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Saturday, 9 April 2016

WORLD POPULATION CURRENT WORLD POPULATION AND POPULATION CLOCK




WORLD POPULATION

CURRENT WORLD POPULATION AND POPULATION CLOCK


Stes de Necker




The current world population stands at 7,414 billion people.

Ranked by Country with the largest population to the lowest, the following list includes both countries and dependent territories.

Data based on the latest United Nations Population Division estimates.


1              China                     1,382,323,332    
2              India                      1,326,801,576    
3              U.S.                       324,118,787       
4              Indonesia              260,581,100       
5              Brazil                    209,567,920       
6              Pakistan               192,826,502       
7              Nigeria                 186,987,563       
8              Bangladesh          162,910,864       
9              Russia                  143,439,832       
10           Mexico                 128,632,004       
11           Japan                    126,323,715       
12           Philippines           102,250,133       
13           Ethiopia                101,853,268       
14           Viet Nam              94,444,200          
15           Egypt                     93,383,574          
16           Germany               80,682,351          
17           Iran                       80,043,146          
18           DR Congo            79,722,624          
19           Turkey                  79,622,062          
20           Thailand               68,146,609          
21           U.K.                     65,111,143          
22           France                  64,668,129          
23           Italy                      59,801,004          
24           Tanzania              55,155,473          
25           South Africa        54,978,907          
26           Myanmar             54,363,426          
27           South Korea        50,503,933          
28           Colombia            48,654,392          
29           Kenya                  47,251,449          
30           Spain                   46,064,604          
31           Ukraine               44,624,373          
32           Argentina            43,847,277          
33           Sudan                  41,175,541          
34           Algeria                40,375,954          
35           Uganda                40,322,768          
36           Poland                 38,593,161          
37           Iraq                     37,547,686          
38           Canada               36,286,378          
39           Morocco             34,817,065          
40           Afghanistan        33,369,945          
41           Saudi Arabia      32,157,974          
42           Peru                    31,774,225          
43           Venezuela          31,518,855          
44           Malaysia              30,751,602          
45           Uzbekistan           30,300,446          
46           Nepal                    28,850,717          
47           Mozambique        28,751,362          
48           Ghana                   28,033,375          
49           Yemen                  27,477,600          
50           Angola                  25,830,958          
51           North Korea         25,281,327          
52           Madagascar          24,915,822          
53           Australia              24,309,330          
54           Cameroon            23,924,407          
55           Taiwan                 23,395,600          
56           Côte d'Ivoire        23,254,184          
57           Sri Lanka             20,810,816          
58           Niger                    20,715,285          
59           Romania              19,372,734          
60           Burkina Faso       18,633,725          
61           Syria                    18,563,595          
62           Mali                     18,134,835          
63           Chile                    18,131,850          
64           Kazakhstan          17,855,384          
65           Malawi                 17,749,826          
66           Netherlands          16,979,729          
67           Zambia                16,717,332          
68           Guatemala           16,672,956          
69           Ecuador               16,385,450          
70           Zimbabwe           15,966,810          
71           Cambodia            15,827,241          
72           Senegal                15,589,485          
73           Chad                     14,496,739          
74           Guinea                 12,947,122          
75           South Sudan        12,733,427          
76           Rwanda               11,882,766          
77           Burundi               11,552,561          
78           Cuba                    11,392,889          
79           Tunisia                11,375,220          
80           Belgium              11,371,928          
81           Benin                  11,166,658          
82           Somalia               11,079,013          
83           Greece                 10,919,459          
84           Bolivia                 10,888,402          
85           Haiti                     10,848,175          
86           Dominican Rep.   10,648,613          
87           Czech Republic  10,548,058          
88           Portugal              10,304,434          
89           Azerbaijan          9,868,447            
90           Sweden               9,851,852            
91           Hungary              9,821,318            
92           Belarus                9,481,521            
93           United Arab 
               Emirates               9,266,971
94           Serbia                   8,812,705            
95           Tajikistan             8,669,464            
96           Austria                  8,569,633            
97           Switzerland           8,379,477            
98           Israel                     8,192,463            
99           Honduras              8,189,501            
100         Papua New 
               Guinea                  7,776,115    
101         Jordan                   7,747,800            
102         Togo                      7,496,833            
103         Hong Kong            7,346,248            
104         Bulgaria                7,097,796            
105         Laos                      6,918,367            
106         Paraguay               6,725,430            
