logo
Fascism, techno and The Big Bang Theory — inside the mind of Giorgia Meloni

Fascism, techno and The Big Bang Theory — inside the mind of Giorgia Meloni

Times8 hours ago
How many political leaders on the world stage can claim to have made their name thanks to a cheesy techno track? The way Giorgia Meloni tells it, the DJ who sampled one of her strident speeches in 2019 was trying to poke fun at her but instead helped to launch her career. 'I am Giorgia. I am a woman. I am a mother. I am Italian. I am a Christian. You will never take that away from me,' she yelled at a crowd of 200,000 in Rome, three years before becoming Italy's first female prime minister.
Meloni cites the speech, and the song that used the words, at the start of her autobiography to prove that identity is the driving force of politics. And she claims Italians agree with her — after all, they danced to the track and then voted for her.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Who is Nigel Farage's latest Reform recruit? From drink driving conviction to ‘chav shooting' post
Who is Nigel Farage's latest Reform recruit? From drink driving conviction to ‘chav shooting' post

The Independent

time18 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Who is Nigel Farage's latest Reform recruit? From drink driving conviction to ‘chav shooting' post

Welsh Senedd member Laura Anne Jones has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK, becoming the party's highest-profile defection in Wales. Nigel Farage announced the news at the Royal Welsh Show, with Ms Jones – who was first elected in 2003 – saying she could longer justify Conservative policies on the doorstep. Standing alongside Mr Farage, she said: "I've just suddenly felt that the Conservative Party was unrecognisable to me. It wasn't the party that I joined over three decades ago." She said Reform, meanwhile, was "listening to the people of Great Britain". Ms Jones is the latest in a growing list of high-profile Tories to have defected to Reform, following former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry earlier this month, as well as Dame Andrea Jenkyns and former Wales secretary David Jones. Her defection means the Conservatives are down to 14 politicians in the Welsh Parliament, ahead of crunch elections next year. But who is Ms Jones? From waitressing to the Welsh Assembly Ms Jones was first elected to the then-National Assembly in 2003, becoming the joint-first Welsh Conservative female assembly member (AM). She had the backing of the Conservative Party despite a conviction for drink-driving in 2002, which saw her banned from driving for 12 months and fined £75. Jones said after the hearing: "I've never justified drink-driving and the decision is one I deserve. I've never done it on purpose." She had been earning £5 per hour as a waitress before she was elected. Ms Jones served one term, until 2007, before returning in 2020 after the death of Mohammad Asghar. She was re-elected in 2021, for South Wales East. She once used a racist slur in a WhatsApp chat Ms Jones hit the headlines last year when it emerged she had used a racist slur about Chinese people in a WhatsApp group chat. The Senedd member used the offensive term in an exchange about the Chinese-owned video app TikTok, writing: "No c****y spies for me!" She later apologised and issued a statement, saying the word was "unacceptable and I deeply regret using it". "I sincerely apologise for any offence this has caused," she added. She apologised for saying she wanted to shoot chavs In 2021, she was forced to apologise over old Facebook posts, in which she said she 'would like to do a spot of Chav shooting", and added it is "a shame that isn't legal." She also joked about shooting the then Labour leader, Ed Miliband, saying she would become the "perfect shot" if she had "ol' Red Ed to aim at." When she wrote the posts she was not an elected politician, although she had previously served as a member of the Senedd.

Greenpeace hails Italy court ruling allowing climate lawsuit against energy company ENI to go ahead
Greenpeace hails Italy court ruling allowing climate lawsuit against energy company ENI to go ahead

The Independent

time18 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Greenpeace hails Italy court ruling allowing climate lawsuit against energy company ENI to go ahead

Italy's highest court has ruled that a lawsuit brought by climate activists against Italian energy company ENI and its government shareholders can go ahead, in what Greenpeace said on Tuesday was a victory for efforts to pursue climate justice in Italy. In an ordinance released on Monday, the Court of Cassation rejected ENI's motions to dismiss the lawsuit on jurisdictional grounds and ordered the case to be heard on its merits by a Rome tribunal. ENI, for its part, said that it was greatly satisfied with the decision, and it expected that the Rome court would ultimately 'dismantle' the climate activists' claims of responsibility. Greenpeace, environmental group ReCommon and a dozen Italian citizens had sued ENI and its two main government shareholders, the Italian finance ministry and development bank, in 2023 seeking damages for what they said were the effects of climate change. The plaintiffs cited their fundamental rights enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights, as well as Italy's ratification of various international climate accords and ENI's stated commitment to reaching climate reduction targets. ENI and the government sought to dismiss the suit on jurisdictional and other grounds, but the Cassation court ruled that the case could go ahead. For more than a century, scientists have known that large quantities of greenhouse gases, released from the burning of fossil fuels, go up into the atmosphere and heat the planet, leading to higher temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events that are both more frequent and more intense. Around the world in recent years, individuals, climate activist groups and local governments have sued energy companies and governments to try to force them to take concrete action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and compensate for losses associated with climate change. Greenpeace and ReCommon called the ruling historic, saying it would impact current and future climate-related litigation in Italy. They say it brings Italian courts in line with other European countries that have recognized the rights of people to try to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for global warming through lawsuits, and called the ruling itself one of the most significant in climate change litigation internationally. 'No one, not even a colossus like ENI, can escape its responsibilities anymore,' the two groups said in a statement. 'Judges will finally be able to examine the merits of our case: those who pollute and contribute to the climate crisis must answer for their actions.' ENI said that it welcomed the ruling. 'The proceedings can finally resume before the Court of Rome, where the unfounded theories put forward by Greenpeace and ReCommon regarding the alleged responsibility of Eni for climate change-related damages will be dismantled, in a context that is rigorous and respectful of the law, rather than driven by the instrumental, unfounded, and often misleading slogans of the two associations,' ENI said in a statement. While the ruling doesn't enter into the merits of the case, Greenpeace and Recommon highlighted the judges' determination that Italian courts can have jurisdiction over claims about emissions by ENI subsidiaries in foreign countries, since in this case, harm allegedly occurred in Italy and decisions were made by the Italy-based parent company.

