Latest news with #EugenioGiani
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EIB approves €160m package for Tuscany SMEs
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a €160m ($174m) financing package to bolster the growth and operational capabilities of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tuscany, Italy. The region will contribute an additional €10m to lower the interest rates for the eligible companies, further reducing financial pressures on these businesses. This financial package will be accessible to the 321 companies that were selected in the 2023 research and development calls. These companies will be eligible to tap into the EIB credit line from 17 March 2025, provided they reaffirm the option they selected during their application process to fund their investments in productive activities, research, innovation, and operational capital. The subsidies will be applied to loans provided by banks that were chosen through a regional public call. The financing can also include a refund of guarantee fees. The participating banks include Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Banca Cambiano, Cambiano Leasing, and BCC Banca Iccrea, which will benefit 12 cooperative banks in Tuscany that are members of BCC Iccrea Group and Federazione Toscana delle BCC. The beneficiaries of this financial operation span across various sectors, including manufacturing, tourism, and research and development. Sviluppo Toscana will assess subsidy applications, with project costs ranging from €70,000 (€90,000 for research and development projects) to €5m. The subsidies will cover up to 80% of investment project financing and up to 90% for projects that contribute to climate action. Once financing is in place, companies will have 15 months to complete their investment projects. Tuscany president Eugenio Giani and economy and tourism regional councillor Leonardo Marras said: 'We want to improve the competitiveness of our micro, small and medium-sized enterprises by backing their productive investment in expansion, diversification, system consolidation and the green, technological and digital transition. 'Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of the regional productive system in Tuscany." Earlier this month, the EIB provided €132m in guarantees to Erste Bank Croatia (ESB) to expand lending to Croatian businesses. "EIB approves €160m package for Tuscany SMEs" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Local Italy
15-03-2025
- Climate
- Local Italy
Florence averts disaster thanks to key floodgate
About 250 people were evacuated from their homes on Friday after the equivalent of a month's worth of rain fell in six hours, flooding streets and swelling waterways across the Tuscany region. "The flood peak of the Arno passed without any critical issues," Tuscany's president, Eugenio Giani, wrote on social media on Saturday. However, Giani said he would still ask the government to declare a national emergency. Rescue teams were still responding to various critical situations in towns outside of Florence and further west towards Pisa. A newborn baby and two elderly people were among seven people blocked in their homes by the flooding and rescued by firefighters on Saturday, Giani said. Fire service videos taken from helicopters showed muddy, churning water flowing in the swollen Arno. Rainfall was expected to taper off by Saturday evening. 'Made the difference' Giani said the region's floodgate and expansion basins were "decisive" in protecting the famous Renaissance city of Florence and the surrounding areas. "In these difficult hours, the region's hydraulic safety system has made the difference despite the intense and persistent rainfall," he said. On Saturday morning, the level of the Arno stood at 3.87 metres and was slowly receding, Florence mayor Sara Funaro said. The levels of all tributaries had fallen below warning levels, she added. A red weather alert remained in place in the Florence area until midday on Saturday, with parks, cemeteries, markets, museums and libraries all closed. In nearby areas, the red alert was extended until midnight. The Arno, which flows through Florence and Pisa, is prone to flooding in spring and fall. A floodgate located between the two cities, which authorities ordered opened on Friday afternoon, "literally knocked down the Arno flood wave," Giani said. Construction of the floodgate began after a devastating flood in 1949 but was not completed in time to avert devastating flooding in 1966, when over 100 people were killed. Firefighters have carried out 430 interventions in the provinces of Florence, Prato, Pisa and Livorno over the past 24 hours. As of Friday evening, 248 people had been evacuated from nine different comuni, regional authorities said.
Jordan Times
15-03-2025
- Climate
- Jordan Times
Florence out of danger thanks to key floodgate
A picture shows damaged cars after a wall fell due to floods in Sesto Fiorentino near Florence Saturday (AFP photo) ROME — Florence was out of danger due to the "decisive" role of a key floodgate that prevented the Arno River from bursting its banks after heavy rains, Italian authorities said. Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes Friday after the equivalent of a month's worth of rain fell in six hours, flooding streets and swelling waterways in Tuscany, the region where Florence is located."The important flood peak of the Arno passed along the entire length without any critical issues," Tuscany's president, Eugenio Giani, wrote on social media Saturday. Giani said the region's floodgate and expansion basins were "decisive" in lowering the threat to the famous Renaissance city and surrounding areas, including Pisa. "In these difficult hours, the hydraulic safety system of the region has made the difference despite the intense and persistent rainfall," he Saturday morning, the level of the Arno was at 3.87 metres and slowly receding, said Florence mayor Sara Funaro, who added that the levels of all tributaries had fallen below warning Friday evening, the river had surpassed four metres. A red weather alert remains in effect Saturday till 1400 GMT, with parks, cemeteries, markets, museums and libraries closed. The Arno, which runs through Florence and Pisa, is prone to flooding in spring and fall. A floodgate located between Pisa and Florence, which authorities ordered opened Friday afternoon, "literally knocked down the Arno flood wave that was rising," Giani said. Construction of the floodgate began after a devastating flood in 1949. But it was not completed in time to help avert another massive flood in 1996 which killed over 100 people and destroyed or damaged countless works of art. Approximately 500 fire-fighters worked over the past 24 hours to carry out 430 interventions in the provinces of Florence, Prato, Pisa and Livorno, including rescues, due to flooding, landslides, the fire service said. Authorities were still responding to "critical issues" in certain towns outside Florence, he said. Friday's red weather alert caused Florence's world-famous Uffizi Galleries to close early, along with the Duomo cathedral.
