Economy

Global hunger crisis ‘exploding’ exacerbating the 25% spike before Ukraine War

Published

1 year ago

May 4, 2022

The Global Network Against Food Crises sent out a dire warning that the world’s hunger crisis is about to “deteriorate further” this year alone. Chief economist at the World Food Programme (WFP) also says the global hunger crisis is “exploding.”

“The world is exploding with food insecurity” stated Arif Husain of WFP at a Wednesday press briefing. Global economic recovery from the pandemic has been slow and thwarted by many catastrophes.

World food prices have reached record highs from the disrupted harvests and exports from Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. The invasion of Ukraine “is also sparking a wave of protectionism as some exporters curb overseas crop sales to ensure local supplies” reports Bloomberg.

The war will have “severe consequences” on global food security, as millions of Ukrainians are displaced and many import-dependent countries can’t get staple crops or fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia.

Bloomberg reports:

Almost 193 million people across 53 countries or territories suffered acute food insecurity in 2021, meaning their lack of meals posed an immediate threat to their lives or livelihoods…That’s up from 155 million in 55 countries for the prior year…

Additional conflicts such as those in Afghanistan and Ethiopia have worsened crises there, and economic shocks from the Covid-19 pandemic curbed food access in almost two dozen nations, the international alliance said in a report. “Extreme weather, like severe drought in Madagascar, is also exacerbating the problem” adds Bloomberg.

“A gauge of world food prices has soared about 75% since mid-2020 — eclipsing levels seen in 2008 and 2011 that contributed to global food crises — piling pressure on governments from Sri Lanka to Peru.”

Economy

Massachusetts Democrat Mayor wants to end ‘right-to-shelter’ law amidst migrant crisis

Published

2 weeks ago

September 12, 2023

Sara Carter Staff

More Democrat leaders from non-border states are wising up to the immigration crisis our nation faces. Woburn mayor Scott Galvin, of the progressive state of Massachusetts, is hoping that lawmakers will overturn a 40-year-old law because the reality of being “bleeding heart liberals” is resulting in the demise of his town.

The 40-year-old “right-to-shelter” law has got to go, says mayor Galvin, because of the immense strain the thousands of migrant families are putting on the area’s residents. By Friday, there were about 150 families living in the city’s hotels, an “unsustainable” arrangement for his 40,000 constituents.

Galvin told the New York Times the right-to-shelter law, which only exists in Massachusetts, was “passed at a different time, and was not meant to cover what we’re seeing now.”

National Review reports:

Under the 1983 right-to-shelter law, Massachusetts officials are legally required to offer housing to any homeless families seeking shelter in the state. The law now covers a rising influx of migrant families, although individuals are not covered under its provisions.

“We’re going above and beyond, while some communities around us are not being impacted, and we don’t have endless capacity in our schools,” said Galvin. “The benefits that are bestowed on migrants make the state a very attractive destination, and without some changes, this challenge is not going to abate.”

Massachusetts Democrat Governor Maura Healey already declared a state of emergency on August 8th, requesting help from the federal government. On August 31, Healey activated up to 250 Massachusetts National Guard members to assist the more than 6,000 migrant families already in the state’s shelter system.

Approximately 6,300 families are living in emergency shelters and hotels across the state, up roughly 50 percent from the year prior. The cost for such accommodations for all the migrants is approximately $45 million per month, National Review reports.