News Releases
We bring you the most up-to-date information from UNHCR Canada through news releases.
Photo: © UNHCR / Roger Arnold
Iraqi national flees for second time as bombs rain on adopted home of Yemen
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Oct 22 (UNHCR)—When Husam and his wife Nemah decided to leave their home in Shar Khawlan Nuqum, Yemen last June, they did not hesitate for one moment. The country was a war zone. Bombs were falling from the air like rains of fire. They knew if...
Refugees face long cold and wet night at crowded Balkan border crossings
BERKASOVO, Serbia, Oct 21, (UNHCR)—It is 6 pm, and night is falling fast. Amr and his family huddle under a makeshift shelter, partially lit by a nearby fire, on a small hill near the Serbian-Croatian border. It is windy and cold—the temperature having fallen to...
Number of sea arrivals in Greece hits half million mark
GENEVA, Oct 20 (UNHCR)—Sea arrivals so far this year to Greece have now passed the half-million mark with the arrival yesterday on the Aegean Islands of nearly 8,000 people, the UN refugee agency said today. It added that the latest arrivals had taken the overall...
More support needed for Somali refugees going back home from Kenya
GENEVA, Oct 16 (UNHCR)—Nearly 5,000 Somali refugees from Kenya's Dadaab camps have returned home since December 2014 and a further 4,500 have signed up to go back, the UN refugee agency announced today. UNHCR has helped the returning refugees with transport to their...
UNHCR backs increased protection for people fleeing disasters and climate change
GENEVA, Oct 14, (UNHCR)—The UN refugee agency has joined 110 nations in pledging to strengthen steps to protect people displaced across borders by disasters and climate change and launched an overview highlighting its work in the area. Delegates endorsed the "Agenda...
UNHCR condemns attack on displaced in western Chad, pledges more help
GENEVA, Oct 13 (UNHCR)—The UN refugee agency today strongly condemned two suicide attacks last weekend in western Chad in which a total of 47 people, including many people uprooted as a result of violence in northern Nigeria, were killed and dozens more injured....
Refugees themselves, Iraqis volunteer to help others reach safety in Germany
SALZBURG, Austria, Oct 12 (UNHCR)—Childhood friends Hussein and Jaffa fled war ravaged Iraq together, crossing seven borders and the Aegean Sea to seek refuge in Europe. As they seek asylum in Austria, they decided to help those following in their tracks. Donning...
First group of asylum seekers relocated from Italy to Sweden
ROME, Italy, Oct 9 (UNHCR)—A first group of 19 asylum seekers was relocated from Italy to Sweden today under an EU relocation scheme. The asylum seekers who arrived in Sicily by boat over the last few weeks were registered in Lampedusa and accepted to take part in the...
UNHCR head Guterres urges massive EU response to help Greece attend to refugees
GENEVA, Oct 9 (UNHCR)—UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres today appealed to the European Union to provide "massive support" to Greece to meet the needs of up to 6,000 refugees arriving each day as winter looms across Europe. He stressed that Greek...
UNHCR’s Türk warns against growing politicization of refugee and asylum matters
GENEVA, Oct 8 (UNHCR)—UNHCR's top International Protection expert warned today of growing risks to people fleeing war and persecution, and said a renewed spirit of commitment from governments worldwide to the core human rights and rule of law principles on which the...
To inquire about news releases, please reach out to our Media Contact:
Media Contact
Levon Sevunts
Communications Officer
P: +1 613-286-6975
E: sevunts@unhcr.org
Darcy Knoll
Senior Communications Officer
P: +1 613-219-4446
E: knoll@unhcr.org
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