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Global refugee numbers reach record high, U.S. and Canada take in record numbers

Global refugee numbers reach record high, U.S. and Canada take in record numbers | iNFOnews.ca
A family, claiming to be from Columbia, is arrested by RCMP officers as they cross the border into Canada from the United States as asylum seekers on April 18, 2018 near Champlain, NY. A new report from the United Nations Refugee Agency shows 2017 broke global records for displaced persons and saw Canada become the ninth largest recipient of asylum seekers in the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

OTTAWA – A new report from the United Nations Refugee Agency shows 2017 broke global records for displaced persons, with Canada becoming the ninth-largest recipient of asylum seekers in the world.

The annual Global Trends report from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees shows 68.5 million people fled their home countries due to wars, violence and persecution in 2017.

As a result, there were 2.9 million more refugees around the world than in the previous year, the largest year-over-year increase the UN has ever seen.

More than 16 million people were newly displaced over the course of the year.

Canada was the ninth-largest recipient of asylum seekers, with 47,800 claims registered in 2017 — more than twice the number of claims in 2016.

For the first time in five years, the United States became the largest recipient of new asylum applications in 2017, with more than 330,000 claims lodged — a 27 per cent jump from 2016.

— Follow @ReporterTeresa on Twitter.

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Howard Alexander

Assistant Editor Howard Alexander comes to iNFOnews.ca from the broadcasting side of the media business.

Howard has been a reporter, news anchor, talk show host and news director, first in Saskatchewan and then the Okanagan.

He moved his family to Vernon in the 90s and is proud to call the Okanagan home.

If you have an event to share contact Howard at 250-309-5343or email halexander@infonews.ca.

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