Best Refugees In A New Land Podcasts (2024)

1
Sudan: ‘We’re in a race against time, but the time is running out’ 14:12

4h ago14:12

14:12

War-torn Sudan is facing a looming famine and the world’s largest displacement crisis as the conflict between rival militaries that started last April grinds on and the situation deteriorates on the ground. UN News’s Khaled Mohamed spoke with Justin Brady, who leads the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the country. S…

1
In a year of elections, why is there a ‘Democracy Paradox’? 14:55

11m ago14:55

14:55

More than 60 elections are taking place in 2024 and, whilst 90 per cent of people say they want to live in a democracy, many are voting for people and systems that are restricting their rights. The UN has expressed concern about this “democracy paradox”, and that fact that some governments and governance systems are becoming increasingly repressive…

1
UNHCR ambassador calls for greater access and educational opportunities for young refugees 14:32

16h ago14:32

14:32

Each year on 20 June, the world celebrates World Refugee Day with forced displacement surging to historic new levels across the globe, according to the 2024 flagship Global Trends Report from refugee agency UNHCR. UN News’s Pauline Batista sat down with UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Mary Maker from South Sudan, at UN Headquarters in New York, who discu…

1
Women-led organizations in Gaza ‘an inspiration’: UN Women official 9:52

16h ago9:52

9:52

The resilience of women-led organizations to continue working across Gaza to benefit their communities is “an inspiration”, the Special Representative for UN Women in the region said on Wednesday in an interview with UN News. Maryse Guimond from the Palestine Office of the UN agency advocating for gender equality described her first mission to the …

1
One third of global population affected by desertification and land loss 6:43

3d ago6:43

6:43

Some 3.2 billion people, or almost one third of the global population, are affected by desertification and land loss according to the UN’s most senior official dealing with the issue. The loss of land through drought and desertification, which is being driven, in part, by climate change, can have huge impacts on agriculture, development, migration …

1
Cassandra Calin on creating her first comic book for kids, voyaging through Bella Bella with Brandon Reid, a new take on the boarding school novel in Land of No Regrets, and more 51:00

5d ago51:00

51:00

The New Girl is the latest project from the creator of hit webcomic Cassandra Comics, revealing the similarities between different ways of life in Beautiful Beautiful, Sadi Muktadir writes about Madrasa hijinks in his new book, the Canadian combination of hockey and Joni Mitchell, and more.

1
‘The Taliban have stripped girls of the rights they once had’: Gordon Brown 7:16

6d ago7:16

7:16

It has now been over 1,000 days since the Taliban, the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, banned education for girls beyond sixth grade, a figure described by the Executive Director of the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, as “a blatant violation of their right to education” resulting in “dwindling opportunities and deteriorating mental health”. To r…

1
Living in the metaverse: UN goes virtual for the public good 7:01

6d ago7:01

7:01

The UN’s digital technology agency (ITU) launches ‘UN Virtual Worlds Day’ on Friday a pioneering event designed to integrate the metaverse – ‘an integrated ecosystem of virtual worlds’ – to improve how societies and governance work to greater benefit the public. Virtual reality offers new opportunities for reaching the Sustainable Development Goals…

1
Nuclear bids to become leading renewable energy source 19:48

7d ago19:48

19:48

Nuclear power has been a source of optimism and fear since the mid-Twentieth Century. On one hand, it evokes the destructive power of nuclear bombs, the catastrophic explosion of Chernobyl, the Fukushima disaster or, more recently Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Europe’s largest, which has come under fire since Russia’s full-scale inva…

1
Children are forced to work in OPT to support their families 7:53

9d ago7:53

7:53

Eight months into the war in Gaza, families have been forced to adapt to what humanitarians often call “negative coping strategies” to survive, as unemployment reaches a staggering 80 per cent. For many in the Gaza Strip, this has meant sending their children out to work, despite the dangers, the UN labour agency, ILO, has warned. Details of this w…

1
The memories of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner, A queer Syrian refugee memoir, the importance of failure with Jean Marc Ah-Sen, and more 54:12

12d ago54:12

54:12

Dr. Marie Wilson reflects on her time as Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner, Danny Ramadan shares what it was like to seek refuge and search for acceptance in Canada, an exploration of the literary scene in Kilworthy Tanner, and more.

