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West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
From Zurich to Locarno on the Treno Gottardo, an underrated trans-alpine train
It doesn't take long for the urbanity of Zurich — neoclassical streets, medieval churches, modern apartments, graffiti-scrawled tunnels, tangles of railway tracks — to dissolve. Pretty soon we have postcard-perfect lakes, villages and mountains to admire. I usually read or work when I'm on a train, but that's rarely possible in Switzerland, a country with arguably the most scenic rail trips on earth. I'm heading south on the Treno Gottardo, which is relatively unknown compared to iconic Swiss trains like the Glacier Express. But I'm not complaining. It's a midweek afternoon during the onset of northern spring. Snow still showers many of the Swiss Alps, but there's greenery in abundance, boosted by the snow melt and sunshine, and I have the carriage mostly to myself, so I can sit back and soak up the loveliness from my window seat in relative peace and quiet. 'Danke,' says the ticket inspector, scanning my Swiss Travel Pass, an all-in-one ticket that allows unlimited rides on the country's trains, trams, buses and boats (it's available for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 consecutive days of travel and gives discounted fares for special mountain railways like the Jungfraubahn and Gornergrat Bahn). I'll use the pass again several times on my travels around Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton that I'm visiting for the week. Usually blessed with Switzerland's best weather, plus an assortment of super-pretty lakes, peaks and valleys, Ticino nestles on the other side of the St Gotthard Pass, a fearsome alpine pass rising 2106m above sea level. For centuries, it could only be crossed on foot (or by mule or horse-drawn carriage), but in the late 19th century Swiss engineers conjured the first, groundbreaking Gotthard Tunnel. Coursing 15km through the St Gotthard Massif at an altitude of around 1100m, it was the longest railway tunnel in the world when it opened in 1882 and remains a key part of Switzerland's rail infrastructure (and a link between northern and southern Europe). More than 2500 men toiled in its construction and it's estimated that around 200 lost their lives in the process. Working conditions were so bad at one point that the labourers downed tools and a vigilante group of volunteers were corralled to force an end to the strike. A Gotthard road tunnel opened in 1980, then another railway portal — the 57km Gotthard Base Tunnel — was unveiled in 2016, promising a quicker, flatter and straighter route at about a 500m lower elevation than the old tunnel. But after a freight train derailed in the new one in 2023, causing widespread damage to the tracks, it was closed for repairs for 13 months and during the interim, services were diverted to the trusty old tunnel. While I plan to return to Zurich later this week on a faster train zipping through the base tunnel, for this journey I'm happy to take the longer, slower route via the old one. The Treno Gottardo is about 90 minutes longer than the rapid trains, but it's worth your time (there are snack and beverage machines in the carriages if you get peckish or thirsty). One of the best and most surreal parts of the trip is when it ramps up to the original tunnel and navigates a series of loops in the canton of Uri, on the northern side of the alpine pass. If you look out of the window, you'll see the same baroque church — that of the Uri village of Wassen — from three different angles. Another thing I enjoy about this ride is the change from German-to-Italian-speaking Switzerland. Whereas on the north side of the tunnel, you'll hear mostly German and stop at stations with names like Schwyz, Brunnen, Altdorf, Erstfeld and Goschenen, it's a very different story and vibe south of the Gotthard. Greetings and farewells — 'Ciao, bella!', 'Ciao, ciao!' — begin to flutter through the carriage after we stop at Airolo. As the upcoming stations — Ambri-Piotta, Faido, Lavorgo — flicker on the digital screens, a conductor passes through the carriage. 'Grazie,' he says, eyeing my ticket as I see yet another palm tree out of my window. Just over an hour later, the train snakes by yachts gliding along Lake Maggiore, one of the ravishing bodies of water bordering southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The Treno Gottardo terminates in Locarno, a pretty resort town by the lake. I retrieve my luggage from the rack and check my phone as I alight the train and walk on the sun-splashed platform. In typical Swiss style, we're bang on time, three hours and 22 minutes after departing Zurich Hauptbahnhof. + Steve McKenna was a guest of Ticino Tourism and Switzerland Tourism. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication. + The Treno Gottardo runs several times daily in both directions between Zurich and Locarno, with one-way fares from around 33CHF ($62). This train also has routes to Locarno from Basel and Lucerne. If you're looking to do lots of train travel in Switzerland, it may be worth purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass. It's priced from 244CHF ($466) in second class and 389CHF ($743) in first class for three days' travel, with better value the more days you purchase. For Swiss tickets and routes, see + For more information on planning a trip in Ticino and across Switzerland, see and .
