Italo, the most modern train in Europe, will begin running on April 28. Thanks to railway liberalization, for the first time in the world a private operator, NTV, with a totally private investment of 1 billion euro, brings competition to Italy. NTV will initially start with services on the Naples – Rome – Florence – Bologna – Milan corridor and the network will be later extended to Salerno, Torino and Venezia by the end of the year, when the entire fleet of 25 Alstom AGV trainsets will be available.
Author: Jamie "Florence" Lorenzini
Tuscan woman dies in the waters of Florida
A woman aged 47 died in Florida, while she was in the waters of Key West, overwhelmed by a tidal wave. The victim’s name was Paola Falco, lived in Figline Valdarno (Florence). She worked in the Tuscan capital as a manager of an insurance agency. She left with her husband for a holiday in the United States. According to a preliminary reconstruction, a tidal wave of 8 meters was overwhelmed with another swimmer, killing them both.
New frontiers, the native Amercians at Palazzo Pitti
The year 2012 marks the fifth centennial of the death of Amerigo Vespucci, one of the discoverers of the American continents and, especially, the one who gave his name to the new lands. The Superintendent intends to commemorate the great navigator who was born in Florence in 1454, with an exhibition (July 3-Decembre 8 at Andito degli Angiolini and Galleria del Costume) dedicated to the native inhabitants of North America.
Joint ventures Tuscany-Tunisian regions
Enrico Rossi, President of the Tuscany Region (Italy), said Tuscany companies are interested in investing and creating joint ventures in such Tunisian regions as Sousse and Kasserine. Speaking at a meeting held recently in Florence on “Cooperation for Democracy between Tunisia and Tuscany,” he reviewed the opportunities offered by these regions in the health, agriculture, basic infrastructure and manufacturing industries sectors.
Rain forecast for Easter Sunday, sun on Monday
The weather will be wet on Easter Sunday with showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Francesco Nucera of 3bmeteo.com, reported that the rain on Easter morning will fall over Friuli, Veneto, Mantua, Emilia Romagna, the northern ridge, Tuscany, Marche, Umbria, Campania, Calabria especially on the Tyrrhenian side and northern Sicily and North.
Back the magic of the “Explosion of the Cart”
Thousands of people even this year will follow the explosion of the cart. The Scoppio del Carro (“Explosion of the Cart”) is a folk tradition of Florence, Italy. On Easter Sunday, a cart, packed full of fireworks and other pyrotechnics, is lit and provides a historic spectacle in the civic life of the city. The cart is loaded with fireworks while a wire, stretching to the high altar inside the cathedral, is fitted with a mechanical dove (the “columbina”).
First goal of Amauri, Fiorentina to win at Milan
AC Milan allowed a 90th-minute goal by Fiorentina striker Amauri to lose 2-1 at home on Saturday. Milan took the lead with a penalty from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 31st at the San Siro but Stevan Jovetic equalized in the 47th after taking advantage of a Milan defensive lapse. Amauri then finished off an exchange with Jovetic for his first goal since transferring from Juventus in January.
Cinema, Middle East Now festival returns to Florence
The peaceful Yemeni uprising, the return to Tahrir Square after the fall of the Mubarak regime, responsibility for the murder of the former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri, and the massacres in Syria all feature at Middle East Now, the international festival of cinema, exhibitions and talks on the Middle East, which is returning to Florence this year.
An example of Tuscan cook, watch the video
Jacopo and Anna offer classical Tuscany cookery lessons either at their farmhouse near Montespertoli or in Florence. They are also available to come to your accommodation to prepare a Tuscan meal as this video show. On Easter Sunday, lamb is served in throughout Italy. A typical Easter Sunday breakfast in Umbria and Tuscany includes salami, boiled eggs, wine, Easter Cakes and pizza.
NYU, Civil-military relation after the Arab Spring
Civilian control of militaries has been a vital component of democratization in the Middle East. Samuel Huntington’s ‘Third Wave of Democratization’, which, he argued, began in 1974, is now washing up on Arab shores, thereby opening up the possibility that militaries may be subordinated to representative civilian governments. Robert Springborg will assess the prospects for an consequences of such civilian control in various Arab countries.