1
Time for big plastic producers to walk the talk on cutting pollution 5:34

12d ago5:34

5:34

The plastics industry needs to show more responsibility and put their money where their mouth is on cutting harmful waste and pollution, especially as it impacts small island States. That’s according to Director General of the Pacific islands environment agency, SPREP, Sefanaia Nawadra of Fiji, who told UN News the outcome document adopted at last …

1
Yemen: International community must build on ‘fragile’ humanitarian progress 6:46

13d ago6:46

6:46

The international community must continue to pay attention to the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where hunger and malnutrition remain chronic after nearly a decade of war. That’s the opinion of Najwa Mekki, Chief of the Strategic Communications Branch at the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, in New York. Ms. Mekki is fresh from a visit to Yem…

1
Unravelling the tales of sharks and dugongs on World Oceans Day 9:03

13d ago9:03

9:03

Sharks and dugongs serve as barometers of the marine ecosystem, but many people overlook their critical roles, perceiving sharks as menacing figures and dugongs as mythical creatures. Ahead of World Oceans Day on 8 June, UN News’s Jing Zhang spoke with Gabriel Grimsditch, a programme management officer at the UN Environment Programme’s marine and c…

1
Sudan: Where ‘people don’t have tomorrow’ without lifesaving aid, warns UNICEF 7:09

13d ago7:09

7:09

A devastating war in Sudan has left 800,000 people trapped in El Fasher in the west of the vast country, UN humanitarians warned on Friday, as they reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire to allow lifesaving aid in. The development comes as disturbing details continue to emerge of an alleged attack on the village of Wad Al-Noura in Jazira state…

1
Alarming levels of global child poverty: UNICEF 10:07

13d ago10:07

10:07

UNICEF has released a new child nutrition report that highlights severe levels of child food poverty due to inequity, conflict, and climate crises. The new report found that millions of children under five have difficulty accessing nutritious and diverse diets necessary for developmental growth. UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, and a lead writer for th…

1
Tech optimists from Google use AI to reach development goals 4:44

13d ago4:44

4:44

With only six years to the 2030 deadline, humanity is alarmingly off track in the bid to reach the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. Keeping track of progress is a gigantic task but one of the global tech giants – Google - is answering the call. At the recent AI for Good Global Summit, Melike Yetken Krilla, who’s in charge of Google’s rela…

1
‘You need to bring girls back to school’: UN official’s message for Afghan leaders 20:55

14d ago20:55

20:55

Since the Taliban took back power as the de facto authority in Afghanistan in 2021, women’s rights have come under attack. Today, the country barely makes the headlines despite the ongoing suppression of women’s rights and humanitarian crises, such as earthquakes and recent floods. Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Head of the UN Office for Project Servi…

1
AI is being used by the UN to save lives: UN tech official 12:03

15d ago12:03

12:03

The potentially transformative effects of Artificial Intelligence have been brought into focus by the UN in recent days, following a major conference in Geneva: the AI For Global Good Summit. The title of the event says it all: how is the technology being used to further UN-endorsed goals, such as reducing inequality, tackling the climate crisis, a…

1
World Environment Day a chance to spark action to restore ailing land 6:31

16d ago6:31

6:31

Restoring land, halting desertification and building resilience against drought are the focus of World Environment Day on 5 June. Up to 40 per cent of the world’s land is already degraded, while more than three billion people worldwide are negatively impacted by drought, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). UN News’s Julia Dean in Canb…

