Global Impact

Fresh from an undercover trip to earthquake-ravaged Myanmar, BBC South Asia and Afghanistan correspondent Yogita Limaye joins me to share what she witnessed on the ground—and how locals are surviving with little to no aid. We also discuss the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, her reporting from post-Assad Syria, developments in India, the war in Ukraine, the future of journalism, and much...

In this special new season-opener, former CIA spy and now geopolitics expert, Laura Ballman, speaks to co-hosts Michael Bociurkiw and Melissa Ricci about what its like to be a spy, whether the field is accepting of women, the vulnerability of tech platforms such as TikTok, the war in Ukraine - and much more!

As the war in Ukraine entered its second month, co-hosts Michael Bociurkiw and Melissa Ricci spoke with the London-based scholar and author, Olesya Khromeychuk, about the impact of the war on the country, the role of women, rehabilitation and re-construction - as well as the book she wrote about the loss of her brother: A Loss: The Story of a Dead Soldier Told by His Sister

In this special episode of Global Impact, co-hosts Michael Bociurkiw and Melissa Ricci speak to multi award-winning journalist, war correspondent and author Janine di Giovanni. Her new book, The Vanishing, anchors a discussion on the shocking decline in numbers of Christians in the Middle East. Why she became a journalist, the dangers of the profession, the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemi...

A moving and memorable chat with Sage Gallon - the published and award winning multi-media artist. Co-hosts Melissa Ricci and Michael Bociurkiw speak to a man who has so much to offer in terms of life lessons, overcoming the impossible, surviving addiction and homelessness, creating art - and much more.

Co-hosts Melissa Ricci and Michael Bociurkiw chat with European marketing expert Thomas Barta about brand strategy, the influence of influencers, the impact of the pandemic on business and his likes and dislikes.

Not only is he one of the youngest diplomats to have emerged out of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba is among the youngest foreign ministers to walk the corridors of power on the world stage. Co-hosts Melissa Ricci & Michael Bociurkiw engage the minister on a variety of topics - from his thoughts on the relevance of the United Nations and why the EU seems to be slow-motioning Ukraine’s ascension to the bloc...

Mark Henick's TEDx talk, "WHY WE CHOSE SUICIDE", is among the most watched in the world with over 6 million views. His story of searching for “THE MAN IN THE LIGHT BROWN JACKET” who saved his life from a teenage suicide attempt went viral around world. Informed by his direct experience with stigma and the mental health care system, Mark dedicated his life from an early age to opening minds and cre...

Known best for the bold and abrupt way she parted ways with Fox News, American journalist Ivory Hecker discusses her career, the changing media business, censorship, the Covid-19 pandemic and more. Ivory's website: https://ivoryhecker.com/

From Los Angeles and New York City, co-hosts Michael Bociurkiw and Melissa Ricci speak to top US infectious diseases expert Dr. Nahid Bhadelia - starting with the question of whether we have seen the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. They also talk about the release of Michael's new book - Digital Pandemic - Covid-19: How Tech Went From Bad to Good.

The street kid who made it. Victor Malarek is one of the most-renowned journalists in Canada, having broken many stories on corruption, police incompetence, and government ineptitude. His writing has shone a light into the dark corners of humanity where many dare not tread. He has taken up issues faced by human trafficking victims, those caught in the sex trade, orphans and refugees. Co-hosts Mich...

Co-hosts Michael Bociurkiw and Melissa Ricci look towards the future as they discuss the direction of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially as it has affected travel. Their special guest this episode is Jason Middleton, the CEO of Silver Air Private Jets.

Smartphone and social media addiction. Even pre-pandemic we were spending increasing amounts of time glued to our devices. Co-hosts Michael Bociurkiw and Melissa Ricci speak to one of the foremost technology expert in the US, psychologist Larry Rosen, about addiction and how it can be curbed. How our relationship with technology has been shaped by the pandemic. Most importantly, Dr. Rosen provides...

A conversation with prominent French commentator, Philippe Moreau Chevrolet. Joining host Michael Bociurkiw is the French-Italian actress (and Global Impact alumnu) Melissa Ricci. A host of topics are covered, including: the draconian coronavirus lockdowns in France, the governance style of President Macron, French foreign policy and a set of rapid fire questions to help you become better acquaint...

Cutting-edge journalism has taken a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, with news outlets worldwide impacted by a decline in ad and subscription revenues, mobility restrictions and other stresses. And yet there are entities which have managed to shine a spotlight on the many inequities that have arisen from the pandemic and have spurred action. The Fuller Project is one of them, dedicated to reporti...

A previous fashion industry executive, Cara Smyth is extremely well-placed to identify the parts of the supply chain of this sector which have the greatest environmental impact. And where things can be changed to reduce its footprint. Also in this episode - an update on the worsening situation in Myanmar and the Covid-19 pandemic as the US reaches the grim milestone of half-a-million deaths.

Ten years after a pro-democracy uprising in the Middle East, has the 'Arab Spring' turned into a winter? We speak to journalist Shahira Amin, the former deputy head of Egyptian state-owned Nile TV and one of its senior anchors. She resigned from the position on February 3, 2011, over its biased coverage of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. We also head to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, where ano...

Welcome to the second episode of season three of Global Impact, co-hosted with Rasha Goel. We present a conversation with the French-Italian actress Melissa Ricci, where we discuss her work, the impact of the economic downturn on the film industry, the importance of story telling during these times -and much more! We also present two songs by a jazz vocal sextet we've discovered, ManSound, from Ky...

In this first episode of Season 3, we present highlights from the past year and look at trends to watch out for in 2021. An update on the global coronavirus situation.  Excerpts from my mini power panel on the year ahead with Farzana Baduel of London's Curzon. Audio clips from previous guests include: Emily Lau (Hong Kong),  Peter Maurer (ICRC), Ambassadors William Taylor and Alexander V...

In this special episode, we discuss the many aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccines with US infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm. He is also a member of President-elect Joe Biden's transition coronavirus task force. In a grim forecast, he predicts the coronavirus 'forest fire' has yet to infect well over 65-75% of the world's population.

We've long said that the Covid-19 pandemic provided an inflection point for technology. No less so than in the area of "wearables" and tracking apps. We speak to the founder of a start-up providing safe PPE to people on the frontlines. We hear from Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai who was charged last week for breaching the draconian National Security Law. How the US election results were received...

Still on the road, from South Florida we discuss the aftermath of the US election: what will the outgoing president attempt to accomplish in his final days in office and what's on the agenda for incoming President Joe Biden. We also talk travel - to an expert in "transformational travel" - Jake Haupert.

Global Impact is on the road again - on the eve of one of the most consequential elections in modern times, in one of the most crucial states, Florida. With 29 electoral votes at stake, the importance of Florida for either presidential candidates cannot be under-estimated. Also - a look ahead to what to expect in Asia-Pacific in 2021, the latest on the Covid-19 pandemic and travel and how the pand...

A remote, landlocked and mountainous piece of land in the South Caucuses is drawing a lot of attention - and firepower - as two former Soviet republics with Russia Turkey and others in the mix battle it out. The battle between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh threaten stability in the region. We also go over the latest Covid-19 data: has the dreaded second wave already arrived in some...

An in-depth conversation with Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It is one of the most widely recognized and respected organizations in the world, having won three Nobel Peace Prizes in 1917, 1944, and 1963. Because of its mandate and its ability to maintain trust, aid workers often describe the organization as ‘first in, last out.’