107         Sierra Leone         6,592,102            
108         Libya                    6,330,159            
109         Nicaragua            6,150,035            
110         El Salvador          6,146,419            
111         Kyrgyzstan          6,033,769            
112         Lebanon              5,988,153            
113         Singapore            5,696,506            
114         Denmark             5,690,750            
115         Finland                5,523,904            
116         Turkmenistan      5,438,670            
117         Slovakia              5,429,418            
118         Eritrea                  5,351,680            
119         Norway                5,271,958            
120         Central African                      
               Republic               4,998,493           
121         Costa Rica            4,857,218            
122         State of Palestine 4,797,239       
123         Congo                   4,740,992            
124         Ireland                  4,713,993            
125         Oman                    4,654,471            
126         Liberia                   4,615,222            
127         New Zealand        4,565,185            
128         Croatia                  4,225,001            
129         Mauritania          4,166,463            
130         Moldova             4,062,862            
131         Kuwait                4,007,146            
132         Panama               3,990,406            
133         Georgia               3,979,781            
134         Bosnia and 
               Herzegovina       3,802,134            
135         Puerto Rico         3,680,772            
136         Uruguay              3,444,071            
137         Armenia              3,026,048            
138         Mongolia             3,006,444            
139         Albania                2,903,700            
140         Lithuania             2,850,030            
141         Jamaica                2,803,362            
142         Namibia               2,513,981            
143         Botswana             2,303,820            
144         Qatar                     2,291,368            
145         Lesotho                 2,160,309            
146         TFYR Macedonia 2,081,012          
147         Slovenia               2,069,362            
148         Gambia                 2,054,986            
149         Latvia                   1,955,742            
150         Guinea-Bissau      1,888,429            
151         Gabon                   1,763,142            
152         Bahrain                 1,396,829            
153         Trinidad and 
               Tobago                 1,364,973  
154         Estonia                 1,309,104            
155         Swaziland            1,304,063            
156         Mauritius             1,277,459            
157         Timor-Leste        1,211,245            
158         Cyprus                  1,176,598            
159         Djibouti                 899,598
160         Fiji                         897,537
161         Equatorial Guinea 869,587           
162         Réunion                867,214
163         Comoros               807,118
164         Bhutan                  784,103
165         Guyana                 770,610
166         Montenegro          626,101
167         Macao                  597,126
168         Solomon Islands  594,934              
169         Western Sahara    584,206
170         Luxembourg        576,243
171         Suriname             547,610
172         Cabo Verde         526,993
173         Guadeloupe         470,547
174         Brunei                 428,874
175         Malta                  419,615
176         Martinique         396,364
177         Bahamas            392,718
178         Maldives            369,812
179         Belize                 366,942
180         Iceland                331,778
181         French Polynesia 285,735            
182         Barbados             285,006
183         French Guiana    275,688
184         Vanuatu               270,470
185         New Caledonia   266,431
186         Mayotte              246,496
187         Samoa                 194,523
188         Sao Tome and 
               Principe               194,390 
189         Saint Lucia           186,383
190         Guam                    172,094
191         Channel Islands    164,466
192         Curaçao                158,635
193         Kiribati                 114,405
194         St. Vincent 
               Grenadines           109,644            
195         Grenada                107,327
196         Tonga                   106,915
197          Virgin Islands     106,415       
198         Micronesia          104,966
199         Aruba                   104,263
200         Seychelles            97,026  
201         Antigua and 
               Barbuda               92,738       
202         Isle of Man          88,421  
203         Dominica             73,016  
204         Andorra                69,165                  
205         Bermuda              61,662  
206         Cayman Islands  60,764  
207         Greenland           56,196  
208         Saint Kitts and 
               Nevis                  56,183        
209         American Samoa 55,602               
210         Northern Mariana 
               Islands                55,389             
211         Marshall Islands 53,069 
212         Faeroe Islands   48,239  
213         Sint Maarten      39,538  
214         Monaco              37,863  
215         Liechtenstein     37,776  
216         Turks and Caicos 
               Islands                34,904  
217         Gibraltar              32,373  
218         San Marino         31,950  
219         British Virgin 
               Islands                30,659         
220         Caribbean 
               Netherlands        25,328  
221         Palau                    21,501  
222         Cook Islands       20,948  
223         Anguilla              14,763  
224         Wallis and Futuna 13,112             
225         Nauru                   10,263  
226         Tuvalu                   9,943    
227         Saint Pierre and
               Miquelon            6,301               
228         Montserrat          5,154    
229         Saint Helena       3,956    
230         Falkland Islands  2,912    
231         Niue                    1,612
232         Tokelau               1,276    
233         Holy See              801