1
SIDS4: Indian Ocean health expert lauds ‘political commitment’ to take action 3:22

18d ago3:22

3:22

A medical epidemiologist working with the Indian Ocean Commission’s One Health initiative says that the number of ministers from small island States attending this week’s SIDS4 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda shows there is real “political commitment” to take urgent action. Dr. Lovena Preeyadarshini Mangroo of Mauritius says although all five isl…

1
Eccentric relatives and family feuds in Queers Like Me; the extensive comic book collection of David A. Robertson; big city, big dreams in The Education of Aubrey McKee, and more 54:13

19d ago54:13

54:13

Michael V. Smith talks about growing up queer in rural Ontario in his latest poetry collection, two-time Governor General's Literary Award winner David A. Robertson answers the Proust Questionnaire, What made Biography of X a standout book of 2023, the latest novel from Alex Pugsley, and more.

1
World must step up support for SIDS as ‘expression of responsibility’ 5:11

20d ago5:11

5:11

The developed world must increase support for small island developing States “not as an expression of generosity but of responsibility”, the UN’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction has said. Kamal Kishore – who also heads up the Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) - was speaking to UN News in Antigua and Barbuda as the Fourth…

1
Gaza’s healthcare teams must be focus of reconstruction, says WHO 10:15

21d ago10:15

10:15

Nearly eight months of war in Gaza have devastated the enclave’s hospitals and clinics but many skilled medical professionals are still there and committed to being part of its future, a senior UN World Health Organization (WHO) official told UN News. “There's a lot of very capable health professionals in Gaza, and they should be very much part - t…

1
From Belafonte to Rihanna, the Caribbean has ‘transformed culture’ 10:38

22d ago10:38

10:38

They may be small islands in size – but the countries of the Caribbean are huge exporters of culture and need to remind younger generations at home of why they should feel proud of where they come from. That’s according to Claire Nelson, a Jamaican based in the United States and founder of the advocacy-based Institute of Caribbean Studies, who’s be…

1
Indian peacekeeper awarded UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year 6:25

23d ago6:25

6:25

Major Radhika Sen, an Indian peacekeeper deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has received the 2023 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. Major Sen worked in the DRC from March 2023 through April 2024, where she amplified women’s voices, created safe spaces for men and women to work together, and promoted gen…

1
Humans and robots unite at the AI for Good Summit in Geneva 7:26

23d ago7:26

7:26

How artificial intelligence (AI) can help advance efforts to build a more just and inclusive global future, for both people and the planet, is the focus of a two-day forum that opens in Geneva on Thursday. The annual AI for Good Global Summit, organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), brings together leading experts in the fiel…

1
Small islands must wake up to chemical and pollution ‘time bomb’ 11:02

25d ago11:02

11:02

Small island developing States (SIDS) gathered in Antigua and Barbuda this week for the SIDS4 conference should not be afraid to stand up to companies seeking short-term profit at the long-term expense of human health and the environment – especially in the tourism sector. That’s the message from the Seychelles-born Executive Secretary of the UN-ad…

1
Walling off damage from climate change, one brick at a time 9:09

26d ago9:09

9:09

Youth activists have been meeting on the twin island nation of Antigua and Barbuda this weekend to ensure their voices and call for action is heard loud and clear by world leaders assembling for the SIDS4 conference. With their personal “wall of commitment” around 80 passionate young changemakers attending the SIDS Global Children and Youth Action …

1
Pets against ecological exploitation in Mood Swings, three thriller novels to get your heart racing this summer, toxic work environments in I Hope This Finds You Well, and more 54:12

26d ago54:12

54:12

Montreal-based author Frankie Barnet writes about obstinate pets and tech billionaires in her latest book, Robert J. Wiersema recommends a few of his favourite new thrillers, why sending hate mail to colleagues is a bad idea with Natalie Sue, and more.

