4251-ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? | View Thread

World hunger rises after decades of decline.

The number of hungry people in the world grew to 815 million in 2016. That’s up by 38 million from the previous year, according to a new report from the United Nations.

Researchers pinpoint a rise in conflict and climate change–related shocks as the major drivers. And they’re related: Spikes in heat are linked with spikes in violence. Extreme drought and war caused famine in South Sudan for several months this year, and conflict-affected countries like Somalia, Yemen, and northeast Nigeria are currently at risk of famine, the U.N. reports.

As the climate becomes less stable, the world faces many food security challenges. Climate-related disasters — more frequent and more intense droughts, floods, and storms — can destroy crops and homes. Meanwhile, climate change has begun to affect crop yields and decrease the nutritive benefits of many plants.

And yet, the growing availability of high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods complicates this picture of global hunger. As Western food companies expand to poorer countries, they introduce junk food to more people. In a New York Times investigation of Nestle’s impact on obesity and malnutrition in Brazil, the authors point out a sobering fact: “Across the world, more people are now obese than underweight.”

At least 40 million people across the globe live in modern slavery, while 152 million children from 5 to 17 years old are currently involved in child labor, a new report reveals.

"The fact that as a society we still have 40 million people in modern slavery, on any given day shames us all," said Andrew Forrest AO, chairman and founder of the Walk Free Foundation which, along with the International Labour Organization (ILO), contributed to the report.

Women and girls "are disproportionately affected by modern slavery," representing almost 29 million, or 71 percent of the overall total, the report says, adding that slavery is not "merely a historical relic."

Women represent at least 99 percent of the victims of "forced labor in the commercial sex industry" and 84 percent of forced marriages, the report says. About 37 percent (or 5.7 million) of those who were forced to marry were children.

"Amongst the child victims, 44 percent were forced to marry before the age of 15. The youngest victim in the sample was 9 when she was forced to marry," the document says.

Around 89 million people have experienced some form of modern slavery in the last five years, Forrest said.

At least 152 million (or 1 in 10) children around the world have been subjected to child labor, the ILO said.

"One in four victims of modern slavery in 2016 were children below the age of 18 years," the paper said.

Less than half of all children subjected to child labor - 72.5 million - "are performing hazardous work that places their health, safety or moral development at risk."

Child labor is widespread in countries hit by conflict and disasters, according to the ILO.

"These fragile situations often involve income shocks, a breakdown in support networks, displacement and disruptions in basic services, all of which can heighten the risk of child labor," the organization states.

"This speaks to the deep seated discrimination and inequalities in our world today, coupled with a shocking tolerance of exploitation. This has to stop. We all have a role to play in changing this reality - business, government, civil society, every one of us," Andrew Forrest said.

(sott.net)