Elle
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Patti LuPone Arrives to 'And Just Like That' Speaking Fluent Italian
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Spoilers below. In last week's episode of And Just Like That..., Lisa learned that her father died. Although the episode featured a whole funeral and a narrative on her grief, it turns out she mentioned all the way back in season 1 that her dad had already passed. And then in season 2, he appeared on screen in the flesh portrayed by Billy Dee Williams. A source connected to the show then clarified that Lisa was actually referring to her stepfather in the first season. The fan reactions to the whole commotion are, like the show, all over the place. Some criticized the series for the mistake, but others say: What the heck, go all-in on the nonsensical camp. There are already so many silly little quirks in this show—why try to fix them? As Rebecca Alter wrote in Vulture this week, 'You can view AJLT as an often accidental work of art that challenges the accepted timelines and borders of life and death. And isn't that more fun?' I agree. In fact, that is the beautifully strange allure to the show. It's not just hate-watching; it's abandoning all time, reason, and sense. It can be freeing, actually. So when Patti LuPone shows up as someone's Italian-speaking mother from Buffalo, New York; or a virgin lesbian nun loses her virginity to Miranda; or yes, a character is revived only to be killed off again, that's just because AJLT exists in an entirely different reality. We just get to visit once a week. On our latest trip, the aforementioned LuPone makes her entrance speaking fluent Italian the moment she steps through the door. She's playing Gia, the glamorous but judgy mother of Anthony's boyfriend, Giuseppe. She's here to visit Hot Fellas bakery, and her first impression of Anthony is less than ideal. He insults her while not realizing she's right beside him, and she notices makeup on his neck covering a huge hickey. Miranda also notices something: Charlotte is acting strange. On the walk home, Carrie mentions that they'll have to go all-out for Charlotte's upcoming birthday party, which further heightens Miranda's suspicions. What's going on? To keep Harry's cancer diagnosis a secret, Carrie covers it up with something else: She says Richard Burton, Charlotte's dog, is terminally ill with cancer. Miranda is horrified and agrees to go above and beyond with the birthday festivities. Before they party, Carrie meets with Gia. (They surprisingly hit it off!) Over lunch, they discuss Carrie's writing and their respective dating lives. Gia reveals that Giuseppe's father, Alessandro, was the last man she fell in love with—albeit she was 21 and he was 50 when they started out. She recalls chafing with his teenage kids at the time, which resonates with Carrie. (She's still figuring out how to warm up to Aidan's son Wyatt.) When she asks for advice, Gia tells her, 'Don't waste years trying to be who you think they'll accept.' Carrie also puts a good word in for Anthony during their heart-to-heart. Meanwhile, Charlotte runs into Harry and another woman in Bergdorf's. However, she's not a mistress; she's his personal shopper. But it turns out that she also knows about Harry's prostate cancer diagnosis. Charlotte freaks out—weren't they not supposed to tell anyone?! Harry apologizes, but it was agonizing to keep such big news a secret. Charlotte, of course, knows this feeling; she already confided in Carrie in last week's episode, but her husband doesn't know that yet. Right now though, Carrie is amused by the unexpected sight in her kitchen: her gardener, Adam, plucking an eyelash from Seema's cheek and blowing on it in an ever-so-flirtatious manner. Now that Seema is on a budget, she got her lashes done in a no-fuss salon with a lash tech whose nails were like talons. As a result, she was left with a deflated set of lashes and a scar. Adam considers this an excuse to swoop in. Carrie gets flattered too. Her neighbor and writer friend Duncan stops by to say he's read the pages of her novel that she shared with him for feedback. He says it's 'brilliant' and 'propulsive.' He's floored by the opening sentence: 'The woman wondered what she had gotten herself into.' (Doesn't seem groundbreaking to me, but okay???) Soon, Carrie's apartment turns into a party venue for Charlotte's birthday. Miranda arrives equipped with a metallic jumpsuit, confetti-filled balloons, and a karaoke machine. Lisa's son Henry (Alexander Bello—Theater Camp fans are familiar with this young king!) is delighted by the props. He calls out the 'Geardon Pro With Touch Screen Karaoke' with glee, in a line of very thinly veiled product placement. (In case you were curious, the machine retails for $600 on Amazon, but it's marked down to $479 thanks to Prime Day.) Henry hogs the mic with renditions of 'I Dreamed a Dream,' 'Hopelessly Devoted to You,' and 'Copacabana.' Honestly he should've kept going, but Miranda would rather open gifts. Gia tries to make conversation with Anthony, but it's more of an accusation. She believes that he's 'selling sex' at his bakery, because the staff wear tiny jumpsuit uniforms that show off their bulges. (She's not entirely wrong.) But Anthony thinks it's just fun. Later, Gia gets to the core of her concern with Anthony. It's 'tragic when someone older lusts over someone younger,' she says, not noting her hypocrisy as someone who married a much older man. While Carrie and Duncan are talking on the terrace—and Kimberly Akimbo star and Tony winner Bonnie Milligan is belting her heart out at karaoke—Miranda tries to comfort Harry. She tells him that when the time comes, Charlotte will be 'devastated by the loss, but we'll be there for her.' She's, of course, referring to Richard Burton, but Harry thinks she's referring to himself. Did Charlotte let the cat out of the bag? He talks to his wife, who talks to Carrie, who comes clean about the dog cover-up. 