Accessibility links
Matt Ozug
Matt Ozug headshot
Stories By

Matt Ozug

Story Archive

Author Interviews

Encore: Artist Ai Weiwei on his father's exile and hopes for his own son

In this encore presentation, NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks to artist Ai Weiwei about his memoir, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows.

Encore: Artist Ai Weiwei on his father's exile and hopes for his own son

Listen · 8:00
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1115001932/1115001933" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Music

Beyoncé's new album 'Renaissance' pays homage to Black queer music history

NPR's Juana Summers talks with Danyel Smith, author of the book Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women In Pop and host of the podcast Black Girl Songbook, about the new Beyoncé album.

Beyoncé's new album 'Renaissance' pays homage to Black queer music history

Listen · 5:33
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1114613243/1114613244" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Music News

Joni Mitchell returns to Newport Folk Festival

For the first time since 2000, folk legend Joni Mitchell took to the stage with some friends, to the delight of fans at the Newport Folk Festival.

Joni Mitchell returns to Newport Folk Festival

Listen · 2:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1113528161/1113528162" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Author Interviews

Blind loyalty is helping sustain Trump's power in the Republican party, new book says

NPR's Juana Summers talks with journalist Mark Leibovich about his new book Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission.

Blind loyalty is helping sustain Trump's power in the Republican party, new book says

Listen · 8:06
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1110904511/1110904512" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Media

Checking in with 3 teens who challenged a waste management company with their podcast

Three recent high school graduates — who were on the program in July 2019 — speak about their podcast set in their hometown of Gary, Ind.

Checking in with 3 teens who challenged a waste management company with their podcast

Listen · 7:59
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1104683131/1104685603" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
This secretive network helps Ukrainian refugees find abortions in Europe

In Ukraine, abortion laws are very liberal. But Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war found much more restrictive laws in neighboring Poland. Nicole Xu for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Nicole Xu for NPR

Europe

This secretive network helps Ukrainian refugees find abortions in Europe

Ukraine has very liberal abortion laws. In Poland, it is almost entirely illegal. Millions of Ukrainians discovered this when they fled the war in their home country and crossed the Polish border.

This secretive network helps Ukrainian refugees find abortions in Europe

Listen · 11:33
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1101473557/1102820354" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The flow of Ukrainian refugees has changed direction in Poland. And so has aid relief

People leave the aid camp at the Poland-Ukraine border in Medyka, Poland. Adam Lach for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Adam Lach for NPR

Europe

The flow of Ukrainian refugees has changed direction in Poland. And so has aid relief

Medyka is the busiest border crossing between Poland and Ukraine. Aid workers flocked there to set up tents offering assistance when the war started. But these days, the flow of refugees has shifted.

The flow of Ukrainian refugees has changed direction in Poland. And so has aid relief

Listen · 10:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100085358/1100373130" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Europe

Warsaw mayor pleads for a strategic plan as city continues to welcome refugees

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with the mayor of Warsaw, Poland, about how his city is managing the influx of Ukrainian refugees. He says Warsaw's population went up by 15% since the outset of the conflict.

Warsaw mayor pleads for a strategic plan as city continues to welcome refugees

Listen · 8:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100477111/1100505783" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Europe

Millions of Ukrainians are arriving to a battle over abortion rights in Poland

Ukraine has very liberal abortion laws. In Poland, it is almost entirely illegal. Millions of Ukrainians discovered this when they fled the war in their home country and crossed the Polish border.

Millions of Ukrainians are arriving to a battle over abortion rights in Poland

Listen · 11:33
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100476995/1102820171" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Millions rushed to leave Ukraine. Now the queue to return home stretches for miles

Ukrainians wait in a miles-long jam full of trucks, buses and cars to cross to the border at Medyka, Poland. Adam Lach for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Adam Lach for NPR

Ukraine invasion — explained

Millions rushed to leave Ukraine. Now the queue to return home stretches for miles

If you want to get into Ukraine by vehicle, you might have to wait hours at the Medyka border, where people sit in a line of cars that stretches for miles and takes hours to move.

Millions rushed to leave Ukraine. Now the queue to return home stretches for miles

Listen · 10:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1099876370/1100282183" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Europe

A visit to one of the busiest border crossings between Ukraine and Poland

NPR's Ari Shapiro spends a day at the Medyka border crossing to see how the flow of refugees has changed over the nearly three months since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A visit to one of the busiest border crossings between Ukraine and Poland

Listen · 10:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100228338/1100228339" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
They escaped the war in Ukraine. Then they faced fresh trouble in Poland

Ima hugs Shakira at a shelter provided by the Nigerians Diaspora Organization in Poland. Adam Lach for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Adam Lach for NPR

Ukraine invasion — explained

They escaped the war in Ukraine. Then they faced fresh trouble in Poland

Millions of people have fled Ukraine since the war started, but not all are Ukrainian. And some citizens of African countries have found that the doors of Europe are much less open to them.

They escaped the war in Ukraine. Then they faced fresh trouble in Poland

Listen · 8:07
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1099721940/1099919967" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

World

African students who fled to Poland from Ukraine are waiting in limbo

More than 6 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded. Not all of them are Ukrainian. Some citizens of African countries have found that the doors of Europe are much less open to them.

African students who fled to Poland from Ukraine are waiting in limbo

Listen · 8:07
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1099873983/1099873984" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
How the war in Ukraine 'changed everything' for a generation of young Poles

From left: Tomek Mądry, Basia Olszewska and Lilia Nguyen all say the war in Ukraine has made them reassess their own lives in Poland. Adam Lach for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Adam Lach for NPR

Ukraine invasion — explained

How the war in Ukraine 'changed everything' for a generation of young Poles

Lilia Nguyen's perception of everything around her changed when she went to the border to help Ukrainian refugees shortly after the war began. The change has been felt by other young Poles.

How the war in Ukraine 'changed everything' for a generation of young Poles

Listen · 7:54
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1099411575/1099613256" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Browse archive or search npr.org