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 9/21/2017 11:14:54 AM
	Maria regains strength as it pulls away from Puerto Rico, approaches Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos By Jason Samenow September 21 at 5:35 AM (This article, originally published at 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, was updated at 5:00 a.m. Thursday with the latest information from the National Hurricane Center.) Hurricane Maria tore across Puerto Rico Wednesday unleashing destructive winds, which knocked out power to the entire island, and “catastrophic” flooding. The storm, which continued to batter the island with torrential rain well into Wednesday night, regained some strength and is next set to scrape across the northern coast of the Dominican Republic as a Category 3 hurricane Thursday before arriving in the Turks and Caicos and Southeast Bahamas by Friday. This weekend, it is expected to turn north parallel to the East Coast. But just how close it tracks to the coast next week, while enormously consequential, is not yet clear. (National Hurricane Center) The latest: Maria’s destructive path Maria continued moving away from Puerto Rico Thursday morning, centered 70 miles north of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, at 5 a.m. The storm was lashing the northeastern part of the Dominican Republic with wind and rain. In the hours leading up to and following landfall in Puerto Rico, the storm’s peak winds had decreased substantially, from 175 to 110 mph. After leaving Puerto Rico, the hurricane regained strength as a Category 3 storm and the Hurricane Center predicted it could hold that intensity for at least 48 hours. Even though the winds had diminished somewhat Wednesday evening, torrential inland rain over Puerto Rico had emerged as the most severe danger. The Hurricane Center described ongoing flash flooding as “catastrophic”. Rivers on the island had rapidly risen, some reaching record levels in a matter of hours. View image on Twitter Follow Antonio Paris ✔@AntonioParis Starting To receive images from Puerto Rico. My sister just sent me this. It’s from Utuado my hometown. #HurricaneMaria 2:09 PM - Sep 20, 2017 416 Replies 3,936 Retweets 2,895 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy At 5 a.m., 10 of 27 river gauges on Puerto Rico were reporting “major flooding” and flash flood warnings covered all but the southwest portion of the island. The National Weather Service in San Juan reported incredible rainfall rates up to 5 to 7 inches per hour Wednesday morning. Estimated rainfall totals in Puerto Rico exceeded 20 inches in most areas. Some gauges recorded amounts to around 30 inches, including 33.58 inches in La Plaza, and 28.70 inches in Cidra. Estimated rainfall in Puerto Rico through 10 p.m. Wednesday. (National Weather Service) As the storm made landfall early Wednesday morning along the southeast coast of Puerto Rico, a National Ocean Service tide gauge at Yabucoa Harbor, Puerto Rico, reported a rise in water 5.3 feet above the normal high tide. Wind reports became scarce by 8 a.m. as wind sensors and/or their transmission signals failed, but numerous locations clocked gusts over 110 mph, including San Juan. And structural damage was reportedly widespread. View image on Twitter Follow Adam Berg ✔@AdamBergNBC6 Updated #Maria wind gusts. @NBC6 #NBC6 9:42 AM - Sep 20, 2017 1 Reply 12 Retweets 4 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy Effects in St. Croix and U.S. Virgin Islands Early Wednesday morning, sustained winds reached 106 mph and gusts were reported up to 137 mph in St. Croix. Between 10 and 11 p.m. Tuesday, St. Croix’s airport on the southwest part of the island reported gusts up to 92 mph before the wind sensor stopped reporting. While St. Croix was hit hard and damage was extensive, the storm’s inner eyewall containing its most violent winds just missed to the south — sparing the island the worst of its fury. Follow U.S. Virgin Islands @usvirginislands Christiansted, St. Croix #HurricaneMaria #USVI #VirginIslands 12:27 PM - Sep 20, 2017 10 Replies 131 Retweets 58 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy The storm passed even farther to the south of St. Thomas, but social media photos showed significant flooding on the island: Follow U.S. Virgin Islands @usvirginislands More Flood Photos from St. Thomas #HurricaneMaria #USVI #VirginIslands 11:58 AM - Sep 20, 2017 6 Replies 40 Retweets 15 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy The forecast Maria’s eye will pass offshore of the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic and then move near the Turks and Caicos and the southeastern Bahamas Thursday night or Friday. Effects on the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas Hurricane warnings are in effect for the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to Puerto Plata, the Turks and Caicos, and the southeastern portion of the Bahamas. Maria’s maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph and some strengthening is possible within the next 24 hours. The Dominican Republic and the islands in her path can expect hurricane-force wind gusts and torrential rains of 8 to 16 inches (and locally up to 20 inches). The storm surge is forecast to reach 4 to 6 feet above normally dry land in the northeast Dominican Republic and up to a devastating 10 to 15 feet in the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, near and just north of where the center passes. U.S. effects After the storm passes the Southeast Bahamas, some models suggest it could find an escape route out to sea, remaining offshore from the East Coast, but it is way too early to sound the all-clear. Group of simulations from American (blue) and European (red) computer models from Wednesday for Hurricane Maria. Each color strand represents a different model simulation with slight tweaks to initial conditions. Note that the strands are clustered together where the forecast track is most confident but they diverge where the course of the storm is less certain. The bold red line is the average of all of the European model simulations, while the blue is the average of all the American model simulations. (StormVistaWxModels.com) Hurricane Jose may help in keeping Maria away from the U.S. mainland by drawing it to the northeast. However, if Jose weakens too quickly, Maria could drift closer to the U.S. coast by the middle of next week. Even if Maria remains just offshore along the East Coast, dangerous surf and rip currents are likely. Maria’s place in history and this hurricane season in perspective When Maria slammed ashore near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday with 155 mph winds, it became the first Category 4 storm to directly strike the island since 1932. It was the first hurricane of any intensity to make landfall there since Georges in 1998. Maria’s landfall pressure of 914 millibars in Puerto Rico was the third lowest on a record for a hurricane striking the U.S. The lower the pressure, the stronger the storm. On Tuesday evening, Maria’s pressure dropped to 909 millibars, ranking among the 10 lowest in recorded history in the Atlantic. View image on Twitter Follow Eric Fisher ✔@ericfisher Here's a list of lowest Atlantic pressure on record. #Maria at 909mb is lowest since Dean in 2007. All devastating storms on this list. 6:03 PM - Sep 19, 2017 7 Replies 50 Retweets 67 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy Its maximum sustained winds, which reached 175 mph, also ranked among the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. At 9:35 p.m. Monday, Maria became the first Category 5 storm to strike Dominica in recorded history, leaving behind widespread destruction. [‘We have lost all what money can buy’: Hurricane Maria devastates Dominica] In just 18 hours Monday, the storm strengthened from a minimal Category 1 storm to a Category 5 monster. Its pressure dropped 52 millibars in 18 hours, “one of the fastest deepening rates on record behind Ike, Rita, Gilbert, & Wilma,” tweeted Tomer Burg, at atmospheric science graduate student at SUNY-Albany. Maria is the latest powerhouse storm in what has become a hyperactive hurricane season. “2017 joins 1932, 1933, 1961, 2005, and 2007 as only years with multiple Cat 5s,” tweeted MDA Federal, a meteorological consulting firm. With Maria, the 2017 hurricane season has already featured four Category 4 or stronger storms; this has only happened four previous times by Sept. 18. Three of these storms made landfall in the U.S. at Category 4 intensity (Harvey, Irma, and Maria), which is unprecedented in the modern record. (The Washington Post)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+2

