Nearly 100 people were injured and millions of dollars of damage was caused when a tanker truck exploded after a collision on a highway just outside of Bologna. The ensuing inferno engulfed the area in flames and black smoke. The tanker truck exploded in a fireball near Borgo Paginale, west of Bologna, very close to the city’s airport. Following the explosion, fire engulfed nearby shops and caused the collapse of part of the highway bridge at the scene of the collision. It is expected to take about five months to repair the damage caused by the conflagration. Images from the fire showed a huge column of black smoke billowing from the wreckage of the truck on the city’s ring road, which also pictured burning cars in an adjacent parking lot. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte visited victims of the crash and remarked that the loss of life could have been far worse. Although initial reports claimed that at least four had died as a result of the explosion, only the driver of the tanker truck was fatally injured.
Prada Back in the Black
Following four years of poor and mediocre financial results, Italian luxury goods house Prada has reported an 11% rise in profits, posting net earnings of $124 million for the first half of the year. Prada’s CEO Patrizio Bertelli and his wife, designer Miuccia Prada, turned the company from its humble beginnings as a Milan leather goods company into a global power house and one of Italy’s biggest luxury groups. Apart from the Prada brand, the group also owns Miu Miu, Car Shoe and Church’s. After poor results in recent years, the company has revamped its existing product lines and launched new ones, entering a new phase in which it targets the 18-35 age segment, which accounts for a sizable 45 % of global luxury goods purchases. At its latest Milan fashion show catwalks, it was evident that Prada has embraced a more youthful look.
WWI Sub Found
A World War I Italian submarine, the Guglielmotti, has been found over a century after it was sunk. The submarine was lost on March 10, 2017, with 14 crew members aboard. The wreck was found at a depth of 1,300 feet, near the Tuscan island of Capraia, between Corsica and the Italian mainland. The discovery was made by an Italian Navy minesweeper involved in exercises in the area. The Guglielmotti was the second ship of the Pacinotti-class, constructed by FIAT-San Giorgio in La Spezia (Liguria region). The 214 foot-long vessel was on her way to Brindisi in the Adriatic when it was spotted by the British warship HMS Cyclamen, which mistook it for a German U-boat. It was hit by gunfire from the ship, which then sealed its fate by ramming the boat causing it to sink.
Health Benefits of Purple Bread
We have all heard of white bread and black bread. There are breads prepared using every grain imaginable. To the list of healthy carbohydrate-rich pane, you can now add purple bread. Why purple? Researchers at the University of Pisa have extolled the antioxidant powers of a bread prepared using purple potatoes. Using a play on words, the aptly named “Well-Bred” was developed jointly by a Ph.D. candidate and one of the university’s professors, whose mission was to create a longer-lasting loaf that offered greater health benefits. The bread also contains a pectin found in fruits that helps to absorb moisture, providing a firmer structure. All of which sounds great…now is there anything they can do about the color?
Insolvency in Style
The never-ending threat of bankruptcy won’t stop Alitalia from expressing itself in style. Italy’s flag carrier recently announced that it will unveil all-new cabin crew uniforms. Italian designer Alberta Ferretti was appointed to re-design the crew uniforms following numerous complaints from flight attendants, who claimed that the current uniforms are too uncomfortable. Alitalia issued a statement clarifying that the design and creation of the new uniforms “will not involve any financial disbursement by Alitalia. The fashion house will take care of the design and creation process for the new uniform collection.” The new uniforms will combine elegance, convenience and comfort year round for the flight crews.
A Legacy of Trees
The Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry has published its first list of the Monumental Trees of Italy. It is divided by region and consists of 2,407 trees that stand out for their biological value, based on features such as age, size, rarity and cultural significance. The list is the result of an intense cataloging activity carried out by the Ministry and includes trees such as Roman pines, Holm oaks, olive, cypress, sycamore, lime, beech, poplar and carob. The list of “green monuments” will be continuously updated and can be viewed online at www.politicheagricole.it. Although monumental trees are found in each of the 20 regions of Italy, special attention has been placed on trees from Sardinia, Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia, Campania, Molise, Abruzzo, Lazio and the Marches, providing still another facet of Italian culture and history to an already extensive and impressive list!