England Lioness Chloe Kelly uses these noise-cancelling headphones ahead of semi-finals
England Lioness Chloe Kelly uses these noise-cancelling headphones ahead of semi-finals

Daily Mirror

time19 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

England Lioness Chloe Kelly uses these noise-cancelling headphones ahead of semi-finals

Ahead of the women's semi-final match against Italy, England Lioness Chloe Kelly just shared an insight into her pre-game essentials which include these noise-cancelling headphones Tonight (July 22) marks the women's semi-final of the Euros, where England will face Italy. After the long and anxiety-ridden match against Sweden last week, England supporters are eagerly anticipating watching the Lionesses potentially carry England into the Euros final. To keep up with the semi-finals build-up and stay up to date with all things Euros, check out our Live Blog here. Ahead of tonight's match, the England forward Chloe Kelly took to Instagram to share a picture of her and her fellow teammates on their way to the stadium. But keen-eyed fans may have noticed the pair of headphones placed beside Chloe, and we think we've figured out exactly what wireless noise-cancelling headphones she was using to get in the zone before training. Though Chloe isn't using the headphones, nor did she confirm they're brand, it's pretty clear the pair of headphones next to her are these Sonos Ace headphones. From the brand known for creating top-of-the-range gadgets, these headphones, in particular, have been obsessively crafted and masterfully tuned to make you feel at one with the sounds that matter most to you. Whether you're getting amped up to your favourite tunes ahead of a big game, or commuting to work listening to your favourite podcast, these headphones have got you covered. The white headphones Chloe uses promise to let you feel every frequency with superior precision and clarity. They are touted for maximising your immersion with lossless streaming, promising uninterrupted listening no matter where you are or what device you're connected to. Plus, the spatial audio and dynamic head tracking ensure these are perfect for taking calls while you're on the go. Not to mention, the world-class Active Noise Cancellation means you can hear your phone call, audiobook, music and more without interruption from background noise. Hear what's going around you with Aware mode, which keeps you conscious of your surroundings while you're walking to work, taking the tube or communicating by bus, ensuring safety while you're out and about Armed with up to 30 hours of battery life, these headphones promise exceptional comfort and flawlessly clear and crisp audio no matter what you're listening to or where you are. They seamlessly connect to your devices wirelessly using Bluetooth, or you can use the included USB-C and 3.5 mm cables provided if you'd rather enjoy wired listening. Available in white, like Chloe's pair, or black, these headphones aren't just a favourite of the England football star, as plenty of 5-star reviews pour in. One thrilled customer raves: "Bought these in the recent EOFY sale and zero regrets. I was choosing between the AirPods Max, Sony XM6 and these. The NC is AMAZING on these bad boys and serve me well casually, in office and on planes. The sound is fantastic, and I love them having physical controls. Also not too bulky and ear cups and very comfy and don't hurt head or ears." While another satisfied shopper shares: "I don't have any comparable usage to other high-end noise cancellation headphones, but took the chance on these based on the other Sonos products I own. I love these headphones! They are comfortable, easy to pair and use with multiple devices. During the day, they are paired to my phone and computer. They work seamlessly between streaming music from my phone and taking work calls on my computer. In the evenings, I use them in the den to watch TV, seamlessly switching to the headphones from my Sonos home theater system. I've also taken calls at a loud coffee shop and been told my voice is clear and the background noise cannot be heard. I've yet to use them during air travel but fully expect a much more peaceful experience.2 And this buyer beams: "I initially wanted Apple over ear headphones but tried these on instore instead. The active noise and noise cancelling sold me as I'm a teacher and sometimes need to block out the noise of the world so I don't get overstimulated. The audio quality is great. And they are light and sleek."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store