Alessia de Luca Tupputi

Macedonian police fires teargas at women and children. Idomeni, Europe’s biggest shame

Macedonian police fired teargas and rubber bullets at migrants trying to cross the border in Idomeni, Greece. Women and children were left wounded.

Syria, bombs dropped north of Aleppo. Women and children among the victims

A pregnant woman and three kids are among the 18 victims of the bombing carried out in Sheikh Maqsud, north of Aleppo, on 5 April. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), 70 people were injured, 30 of which are children. The NGO, based in London but boasting a dense network all over Syria, underlines

Imelda Marcos’ jewellery becomes a public awareness campaign against corruption

A tiara adorned with diamonds and precious gemstones could fund treatment of over 12,000 people affected by tuberculosis, while a sapphire and diamond necklace could provide electricity to 2,252 households in off-grid areas. In order to raise people’s awareness on corruption and abuse of power, the government of the Philippines launched a very uncommon campaign.

Goodbye to Zaha Hadid, the Dame of architecture

Both criticised and praised, the award-winning and undisputed world archistar, Zaha Hadid, died following a heart attack on 31 March in a Miami hospital, where she was being treated for bronchitis. The news has been confirmed in the evening by Zaha Hadid Architects, one of the world’s most important studios where 246 architects are employed:

Turkey arrests 3 academics for advocating peace with the PKK

In the latest attack on freedom of expression in Turkey, three academics who signed a peace petition in January 2016 have been detained by a court of Istanbul, being charged with making terrorist propaganda. The 3 were arrested on 15 March 2016, pending the completion of a criminal investigation. Security forces requested imprisonment up to

Luaty Beirao, Angolan dissident rapper sentenced to 5 years in jail

5-and-a-half years in jail: this is the price Angolan musician and rapper Luaty Beirao paid for his political commitment against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The verdict issued by a court of Luanda found Beirao and 16 other activists guilty of wanting to overthrow the government and institutions. The sequence of events started on 20

Pakistan, the Lahore attack is a clear message from the Taliban to the government

Pakistani army and special operations forces are about to launch a military operation in Punjab region to find the executors and facilitators of the deadly attack in Lahore that killed over 70 people and wounded hundreds on 27 March. According to local media, the army will be given “extraordinary powers” during operations, similar to those

What happened in Brussels, the capital of Europe, on 22 March

Two explosions rocked the departures area in Zavantem international airport. Then, another explosion devastated the metro station of Maelbeek, about an hour and a half later. This is how the attacks to Brussels and to the very heart of Belgium and Europe begun on 22 March, just a few steps from the main communitarian institutions.

Elections in Africa: six countries go to the polls

This is a crucial week for Africa. Six states voted on 20 March, the African Super Sunday according to local press: five countries held presidential and parliamentary elections while one voted on a constitutional referendum. Benin In Benin, Prime Minister Lionel Zinzou and cotton tycoon Patrice Talon face each other in run-off presidential elections, after the first round ended

Somalia: the first hybrid plant combining solar and wind power is now operational in Garowe

In Somalia, the first hybrid plant powered by solar and wind energy is now operational. It will supply Somali people with low-cost electricity and cut CO2 emissions.