1
UN rights expert: 'Incarceration emergency' resulted in mistreatment and alleged torture of Palestinians 4:14

29d ago4:14

4:14

Following the 7 October terror attacks led by Hamas, thousands of Palestinians have been detained in what the Israeli Government has dubbed an “incarceration emergency” allowing them to fill prisons beyond official capacity. The overcrowded detention facilities and reports of alleged degrading treatment and even torture, prompted Alice Jill Edwards…

1
Ukraine: Accepting ‘new reality’ a challenge for Kharkiv evacuees 5:23

30d ago5:23

5:23

UN agencies and their partners are providing support to thousands of people from the Kharkiv region in Ukraine who have been evacuated from frontline areas where intensive Russian air strikes continue. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said vulnerable boys and girls are among those arriving at a humanitarian hub in the main city, Kharkiv. They includ…

1
Protecting biodiversity: Be part of the plan to save the planet 11:10

1M ago11:10

11:10

Without immediate action to protect biodiversity, a million species could be at risk, warns David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Due to unprecedented threat levels, he told UN News that coral reefs, amphibians, pollinating insects, and many large mammals are all on the brink of extinction due to ris…

1
Gaza war putting pressure on healthcare workers: WHO 8:15

1M ago8:15

8:15

As the war in Gaza continues, health facilities and healthcare workers are struggling to provide care to civilians amidst unfavourable circumstances, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) team lead for emergencies communications Nyka Alexander said on Monday. In an interview with UN News’s Khaled Mohamed, she said nowhere is safe in the enclave wit…

1
Ruth Reichl’s decadent adventure through 1980s Paris, looking back on Alice Munro, brothers and co-authors Will and Ian Ferguson take the Proust Questionnaire, plus more. 53:42

1M ago53:42

53:42

Food writer and editor Ruth Reichl talks about her new coming-of-age novel set in France, revisiting Shelagh Rogers’s 2006 conversation with Alice Munro about her short story collection The View from Castle Rock, Will and Ian Ferguson discuss their love of writing, plus authors Elisabeth de Mariaffi and Andrew Pyper reflect on Alice Munro’s legacy.…

1
Survival at stake for small island States in sustainable development race and push for climate action 11:56

1M ago11:56

11:56

The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda is leading the charge for more climate action paving the way for “resilient prosperity” as host of this month’s upcoming International Conference on Small Island Developing States, SIDS4. In an exclusive interview with UN News’s Shanaé Harte, Gaston Browne said the very survival of small island nations is i…

1
UN economists fear developing countries could be hit with new ‘resource curse’ 17:36

1M ago17:36

17:36

People living in countries rich in the minerals needed for the transition to a net-zero carbon global economy could find themselves victims of a new “resource curse”, remaining in poverty despite the new-found wealth of their leaders. This is one of the findings of economists at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), in their late…

1
Urgent aid needed in Gaza amidst unimaginable hardship 8:33

1M ago8:33

8:33

Civilians in Gaza have been dealing with conflict and crises for seven months – a catastrophe that no word in the dictionary could describe, according to Yasmina Guerda, a Humanitarian Affairs Officer with the UN emergency relief coordination agency, OCHA. In an interview with UN News’s Jerome Bernard, Ms. Guerda spoke about the unmissable destruct…

1
Ukraine crisis reaches new terrifying level as civilians face daily drone and ‘glide bomb’ attacks 8:03

1M ago8:03

8:03

Daily attacks by the Russian military in Ukraine have damaged dozens of towns and villages in the south and east of the country but also in central areas - including the city of Dnipro, which was shelled again early this Friday, UN humanitarians said. An array of military hardware has been deployed against heavily populated areas, such as drones an…

1
Sudan civilians ‘want conflict to end’ says WFP's Deputy Executive Director 2:57

1M ago2:57

2:57

Amidst ongoing armed conflict in Sudan, where millions of civilians are left displaced and food insecure, Deputy Executive Director for the World Food Programme (WFP), Carl Skau, visited the nation where he said a window of opportunity to reach civilians is rapidly closing as the rainy season approaches. Mr. Skau noted that the Sudanese want to see…

1
‘Gender bias in AI’ impacts technology use on the battlefield, UN expert warns 14:12