'That's almost worse!' Charlotte gasps. Harry decides to clear the air and tell Charlotte's friends about his diagnosis, but he assures them not to worry as he is getting treatment at an early stage. It's a twisted birthday gift for Charlotte: Now she won't have to keep a secret from her best friends. Seema, by the way, is elsewhere wearing a freaking Louis Vuitton leather eyepatch, which she crafted from an old fanny pack. But that does not deter Adam, whose flirtations have not ceased. In fact, he mentions that he is no longer with his yoga teacher girlfriend. 'I ended things with her when I smelled your perfume for the first time,' he adds. (BOLD!) Seema is breathless. But he doesn't stop there; he begins to serenade her with 'Bette Davis Eye' (notably not eyes because, again, Seema is wearing an eyepatch) at karaoke. Though Adam makes inexplicable noises into the mic (I think he believes this is 'singing'), Seema is a fan. They leave together and make out on the taxi ride home. When the party's over, Miranda and Carrie debrief in the kitchen. They both fawn over Miranda's girlfriend, Joy; Carrie is so happy to see Miranda in a healthy and effortless relationship. Miranda playfully points out that Carrie had fun with Duncan too, but Carrie takes offense to that. 'I'm in a relationship,' she snaps. Miranda is apologetic, but she notes that Carrie is in a weird place with Aidan; she puts so much work into their relationship, but she rarely gets to have fun. Carrie gets defensive here. She and Aidan have been together for 20-some years, while Miranda and Joy are only a month in—what does she know? Miranda confesses she got the idea from glancing at Carrie's book draft, the part about the woman who didn't know 'what she got herself into.' Carrie insists it's a fictional story set in 1846; it's not about her. Miranda believes her and backs off. Though they end things amicably, it's clear that Miranda's comments struck a chord with Carrie. We viewers know from her narrations that her writing is somewhat autobiographical. So when she tells Miranda that she's not romantically confused, she's not only lying to her friend, but also to herself. Or maybe in the And Just Like That... universe, the concept of truth is a little skewed too.
New York Times
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Stephen Colbert Translates Trump's Italian Tariff Talk
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now . President Trump hosted Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy at the White House on Thursday. On 'The Late Show,' Stephen Colbert said that hopes were high that Meloni, a right-wing populist and a favorite of Trump's, could convince him to loosen up on tariffs. His admiration for her was demonstrated again when he marveled at her Italian-speaking ability during their news conference. '[ imitating Trump ] It sounded great — it was beautifully presented. I'll have the same thing she ordered, but double meatball, double parm.' — STEPHEN COLBERT. 'Trump got a visit from the prime minister of Italy today. He had them bring in lunch from the Olive Garden to make her feel at home.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'Things went so well that they planned a second play date. Meloni announced that Trump has accepted her invitation to come to Italy for an official visit, and Trump is going to blend right in with the Italians, because he looks like a pile of prosciutto with a little spaghetti on top.' — STEPHEN COLBERT 'Easter weekend is almost upon us. And, man, oh man, if Jesus comes back and sees what's going on, we are in deep trouble.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'For the first time since 2014, Easter and 4/20 will land on the same day this year, which is going to lead to some very long and confusing egg hunts.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'This Sunday, He is risen, and you is high.' — STEPHEN COLBERT 'Easter and 4/20 seem like a natural pairing 'cause whoever came up with our Easter traditions was definitely stoned.'' — STEPHEN COLBERT The actress Nancy Kwan discussed her new book, 'The World of Nancy Kwan: A Memoir by Hollywood's Asian Superstar,' with host Ronny Chieng during Thursday's 'Daily Show.' Kelly Marie Tran, left, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-Chan and Bowen Yang in 'The Wedding Banquet.' Credit... Luka Cyprian/Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Compass Lexecon Expands Presence in Italy with Rome Office
