Gloria Blog

At the age of 85, Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has joined TikTok in a bid to win over the youth vote at this month's general election. “Hi guys, here I am," said a beaming Mr Berlusconi in his first post on the social media site. “There are five million of you on this platform and 60 per cent of you are under 30 years old … I feel a little envious, but my compliments all the same.” Better known for dance videos and make-up tutorials, the Chinese-owned site has been embraced by a number of Italian politicians as the election campaign gathers pace. Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing Lega Nord party and former interior minister, has more than half a million people following his prolific TikTok posts — a record for Italian politics, he claimed. Another party leader, Carlo Calenda of the small centrist Action movement, told followers: “I can't give tips on make-up because I have a fat tummy and I am ugly, but I can talk to you about politics.” Mr ...

Depending on who you ask, Europe is either living through a “hot strike summer” of workers standing up for their rights or a “summer of discontent” wrecking the holiday plans of millions.  There is no doubt that strikes are back in fashion. The walkouts on Britain’s railways are the worst for decades, telecoms workers downed tools for the first time since the 1980s, airline disputes across Europe are affecting the industry’s comeback from the pandemic, and doctors and teachers could be next out of the door. Worse still, there is more to come. Further strike action is planned across the national rail networks, continuing a summer of disruption, with National Rail and workers’ unions locked in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions. Staff will walkout this weekend on Saturday and also on Thursday and next Saturday. Alongside heatwaves reminiscent of Britain's great 'summer of 1976', the plethora of strikes also has a ring of the 1970s when workers downed tools and bro...