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 9/21/2017 2:52:15 PM
	BRIEFLY Stuff that matters FOOD CHAIN REACTION REUTERS/David Mwangi RSS/TY World hunger rises after decades of decline. The number of hungry people in the world grew to 815 million in 2016. That’s up by 38 million from the previous year, according to a new report from the United Nations. Researchers pinpoint a rise in conflict and climate change–related shocks as the major drivers. And they’re related: Spikes in heat are linked with spikes in violence. Extreme drought and war caused famine in South Sudan for several months this year, and conflict-affected countries like Somalia, Yemen, and northeast Nigeria are currently at risk of famine, the U.N. reports. As the climate becomes less stable, the world faces many food security challenges. Climate-related disasters — more frequent and more intense droughts, floods, and storms — can destroy crops and homes. Meanwhile, climate change has begun to affect crop yields and decrease the nutritive benefits of many plants. And yet, the growing availability of high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods complicates this picture of global hunger. As Western food companies expand to poorer countries, they introduce junk food to more people. In a New York Times investigation of Nestle’s impact on obesity and malnutrition in Brazil, the authors point out a sobering fact: “Across the world, more people are now obese than underweight.” Kate Yoder (GRIST) Sep 18, 2017
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+2

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 9/21/2017 4:39:14 PM
	The White House Is Secretly Planning for Confrontation with Iran: Report September 20, 2017 at 12:04 pm Written by Darius Shahtahmasebi (ANTIMEDIA) — As Donald Trump takes to the U.N. General Assembly to demonize Iran yet again, the Trump administration is also considering a more aggressive strategy towards Iran behind closed doors, sources have told Reuters. According to six current and former U.S. officials, the U.S. will be looking at more hostile responses to Iran’s forces, its proxy armies in Iraq and Syria, and its support for militant groups. According to the sources, the current proposal was drafted by Defense Secretary Jim “Mad Dog” Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, national security advisor General H.R. McMaster, and several other top officials before it was presented to President Trump at a National Security Council meeting on September 9. The proposal will ultimately be made public before the end of September, two of the sources said. The sources requested anonymity because the draft proposal had not yet been finalized. “I would call it a broad strategy for the range of Iranian malign activities: financial materials, support for terror, destabilization in the region, especially Syria and Iraq and Yemen,” said a senior administration official, as quoted by Reuters. Without giving specific details, sources said the current draft proposal seeks to do the following: (1) target cyber espionage and nuclear proliferation; (2) provide for more aggressive U.S. interceptions of Iranian arms shipments heading to places such as Yemen and Gaza (even though U.N. experts confirmed earlier this year that they could find no evidence of a large-scale Iranian weapons supply line to Yemen); (3) react more aggressively in Bahrain (presumably, to prop up the government in the face of Shia-led unrest) as the country’s Sunni Muslim monarchy has been suppressing its majority Shia population, a move that continues to anger Iran; and most importantly (4) allow U.S. naval forces to react more forcefully when harassed by armed speedboats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Funnily enough, many of the encounters taking place between U.S. ships and Iranian ships are arguably within Iranian waters. Who is harassing who, exactly? According to Reuters’ sources, this proposal will not include an escalation of U.S. military activity in Syria and Iraq. However, anyone who has been paying close attention to the current conflict in Syria and Iraq knows the U.S. will have to take concrete military action if it intends to meaningfully oppose Iranian-backed forces in the two countries. Despite this, Reuters’ sources said Mattis and McMaster have not allowed U.S. military generals on the ground to act forcefully against the Iranian-allied militia inside Syria, including Hezbollah and the IRGC. According to Reuters, one of the officials even said Iranian-backed groups had been “very helpful” in recapturing territories from ISIS since it declared its caliphate in 2014. In that context, does the Trump administration’s distaste for Iran make any sense, given Iran is enemy number one for ISIS and its proxies are some of the most effective fighting forces against the terror group? Regarding the fate of the nuclear accord signed in 2015, Donald Trump recently said: “You’ll see what I’m going to be doing very shortly in October…But I will say this, the Iran deal is one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen, certainly at a minimum, the spirit of the deal is just atrociously kept. But the Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. It’s a deal that should have never ever been made. And you’ll see what we’re doing in a couple of weeks.” Creative Commons / Anti-Media
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+2