ROME, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) subsidiary Compass Lexecon today announced the expansion of its presence in Italy with a new office in Rome. The office, co-headed by Executive Vice President and Co-Head of EMEA Lorenzo Coppi and Vice President Martina Caldana will strengthen the firm's client service capabilities nationwide. Both Mr. Coppi and Ms. Caldana are internationally recognised as leaders in the field of competition economics. Mr. Coppi is recognised as a Global Thought Leader in Competition Economics and an Arbitration Expert Witness and Energy Expert by Lexology. Ms. Caldana is recognised as a Global Elite Thought Leader in Competition Economics in Lexology's Under 45 category. Commenting on the new office, Mr. Coppi said, 'We are excited to expand our footprint in Italy and provide a base to serve our clients in Rome. Our Italy team has seen rapid expansion over the last three years and advised on all major transactions and private actions in the region, so this new location will build on our ability to help clients.' Ms. Caldana added, 'I look forward to leveraging our team's scalability, diverse skillset and multi-jurisdictional experience to provide the best possible guidance and service to our clients in the region, and beyond.' Since establishing a Milan office in 2021, the Compass Lexecon team in Italy has grown to become one of the largest economic consulting teams in the region. The team is further supported by over 40 Italian-speaking colleagues based across Europe, providing clients with unique scalability. The team draws on expertise from significant competition and antitrust cases in Italy, before the European Commission and other national competition authorities, offering clients a unique multi-jurisdictional perspective and familiarity with different authority approaches and novel theories of harm. About FTI Consulting FTI Consulting, Inc. is a leading global expert firm for organisations facing crisis and transformation, with more than 8,300 employees in 34 countries and territories as of December 31, 2024. The Company generated $3.69 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2024. In certain jurisdictions, FTI Consulting's services are provided through distinct legal entities that are separately capitalised and independently managed. More information can be found at FTI Consulting, Inc. 555 12th Street NWWashington, DC 20004 +1.202.312.9100 Investor Contact: Mollie Hawkes+ Media Contact: Matthew Bashalany+ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Swiss court convicts Trafigura of corruption in Angola
A Swiss court convicted Trafigura and three people linked to the commodities trading firm of corruption in Angola, in what campaigners hailed Friday as a "historic" first in Switzerland. A Trafigura statement expressed disappointment at the ruling and said it was reviewing judgment. The lawyer for one former director with the company said he would appeal his conviction. The group, which is particularly active in oil trading, was fined 3 million Swiss francs ($3.2 million) for failing to properly monitor the activities of its intermediaries, the federal court said Friday. Michael Wainwright, Trafigura's former operational director, was sentenced to 32 months, of which he must serve 12 months in prison. Prison terms were also handed down to a person who served as an intermediary for the payment of bribes, and to a former agent of an Angolan state company. A statement from Trafigura said: "We are disappointed by today's decision in Switzerland concerning Trafigura Beheer BV and are reviewing the matter. "Trafigura has invested significant resources in strengthening its compliance programme over a number of years." Wainwright's lawyer, Daniel Kinzer, told AFP: "Mike Wainwright was convicted on the basis of very general assumptions, without taking into account elements which demonstrate that he was not involved." Wainwright "maintains that he did not order or facilitate any payment for corrupt purposes and intends to prove it before the Court of Appeal," he added. - Legal 'first' - The case concerns the payment of bribes to a former executive of an Angolan state-owned distribution company in exchange for ship chartering and bunkering contracts. Swiss federal prosecutors referred it to the court in Bellinzona, in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, in 2023. Contacted by AFP, the office of the federal prosecutors said they were "satisfied" by the verdict. "This is the first conviction by a court in Switzerland of a company for acts of corruption of foreign public officials," the office said. It was "a strong signal of the determination to fight against all forms of transnational corruption", it added. Anti-corruption campaigners Public Eye welcomed the convictions. "This is the first time in Swiss history that a trading company has been convicted of corruption in a public trial," it said. It added: "The verdict is a warning to the entire commodities industry, as Swiss justice seems increasingly determined to trace the chain of responsibility." In March 2024, Trafigura, based in Singapore but with a significant presence in Geneva, agreed to plead guilty in the United States and pay $127 million over allegations of corruption in Brazil. Switzerland is home to some 900 commodities trading firms, located primarily in Geneva and Lugano. Founded in 1993, Trafigura employs 13,000 people worldwide and made a net profit of almost $2.8 billion in its 2023/2024 fiscal year ending September 30. noo/gv/jj
