Author: Veronica Kontopoulou

Corona, Interviews, Opinion, Politics, Rewind, World

Rage against the most persistent of pandemics

Just when the corona crisis slowed down, we were brutally reminded of the other ‘pandemic’ that has raged across the world for over 400 years. Indeed COVID-19 does not see race, status or sexual orientation. However, the pandemic has demonstrated the fatality of inequality. The overwhelmingly black deaths of New York serve as irrefutable evidence that systematic racism is so deeply embedded in our societies, that it didn’t even slip from a colourblind virus.  Continue reading Rage against the most persistent of pandemics

Veronica Kontopoulou
Corona, Features, Interviews, Portrait, Rewind, World

BREAKING FREE DURING LOCKDOWN

Glitter, heels, long nails, wild dancing, crop tops, colourful outfits, 80s music; these are a few of Pedro Lorenzo Menéndez’s (21) favourite things. One would rarely find Pedro sat at home and not out with friends or dancing. But then, the corona lockdown came, and Pedro found himself stuck indoors with his parents; one of which did not know an important part of Pedro’s identity. … Continue reading BREAKING FREE DURING LOCKDOWN

Veronica Kontopoulou1 Comment
Environment, Features, Opinion, Rewind

Time to press the green reset button

While the economy and businesses are rushing to return to normality, the Planet is in no hurry for pollution levels to rise again. It is about time we gave normality a green re-evaluation. By Veronica Kontopoulou It is May 2020; the air and water qualities have improved dramatically; the Himalayas are visible from Indian balconies for the first time in decades and videos of wildlife … Continue reading Time to press the green reset button

Veronica Kontopoulou1 Comment
Features, Film Review, Journalism, Opinion

WAR, LOVE AND NEW LIFE AMONGST THE RUBBLE

FOR SAMA (2019): This agonizingly intimate account of the Syrian war will make you forget about your first-world problems   Two young boys, hardly the age of ten, both covered in dust, are rushing the lifeless body of another young boy into a makeshift hospital in Aleppo. A missile hit their house. The boy, Mohammed Ameen, was their brother. Their mother arrives, looking for her … Continue reading WAR, LOVE AND NEW LIFE AMONGST THE RUBBLE

Veronica Kontopoulou
Interviews, Journalism, Portrait, Q&A

“Journalists do trip up because of the pressure to be first and be ‘now’”

A Q&A with Channel 4 and ITV journalist, James Blake James Blake started off his journey in the field of journalism in the 90s. It all started with an ITN traineeship in 1998 and today, James has a couple decades worth of experience working in the news field and teaching in academia, with a focus on television news. How does working as a journalist back … Continue reading “Journalists do trip up because of the pressure to be first and be ‘now’”

Veronica Kontopoulou1 Comment
Finland, Health, Law, Politics, Uncategorized, World, Worldwide News

Finnish Government’s hands tied due to rigid legislation

The country’s inflexible legislation poses unexpected obstacles for the Finnish government to deal with the coronavirus outbreak as swiftly as perhaps desired. Already when the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Finland were shy of 400, the government took firm measures to close all schools, universities, gyms, libraries and other public buildings. It seemed as though the Finnish government was going to tackle the outbreak with … Continue reading Finnish Government’s hands tied due to rigid legislation

Veronica Kontopoulou1 Comment
Amsterdam, Corona, Features, Health, Photo reportage, Visual Communications, Worldwide News

“11 years at the airport and I have never seen anything like this”

Impressions from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport following Europe’s travel bans and lock down implementations. Photos and text by Veronica Kontopoulou It is not business as usual at Schiphol Airport this Sunday evening. Many of the travelers, have had to battle through a multitude of flight cancellations to return to their home country. The COVID-19 outbreak is visible everywhere; in the red and white tapes restricting passengers … Continue reading “11 years at the airport and I have never seen anything like this”

Veronica Kontopoulou