Smear theater, next act

adminonDecember 29, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

The conflict between Italy's pro-government media and the Catholic Church continues. Meanwhile, conspiracy theories are doing the rounds, there is talk of Vatican intelligence agents, a dubious defamation letter and a defamation campaign.

According to Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, the scandal surrounding Dino Boffo, editor-in-chief of the Italian Catholic daily Avvenire, has nothing to do with an alleged Vatican intelligence service. "The secret services in the Vatican do not exist," Lombardi said, according to the daily "Corriere della Sera" (Thursday). The Jesuit thus turned "in the strongest possible terms" against speculations of the head of the Turin-based newspaper "Il Giornale," Vittorio Feltri. The latter had stated in a radio report that an anonymous defamatory letter against Boffo for alleged homosexual relations had been circulated by "the Vatican's secret services". Lombardi accused Feltri, according to "Corriere," of trying to stir up chaos with misinformation. Feltri's statement on Rai Radio 1 could at best have referred to security forces that are subordinate to the Vatican gendarmerie. No letter directed against Boffo ever emanated from there either, the Vatican spokesman said. Boffo, for his part, accused "Il Giornale" of a defamation campaign against his person and of deliberate disinformation. The newspaper based itself in the crucial points on the defamatory letter of unknown origin, underlined Boffo in the "Avvenire" (Thursday). For example, he said, the Interior Ministry itself has denied police surveillance of Boffo's private contacts, as alleged by "Il Giornale". In recent days, Boffo had received backing from senior church officials, such as the president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, and Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. Pope Benedict XVI. personally telephoned Bagnasco on Tuesday, according to a statement from the bishops' conference, and expressed his appreciation for the work of the bishops' conference and its president. In the Italian press this was interpreted as personal support in the case Boffo.

There is no end to the crisis in Nicaragua: the socialist regime remains intransigent. Meanwhile, more and more opposition members seek protection in neighboring countries because of death threats.

Now environmentalist Monica Lopez has also arrived in Costa Rica. The Central American country is increasingly becoming a refuge for opposition politicians and human rights activists threatened by government-affiliated paramilitary gangs in Nicaragua.

"As a family, we had to take immediate action," Lopez said Monday. Their lives are in danger. In a video, the environmental activist blamed the Sandinista government of President Daniel Ortega for her forced escape. They have received death threats. He said there was information that she had become the target of contract killers.

Government critics threatened

Lopez most recently worked, among other things, as a legal advisor to a small farmers' movement opposed to the construction of the billion-dollar Nicaragua Canal project. She is the daughter of former Sandinista guerrilla fighter and later Ortega critic Monica Baltodano.

Before that, the leader of the campesino movement, who had previously reported on serious human rights violations by the Ortega government, had already fled to Costa Rica. She had also been massively threatened. Environmentalists and farmers accuse the government of expropriating land for purely economic reasons. In addition, the planned Nicaragua Canal is an ecological disaster.

Meanwhile, the Nicaraguan bishops renewed their criticism of the regime: In view of the prevailing violence, Nicaragua will have no future with Ortega, said the Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference and Bishop of Esteli Juan Abelardo Mata Guevara.

Activists report "blacklisting"

Repression in the country continues to increase, according to reports from human rights organizations. Activists post videos online purporting to show arbitrary and brutal arrests of government opponents. There are reportedly "blacklists" to systematically isolate, arrest or even kill government critics.

International journalists are arrested and deported. On top of that, the Nicaraguan justice system is cracking down on demonstrators with draconian punishments. The whereabouts of a group of arrested students is unknown; there are reports of torture and sexual assault in the detention centers.

Opposition calls for dialogue

The opposition reacts with unity. Last week, more than 40 organizations signed a joint pact. They ask the government to return to the so-called table of the National Dialogue. The talks should be continued under international observation, they demanded.

The Human Rights Commission of the Organization of American States recently sharply criticized the conditions in Nicaragua; in the meantime, the Ortega government refuses to communicate with the OAS.

Protests against government

The current crisis in Nicaragua had ignited in mid-April over a pension reform that has since been withdrawn. Subsequently, the protests were directed against restrictions on freedom of the press and freedom of opinion, as well as against state violence. Now civil society representatives are calling for President Ortega's immediate resignation.

The rejects this and instead blames the opposition for the outbreaks of violence. Since the beginning of the protests, more than 300 people have died and thousands have been injured. Catholic Church accuses government of serious human rights violations. Ortega, meanwhile, accused the bishops of plotting a coup against him.

Going on vacation by car is popular. Around two-thirds of vacation trips start with a car journey – we Austrians are particularly fond of going to the seaside in Italy (24.1%) or Croatia (16.6%). you have to make sure you can fit in all the things you need for your vacation: suitcases, air mattresses, sports equipment – it all takes up a lot of space. But still a car trip is very practical, because you are independent from departure times, you can just stop at nice places and you don’t have to carry your suitcases from the train to the airport to the bus.

3 tips: how to stow your luggage properly

But before departure, things are usually chaotic. Depending on the destination and the number of passengers you will have to carry quite a lot of luggage. This often ends up in a wild mess in the carriage. how to get things in order and start your car journey with a safe feeling you will find out in the following 3 tips.

1. Get an overview and expand your storage space

First of all, you should take your time to get an overview of all the luggage. If you know you have to transport bulky sports equipment or a bicycle, it’s smart to expand your transport options.

This is what happens when you hitch a trailer behind your car. For this you need an appropriate trailer hitch. There are different variations of clutches. Before you hitch up the trailer, you should check your registration papers, where the permissible trailer load and the support load are stated.

now it’s getting technical: the trailer load is usually 1.000 to 3.500 kilograms. The support load, the weight with which the trailer drawbar presses vertically on the coupling, is usually between 50 and 120 kilograms. Anyone who has obtained a class B driver’s license after 1999 is allowed to pull a trailer weighing more than 750 kilograms. However, the total permissible mass of the car-trailer combination must not exceed 3.5 tons. So you should place heavy objects in the trailer very close to the axles. Everything must be strapped down or covered with a tarpaulin or a sheet. A network to be secured. ATTENTION! This also applies to small and lightweight luggage.

As an alternative for a lot of luggage you can also use a roof box. Between 50 and 100 kilograms can be carried in addition with such a box. Whether your car can carry loads on the roof, is written in your owner’s manual.

2. Packing the trunk properly

In the trunk, luggage should be stowed as flush and evenly as possible. If there’s too much luggage on one side, the car will hit the side of the road. This wears down tires and shock absorbers unilaterally. in addition, the driving behavior deteriorates. Heavy luggage belongs on the bottom. Luggage should be tied down. Fixed lugs in the trunk are safer than elastic rubber straps. Even better are sturdy luggage grids as a partition to the passenger compartment. important things like first-aid kit, warning triangles and vests should always be stowed within easy reach in the trunk or under the front seats.

3. Do not forget to do a brake test

With a fully packed car, the handling of the car changes. The speed should be adjusted accordingly. In addition, a few braking exercises should be carried out with a full load before setting off. This way you first get a feel for the heavy car and secondly you notice if the luggage is shifting.

So if you’re planning to travel with your car, you should take time to stow your luggage properly before departure. Poorly secured luggage or items that have been placed in a jumble on the hat rack become really dangerous shots in the event of a full braking or an accident – and you can easily prevent this with these 3 simple tips.

Another tip on the side. If you’re planning a road trip to italy, it’s a good idea to take traffic jams into account, especially in the summer months. Avoid them as much as possible. You can find practical tips here.

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