                                                                                                                                               
On the Website of WorldOmeters (link below) visitors to the site can find the so called ‘World Population Clock’ that gives a very insightful representation of the continual growth of the world’s population.



http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/Continuous Worldwide Population Growth






Sunday, 3 April 2016

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - THE SILENT KILLER IN YOUR KITCHEN




GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS


THE SILENT KILLER IN YOUR KITCHEN


Stes de Necker



Introduction

Over the years I have written many articles about the economic benefits of the so-called ‘No-till’ system of cultivating cash crops.

Since the pioneering days of the no-till system, producers of genetically engineered cash crops, in particular Monsanto, and the accompanying use of herbicides containing glyphosate, was portrayed by these manufacturers as completely harmless and safe for human consumption.

Concerns of developers (including myself) were merely rejected as speculative and ignorant opinions of misinformed individuals – and derided them as not only unscientific, but anti-science.

They (Monsanto) then set to work to convince the public and government officials, through the dissemination of false information, that there was an overwhelming expert consensus, based on solid evidence, that GMOs were safe.

It’s a big kick in the gut to reckon with corporate bullies most adept at leading us to believe that we are truly free to choose, that they don’t actually use every resource to benefit their bottom line, and that they really are concerned with our best interests.

And multinational seed and chemical corporation, Monsanto, doesn’t mind if you have no choice.

They believe they’ve got the tools to solve the world’s food, fuel and fiber problems with GMOs, and that’s all you need to know–not that nearly 80 percent of all processed foods sold in the U.S. contain unlabeled genetically modified organisms (most bearing Monsanto patents on corn, soy, canola and cotton), or that favors from industry groups, politicians and fellow corporations are paramount to the proliferation of Monsanto’s main seed: Corporate Greed.

Think that’s about to change anytime soon? Not after you see who sits on Monsanto’s board of directors.

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who oversee the activities of a company or organization. In most cases it can require very little involvement in the day-to-day functioning of the governed entity, but it is typically always staffed with individuals vested in the best interest of the company or organization.

In Monsanto’s case, several members of its board of directors aid in the proliferation of genetically modified seeds through their daily livelihood, continuing to insure that no regulations or transparency requirements be allowed in the U.S. on foods or household products containing genetically modified ingredients, which would not only affect Monsanto’s success, but that of their other corporate interests as well.

Board of Directors

Gregory H. Boyce
Gregory H. Boyce is Executive Chairman of Peabody Energy Corporation

David L. Chicoine
David L. Chicoine, Ph.D. is president of South Dakota State University and professor of economics.

Janice L. Fields
Janice L. Fields is a former president of McDonald’s USA, LLC, a subsidiary of McDonald’s Corporation.

Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant is the chairman and chief executive officer of Monsanto Company.

Arthur H. Harper
Arthur H. Harper is managing partner of GenNx360 Capital Partners.

Laura K. Ipsen
Laura Ipsen is Senior Vice President & General Manager of The Global Industry Solutions Group for Oracle Corporation.

Gwendolyn S. King
Gwendolyn S. King is president of Podium Prose, a speakers bureau.

Marcos M. Lutz
Marcos M. Lutz is the Chief Executive Officer of Cosan S.A. Indústria e Comércio.

C. Steven McMillan
C. Steven McMillan is a retired chairman of the board and CEO of Sara Lee Corporation.

Jon R. Moeller
Jon R. Moeller is chief financial officer of The Procter & Gamble Company.

William U. Parfet
William U. Parfet is chairman of the board, chief executive officer and President of MPI Research Inc.