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 9/21/2017 5:05:04 PM
	40 million people across the world live in modern slavery, 152 million children in forced labor RT Tue, 19 Sep 2017 15:00 UTC © Global Look Press Children working riskey environment inside Aluminium pot factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh At least 40 million people across the globe live in modern slavery, while 152 million children from 5 to 17 years old are currently involved in child labor, a new report reveals. "The fact that as a society we still have 40 million people in modern slavery, on any given day shames us all," said Andrew Forrest AO, chairman and founder of the Walk Free Foundation which, along with the International Labour Organization (ILO), contributed to the report. Women and girls "are disproportionately affected by modern slavery," representing almost 29 million, or 71 percent of the overall total, the report says, adding that slavery is not "merely a historical relic." Women represent at least 99 percent of the victims of "forced labor in the commercial sex industry" and 84 percent of forced marriages, the report says. About 37 percent (or 5.7 million) of those who were forced to marry were children. "Amongst the child victims, 44 percent were forced to marry before the age of 15. The youngest victim in the sample was 9 when she was forced to marry," the document says. Around 89 million people have experienced some form of modern slavery in the last five years, Forrest said. At least 152 million (or 1 in 10) children around the world have been subjected to child labor, the ILO said. "One in four victims of modern slavery in 2016 were children below the age of 18 years," the paper said. Less than half of all children subjected to child labor - 72.5 million - "are performing hazardous work that places their health, safety or moral development at risk." Child labor is widespread in countries hit by conflict and disasters, according to the ILO. "These fragile situations often involve income shocks, a breakdown in support networks, displacement and disruptions in basic services, all of which can heighten the risk of child labor," the organization states. "This speaks to the deep seated discrimination and inequalities in our world today, coupled with a shocking tolerance of exploitation. This has to stop. We all have a role to play in changing this reality - business, government, civil society, every one of us," Andrew Forrest said. (sott.net)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+2

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 9/21/2017 5:53:17 PM
	The Ring of Fire is heating up: M6.1 earthquake strikes off New Zealand just hours after deadly M7.1 earthquake near Mexico City By Strange Sounds - Sep 20, 2017 The strong earthquakes are popping like crazy along the Ring of Fire! A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck off of New Zealand on Tuesday night, just hours after the deadly M7.1 earthquake killed at least 119 people in Mexico. M6.1 earthquake off New Zealand on September 20 2017 A M6.1 earthquake hit 256km W of Auckland Island, New Zealand on September 20,2017. This was the second powerful quake within 7 hours on the “Ring of Fire” zone in the Pacific Ocean after that M7.1 near Mexico City. Now 12 hours later, a M6.1 earthquake hit Honshu, Japan on September 20, 2017. That’s the third powerful quake within less than 24 hours to hit the Ring of Fire at total different places around the globe. Two powerful earthquakes hit the Ring of fire on September 19 and September 20 2017 The underwater earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 magnitude struck in the remote Southern Ocean south of New Zealand on Wednesday. The quake, at a shallow depth of 10km, was recorded 211km west of the sub-Antarctic Auckland Island, off New Zealand’s South Island. There were no tsunami warnings issued immediately after the quake. Just seven hours before, a deadly 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Mexico City. At least 119 people were killed and the numbers are growing every hours: 19 Sep AJ+ ✔@ajplus Replying to @ajplus At least 44 buildings have collapsed in Mexico City after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck central Mexico. Many are trapped in the rubble. pic.twitter.com/KcxCQREIGA Follow AJ+ ✔@ajplus Mexico's Secretary of the Interior declares an "extraordinary emergency” after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake kills at least 119.pic.twitter.com/Og9ULw4Ln7 6:36 PM - Sep 19, 2017 4 Replies 844 Retweets 626 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy Part of Colegio Enrique Rebsamen, an elementary school in Mexico City, collapsed following the powerful M7.1 earthquake: Emergency workers applaud after rescuing a person trapped underneath the rubble of a building collapsed by the earthquake in Mexico: After the largest earthquake in 6 years in Illinois, yesterday, we are allowed to ask where the next BIG ONE will be… What about Cascadia? Or the New Madrid Fault? (strangesounds.org)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+2

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World hunger rises after decades of decline.

40 million people across the world live in modern slavery, 152 million children in forced labor