“Never Ever Give Up” Melissa Fleming (UN) interviews David Beasley (WFP) – Awake at Night

In this opening episode for Season 3 of Awake at Night, host Melissa Fleming (United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications) speaks with David Beasley (Executive Director of the World Food Programme) about his own experience being sick with COVID-19 and why people should listen to the science. He also explains why the pandemic is causing an spiraling epidemic of hunger.

In Mr. Beasley’s words, should the world fail to come together and invest in people everywhere, we may face “famines of biblical proportions.”From his home in South Carolina, to Yemen, to Sudan and Ethiopia, Mr. Beasley shares candid moments of his journey in the world of humanitarian work, and his thoughts on why the UN is needed now more than ever.

Click here to hear the podcast episode in full: https://www.un.org/en/awake-at-night/S3-E1-never-ever-give-up. You can also subscribe to Awake At Night wherever you get your podcasts.

Screen-shot photo credit: ©WFP/Abeer Etefa

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In This Story: COVID-19

Covid-19 is the official WHO name given to the novel coronavirus which broke out in late 2019 and began to spread in the early months of 2020.

Symptoms of coronavirus

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

  • a persistent new cough (non productive, dry)
  • a high temperature (e.g. head feels warm to the touch)
  • shortness of breath (if this is abnormal for the individual, or increased)

Latest News about Covid-19

Below are stories from around the globe related to the 2020 outbreak of novel Coronavirus – since the WHO gave the Covid-19 naming. Most recent items are posted nearest the top.

5 Recent Items: COVID-19

Global national: jan. 19, 2024 | health data shows influenza, covid-19 cases decreasing in canada 1

Global National: Jan. 19, 2024 | Health data shows influenza, COVID-19 cases decreasing in Canada

Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 hit record highs as tech stocks soar | January 19, 2024

Stock market today: Stocks climb with techs ready to roar | January 19, 2023

Dr Anthony Fauci ‘became part of the problem’ when it came to the spread of Covid misinformation

WEF summit: Canada warns of future supply shocks amid global instability

In This Story: Ethiopia

Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa, is a rugged, landlocked country split by the Great Rift Valley. With archaeological finds dating back more than 3 million years, it’s a place of ancient culture. Among its important sites are Lalibela with its rock-cut Christian churches from the 12th–13th centuries. Aksum is the ruins of an ancient city with obelisks, tombs, castles and Our Lady Mary of Zion church.

3 Recent Items: Ethiopia

Could Ethiopia and Somalia go to war? | Inside Story

UN Chief’s travels, Gaza & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (17 January 2024)

Ethiopia’s Tigray region on ‘brink of famine’ | DW News

In This Story: Sudan

The Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, the Central African Republic to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southeast, Eritrea to the east, and the Red Sea to the northeast.

Sudan’s history goes back to the Pharaonic period. Independence from the British was proclaimed on 1 January 1956.

Islam was Sudan’s state religion and Islamic laws applied from 1983 until 2020 when the country became a secular state. The economy has been described as lower-middle income and relies on oil production. Sudan is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, African Union, COMESA, Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.

3 Recent Items: Sudan

Why isn’t the world keeping #EyesOnSudan?

The UN presence in Sudan is “in a precarious situation” | United Nations

The UN presence in Sudan is “in a precarious situation”

In This Story: World Food Programme

The World Food Programme is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, the largest one focused on hunger and food security, and the largest provider of school meals. Founded in 1961, it is headquartered in Rome and has offices in 80 countries.

2 Recent Items: World Food Programme

UN World Food Programme agency: ‘Everyone in Gaza is hungry’

Cindy McCain: Help & Hope for the Hungry | Awake at Night | United Nations

In This Story: Yemen

Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is the second-largest Arab sovereign state in the peninsula, occupying 527,970 square kilometres. The coastline stretches for about 2,000 kilometres.

2 Recent Items: Yemen

How will the situation in the Red Sea evolve?

Red Sea tension upsets Yemeni fishermen’s livelihood

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