The Independent
15-03-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Florence, Pisa on flood alert as heavy rain closes museums and roads
Heavy rainfall across Italy's Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna regions has triggered flood warnings, prompting school closures and evacuations. Several major rivers surpassed alert levels on Friday, raising concerns of widespread flooding. In Tuscany, schools in several cities, including Florence, were closed, as red alerts were issued. Several campuses of the University of Florence were also shut. The city also saw the closure of museums, cinemas, and theatres as a precautionary measure. The A1 motorway was partially closed and Florence's residents warned not to travel as fallen trees and floodwater blocked roads. Authorities closely monitored the Arno River, which flows through Florence and Pisa, anticipating it to crest later on Friday. Regional governor Eugenio Giani reported a particularly critical situation in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence, where the Rimaggio stream overflowed, inundating streets. The national fire brigade said it had received dozens of calls for help after that incident. Local media reported that a family of four was rescued from a landslide in the town of Badia Prataglia, on the edge of the Casentino valley. Florence saw 53mm of rain fall on Friday morning – more than its average March rainfall in just six hours. It came after 36mm fell overnight. Emilia-Romagna also experienced intense rainfall, impacting Forlì, Ravenna, Bologna, and Ferrara. Rivers in the Apennine mountains swelled above alert levels. In Bologna, authorities ordered evacuations from the ground floor of buildings on Thursday in anticipation of potential flooding. The Emila-Romagna region has been particularly hard hit by extreme weather in recent years, with devastating floods in the past two years causing significant loss of life and damage to agricultural businesses. In 2023, 13 people died after six months' worth of rain fell in 36 hours. There were nearly 300 landslides and 20 rivers burst their banks. In September 2024, Storm Boris saw more than 1,000 people evacuated from their homes.
Jordan Times
15-03-2025
- Climate
- Jordan Times
Dozens evacuated in Italy's flood-hit Tuscany
People watch the flow of the Arno River in Florence, on March 14, 2025. Heavy rain swelled rivers and flooded streets in an area near Florence with authorities issuing a red weather alert for the historic Italian city and its surroundings, urging residents to stay indoors (AFP photo) FLORENCE, Italy — Italian authorities ordered dozens of people in Tuscany to leave their homes on Friday after heavy rains swelled rivers and flooded streets near the historic cities of Florence and Pisa. Regional chief Eugenio Giani said a red weather alert demanded that people should exercise "maximum care and attention" amid "intense and persistent rain". Several dozen people were told to evacuate with the help of firefighters from low-lying villages and a floodplain near Pisa, according to the ANSA news agency. In Florence, the Uffizi Galleries -- the world-famous art museum — closed early, as did the Duomo cathedral. The fire service published images of cars partially submerged in the town of Sesto Fiorentino, north of Florence, as Giani told residents to keep clear of ground floors and basements. "My thoughts go to the populations affected by the bad weather that is hitting various areas of Italy, causing serious damage and difficulties to citizens," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on X. The government would "guarantee all necessary support", she said. More than 500 firefighters were working across Tuscany, the interior minister said, with more than 300 interventions either carried out or planned. Bernardo Gozzini from the Tuscan weather service, Consorzio Lamma, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that 60 millimetres of rain had fallen in the area around Sesto Fiorentino between 6:00 am and noon. "In Florence, in the month of March, we usually have 70 millimetres of total precipitation," Gozzini said. "In practice, it is as if a month's worth of rain had fallen in six hours." Floodgates opened Schools, parks and cemeteries in Florence and nearby Prato were already closed after an order on Thursday. Giani said floodgates and expansion tanks had been opened to ease the pressure on the Arno, the river that runs through Florence and Pisa. In Florence, the Arno swelled to its highest level in the early evening, Giani said, without breaking its banks. It was expected to reach its peak level in Pisa overnight. Three people and their dog were hoisted to safety by helicopter in Gattaia, northeast of Florence, while in Fucecchio to the west, authorities set up beds for evacuees in a local gym. Alessio Mantellassi, mayor of Empoli, said in a live post on Facebook that the situation "is worse than in 2019", when the town flooded. "It's one of the hardest moments in recent history," he said. In Pisa, army soldiers placed sand bags behind a barrier lining a swollen river, while the city's Mayor Michele Conti said the situation was "very complex" and urged residents to stay at home. Across Tuscany's border in Emilia Romagna, where devastating floods left 17 people dead two years ago, authorities also issued a red weather warning. Some rivers in the region, which includes the historic city of Bologna, were already swollen by previous downpours. Michele de Pascale, president of Emilia Romagna, said there had been "very violent" weather on Friday morning. "We must pay great attention, it is a basin that has been hit several times in recent years by floods," he said in a statement. Scientists have repeatedly warned that man-made climate change amplifies the risk of natural disasters such as floods.