George H. Poste, Ph. D., D.V.M.
George H. Poste, Ph. D., D.V.M. is chief executive of Health Technology Networks.

Robert J. Stevens
Robert J. Stevens is a retired chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation.



A new study recently published in the Journal of Organic Systems, examined US government databases searching for GE (Genetically Engineered) crop data, glyphosate application data, and disease epidemiological data while performing a “correlation analysis” on a total of 22 different diseases. 

The researchers came to an alarming conclusion:
“These data show very strong and highly significant correlations between the increasing use of glyphosate, GE crop growth and the increase in a multitude of diseases. Many of the graphs show sudden increases in the rates of diseases in the mid-1990s that coincide with the commercial production of GE crops. The probabilities in the graphs and tables show that it is highly unlikely that the correlations are a coincidence. The strength of the correlations shows that there is a very strong probability that they are linked somehow.”

The global resistance against Genetically Modified Crops is growing at an exponential rate. A few years ago, you were almost ridiculed for suggesting that GM foods could be a problem, and now scientists and researchers are presenting information that has 19 new countries joining an already long list of nations to completely ban, or have severe restrictions on, GMOs — as well as the pesticides and herbicides that go with them.

These countries will not allow genetically modified crops to be grown in their country. The opt-out countries are requesting that biotechnology companies exclude their territories from GMO seed sales, and some countries are simply putting things to a halt until more research is conducted.

For those of you who do not know, GMO crops have had their DNA artificially altered, which is a process that would not happen in nature. This is done by introducing genes from a completely different species in order to boost the plant’s resistance to pests or herbicides, or create some other desired effect.

Again, we are talking about 19 countries. That’s more than half of the countries within the European Union, some of which include: Germany, France, Scotland, France, Italy, Austria, Greece, Poland, and Belgium. The magnitude of this resistance cannot be ignored.

Health/Environmental Concerns Mixed With Scientific Fraud

So why are these countries doing this? Two of the main reasons have to do with environmental and health-related concerns. Alongside all of these troubles, some countries simply want to take time to do proper research — flying in the face of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) decree that GMOs are completely safe. There are many who disagree with this assertion.

A great example is a study that was published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe. The WHO has never cited any long term studies that prove the safety of GMOs. When a study was finally conducted, it found severe liver and kidney damage, as well as hormonal disturbances, in rats fed GM maize in conjunction with low levels of Roundup — levels that were below those permitted in most drinking water across Europe. The rats also developed large cancer tumours.

Other studies have found instances of adverse microscopic and molecular effects of some GM foods in different organs or tissues. They also determined that no standardized methods to evaluate the safety of GM foods have been established. Many studies have emphasized that more scientific effort is needed in order to build confidence in the evaluation and acceptance of GM foods.

Studies have also linked GMO animal feed to severe stomach inflammation and enlarged uteri in pigs.

Here’s what Irina Ermakova, VP of Russia’s National Association for Genetic Safety, said when Russia was mulling over the decision to ban GMOs:

“It is necessary to ban GMOs, to impose amoratorium on it for 10 years. While GMOs will be prohibited, we can plan experiments, tests, or maybe even new methods of research could be developed. It has been proven that not only in Russia, but also in many other countries in the world, GMOs are dangerous. Methods of obtaining the GMOs are not perfect, therefore, at this stage, all GMOs are dangerous. Consumption and use of GMOs obtained in such way can lead to tumors, cancers and obesity among animals. Bio-technologies certainly should be developed, but GMOs should be stopped. We should stop it from spreading."  

Keep in mind that we are talking about GM crops, which are sprayed with billions of pounds of toxic chemicals every year. These chemicals have been linked to a number of diseases, ranging from autism, to cancer, to Alzheimer’s disease and more.

“Children today are sicker than they were a generation ago. From childhood cancers to autism, birth defects and asthma, a wide range of childhood diseases and disorders are on the rise. Our assessment of the latest science leaves little room for doubt; pesticides are one key driver of this sobering trend.” October 2012 report by Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)  

 Correlation doesn’t mean causation, but using the Bradford Hill criteria, it’s easy to see why so many scientists/countries are opposing GMOs.

