.