Theresa Maggio

A group of Italian mayors has rebelled against Matteo Salvini, the country's hardline interior minister, by refusing to implement stringent new laws on the treatment of asylum seekers.

The mayors of Palermo, Naples, Florence and Parma said that a controversial security law, passed by the populist coalition in November, violates the basic rights of migrants and refugees.

The law prevents migrants from seeking residency permits while they are waiting for their asylum applications to be considered, meaning that they cannot access services such as health care, housing and schools for their children.

The mayors are threatening to block the implementation of the law in their cities, in a major challenge to the populist coalition, which came to power in June.

The clash comes after Italy's president, Sergio Mattarella, called for an end to the rancour prevalent in Italian politics and warned against the dangers of whipping up xenophobia, in a New Year's Eve address that was watched on television by 10 million Italians.

Leoluca Orlando, the centre-Left mayor of Palermo, said the security decree was "inhumane".

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In the face of right-wing, racist  politicians who now rule Italy......

The door to Palazzo delle Aquile is covered with gold -- gold thermal blankets handed out to immigrants who are rescued from the sea. Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando says: "We are reminding everyone that we are engaged in defending the only race that exists: the human race."

An awesome view. Etna erupting. The Fontanarossa Airport was shut down for a few days. Fleri, a neighborhood of  Zafferana Etnea, was the epicenter of a strong earthquake that was a kilometer deep.

A lovely photo posted by Palermitano Curioso - B.V. on Facebook.

Vermont Public Radio did a piece on the installation of the third iteration of the goddess Ceres (aka Demeter) , goddess of agriculture, atop the golden dome of the capital building in Montpelier. Interesting Vermont/Sicily connection:

Demeter is the goddess of agriculture in Sicily. Her daughter, Persephone, was abducted beside a lake in central Sicily and spent the dry months underground in Hades.

Here is the link:

http://digital.vpr.net/post/ceres-statue-once-again-adorns-vermont-statehouses-golden-dome

Sicilian towns have won four of the six annual national competitions for Il Borgo Piu` Bello dell'Italia, the most beautiful town in Italy. This year the wnner is Petralia Soprana in the Madonie Mountains of Sicily, not far from Polizzi Generosa.

On Saturday, September 15th, 2018 Pope Francis had lunch at Fra Biagio's Citadella homeless refuge near the Palermo train station where it all started decades ago. The pontiff broke bread ( actually home-grown olives, caponata, breaded chicken, warm organic bread and olive oil, then dolci, all grown and prepared by the homeless residents and volunteers) with the mostly African immigrants and other guests. The following day was fra Biagio's birthday, Sept. 16. I think he was satisfied with how things went.