South America

Earlier today we wrote about the impacts that Trump's immigration policies may have on the U.S. housing market (see "Could Trump's Immigration Ban Cause Another Housing Crash?"), but that's just the beginning of the story.  No matter where you come down on the immigration debate, like it or not, there are millions of low-skill jobs in this country, particularly in the Southwest, that our pampered, snowflake millennials wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole and are thus filled by "undocumented" workers primarily from Mexico and other portions of South America. 

A new study conducted by three universities in Venezuela sheds new light on just how dire the food shortages are in Maduro's failed Socialist utopia.  Called ENVOVI, the living conditions survey found that 75% of Venezuelans lost "an average of at least 19 pounds" in 2016 due to food shortages.  Per UPI:

Venezuela's Living Conditions Survey found that nearly 75 percent of the population lost an average of at least 19 pounds in 2016 due to a lack of proper nutrition amid an economic crisis.

 

Scientists have discovered a new continent hidden in plain view in the Pacific Ocean right next to New Zealand. Zealandia, as it is formally called, is a continent with a 5 million square kilometre landmass that lays largely submerged in the south-west Pacific. The 11 geologists from New Zealand and Australia who discovered Zealandia say that it should be confirmed as earth’s eighth continent, after Africa, Asia, Antarctica, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

After years of investigations over alleged drug-trafficking and money-laundering, Venezuela's vice-president Tareck El Aissami faces sanctions by US authorities as a "specially designated national." El Aissami would be the highest-ranking Venezuelan official hit by U.S. sanctions, and we are sure will warrant a furious response from President Maduro who has already accused US of 'economic war' numerous times... and being responsible for forcing his people to resort to eating flamingoes now.

Submitted by Jayant Bhandari via Acting-Man.com,

Popular Narrative

India has been the world’s favorite country for the last three years. It is believed to have superseded China as the world’s fastest growing large economy. India is expected to grow at 7.5%. Compare that to the mere 6.3% growth that China has “fallen” to.

India’s quarterly annualized GDP growth rate since 2008, according to MOSPI (statistics ministry) – click to enlarge.