1M ago14:12

14:12

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly developing and raising concerns on the battlefield, particularly lethal autonomous weapons systems, commonly known as “killer robots”. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) works to increase understanding of the risks and implications of AI for international peace and security. UN New…

1
Libya: Outgoing UN envoy details challenges to political solution 14:13

1M ago14:13

14:13

A breakthrough in Libya cannot be achieved if leaders continue to monopolise the political process, the outgoing head of the UN mission in the country, UNSMIL, has said. Libya has remained mired in deep crisis since the postponement of national elections, originally planned for December 2021. UN Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily called on le…

1
Afghanistan: UN assessment teams deployed to flood-affected areas 10:35

1M ago10:35

10:35

Rescue efforts continue in Afghanistan following deadly flash floods in three northeastern provinces this past weekend. The Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Stephen Rodriques, said that so far, 180 deaths have been confirmed and nearly 9,000 homes have been damaged or completely destroyed. The UN has deployed just ove…

1
Space travel and cryogenics in The Downloaded, award-winning TV writer and author Zoe Whittall, online craft sellers in Peacocks of Instagram, and more. 50:24

1M ago50:24

50:24

Ontario science fiction writer discusses the mind, body and cryogenics in his 25th book; Baroness Von Sketch and Schitt's Creek writer shares her first short story collection; Deepa Rajagopalan on the peafowl documentary that inspired her latest book, and more.

1
Fiery rhetoric sparks ‘real flames’ at UNRWA East Jerusalem office 21:50

1M ago21:50

21:50

Two arson attacks which followed weeks of protests forced UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA to temporarily close its compound in East Jerusalem on Thursday. The developments are part of a wider campaign to undermine the agency, said Senior Communications Manager Jonathan Fowler. UN News’s Ezzat El-Ferri asked him about these incidents, intimidation…

1
UN rights office: Gaza conflict having ‘massive impact’ on West Bank 15:12

1M ago15:12

15:12

Amid intensified settlement building and the increased use of war tactics by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the number of casualties and injuries in the West Bank are now the highest on record, said the head of the UN human rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on Wednesday. Ajith Sunghay, told Anton Uspensky of UN News that “whatev…

1
‘Patients are afraid’: Top WHO official in Rafah describes rising alarm amid Israeli strikes 7:08

1M ago7:08

7:08

Despite the risk of new strikes in Rafah, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners continue to establish field hospitals and get services back online at the shattered Nasser medical complex in Khan Younis. Dr. Ahmed Dahir, Team Lead with the WHO office in Gaza, told UN News’s Khaled Mohamed that conditions have reached an “unprecedented eme…

1
Toxic relationships and territorial Whitehorse politics in Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit, Amy Lea on influencers and Nova Scotia lobster fishermen, escaping the cycle of addiction in Manitoba-set novel What’s ... 54:13

2M ago54:13

54:13

Nadine Sander-Green pulls inspiration from her time as a reporter in the Yukon in her debut novel, the ultimate tale of opposites attracts in Maritime romance The Catch, Nora Decter on the ripple effect of addiction in her latest book, Cory Doctorow explains the value of geeky friends, and more.

1
Kenya: ‘Whiplash’ between drought and flooding calls for building climate resilience 8:59

2M ago8:59

8:59

Kenya remains on high alert as Tropical Cyclone Hidaya threatens to dump more torrential rains on East African countries, which recently emerged from three years of historic drought. The heavy rains have caused deadly flooding and landslides that have killed nearly 400 people across the region since March. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinat…

1
Unexploded weapons in cities create new danger zone in Sudan 7:20

2M ago7:20

7:20

More than a year of fighting between Sudan’s rival militaries has the country’s people on the verge of famine and uprooted huge numbers caught up in the crossfire. Now, there’s a new threat - unexploded weapons littering Sudan’s towns and cities, where people have received little training about the very real dangers of these lethal devices. Mohamma…

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