The shift towards organic food is strong and growing; it’s what consumers are demanding. After all, who wants a bunch of pesticides accumulating in their body, especially ones which have been incontrovertibly linked to several diseases?

For example, a recent study conducted by researchers from RMIT University, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that an organic diet for just one week significantly reduced pesticide exposure in adults by 90 percent.  

Another study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, indicated that among individuals eating similar amounts of vegetables and fruits, the ones who reported eating organic produce had significantly lower OP pesticide exposure than those who normally consume conventionally grown produce.

These chemicals are manufactured by big bio-tech corporations like Monsanto, and the fact that they’ve been caught lying doesn’t help their credibility one bit. For example, a new study published in the journal Biomedical Research International shows that Roundup herbicide is 125 times more toxic than its active ingredient glyphosate studied in isolation.  Roundup was also (finally) linked to cancer recently by the WHO, although a number of scientists had already provided tremendous amounts of proof for this.

There is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals. On the basis of tumours in mice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) originally classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans. A US EPA report and several more recent positive results conclude that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, although it gave negative results in tests using bacteria. One study in community residents reported increases in blood markers of chromosomal damage (micronuclei) after glyphosate formulations were sprayed nearby.

This is precisely why so many countries are banning it; Sri Lanka recently did so after discovering a link to deadly kidney disease.

The list literally goes on and on, and despite all of the protest from international government scientists, independent scientists, and others, all clearly concerned about GM crops, Monsanto is still labelling their claims as “unscientific.”

If their concerns are so unscientific, then why are so many scientists around the world opposing these crops?

This move also shows the power of the people. For the past view years, the world-wide web and non-corporately owned media has been sharing information about GMOs that you will never see in the mainstream. Millions of people all over the world continue to gather to “March Against Monsanto.”
It just goes to show what we are capable of when we all come together.

GM Crops Now Banned in 38 Countries Worldwide

Expert Groups across Nigeria have slammed  Monsanto over Plans to Introduce GM Crops
Following the recent green wave of genetically modified (GM) crop cultivation bans across the European Union, Sustainable Pulse has done research on which countries have decided to officially ban the cultivation of GM crops around the Globe.

This research has led to the discovery that there is a growing swell of government level support worldwide for bans on GM crop cultivation for both health and environmental reasons.

Thirty eight (38) countries worldwide have officially banned the cultivation of GM crops and only 28 actually grow GM crops (most of which grow under 500 thousand hectares).

The picture painted by the Biotech industry and the U.S. government that GM crops have been accepted by the majority of countries worldwide is therefore quite obviously wrong.

In fact many countries have recently started to put in place regulations to protect their population and environment from the environmental and health damage caused by GM crops.

Official GM crop cultivation bans

Africa (2)
The picture on GM cultivation bans across Africa is not clear due to the current pressure being put on many African governments by the Biotech industry and the Gates Foundation to lift long-standing bans on the import of unmilled GMO seeds or unmilled GMO food aid, however two countries do still have full legal bans on GM crop cultivation:
Algeria (since 2000)
Madagascar (since 2002)

Asia (4)
Turkey,
Kyrgyzstan
Bhutan
Saudi Arabia

Americas (4)
Belize
Peru
Ecuador
Venezuela

Europe (28)
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Germany
France
The Netherlands
Malta
Cyprus
Greece
Bulgaria
Russia
Serbia
Croatia
Italy
Denmark
Hungary
Moldova
Latvia
Lithuania
Austria
Poland
Slovenia
Azerbaijan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Luxembourg
Ukraine (although there is already massive GM contamination in the country)
Norway
Switzerland

Conclusion

As an increasing number of countries are banning Monsanto's cancer-linked Roundup herbicide, a.k.a. glyphosate, others are banning Monsanto's GMOs.

Meanwhile, Monsanto-funded U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton thinks "(t)here is a big gap between what the facts are, and what the perceptions are."

Actually the facts are established: Monsanto's herbicides and GMOs are harmful to humans and animals.

Several studies have demonstrated it and even led the World Health Organization to issue a warning against glyphosate's links to cancer. 

With hindsight, the health risk of applying Roundup in the production of cash crops, far out way the economic benefits that can be derived from this method of cultivation.