Recent elections in Guatemala and Ecuador reveal contrasting outcomes despite similar concerns of violence and corruption. Leprosy is making a comeback in Florida. Singapore leads the way in alternative proteins like soline. The challenges and potential competition in the alternative protein industry are explored.
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Quick takeaways
In the recent elections in Guatemala and Ecuador, citizens are seeking meaningful change, but the paths they choose to tackle corruption and violence differ.
Despite being curable with antibiotics, leprosy is making a comeback in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida, with a risk of person-to-person transmission observed.
Deep dives
Guatemala and Ecuador Elections: Different Results, Similar Challenges
In the recent elections in Guatemala and Ecuador, both countries faced similar issues of corruption and violence. Bernardo Arevalo won the presidency in Guatemala with a focus on tackling corruption and violence, while Ecuador's elections had a more divided outcome. Louisa Gonzales, a protege of exiled former president Rafael Correa, garnered the most votes, while Daniel Nubor, a candidate from a wealthy family, presented an investment-friendly approach. These results suggest that citizens in both countries are seeking meaningful change, but the paths they choose to tackle their problems differ.
The Return of Leprosy: Concerns in Florida
Despite being an ancient disease, leprosy is making a comeback in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida. While leprosy is curable with antibiotics, medical professionals may struggle in diagnosing it due to its rarity. The disease traditionally spread through armadillos and contact with individuals who have traveled to areas with high leprosy prevalence, but lately, person-to-person transmission has been observed in the US. For now, the risk of infection remains low, with only 5% of people susceptible, and infected individuals can be cured effectively, reducing the likelihood of a return to the stigmatization and isolation associated with leprosy in the past.
The Rise of Alternative Proteins: Singapore's Innovation
Singapore is emerging as a leader in the alternative protein industry and is the first country to allow the sale of cultivated animal cell-based proteins. The government's interest in these alternative proteins is driven by concerns over food security, given the country's limited land available for food production and heavy reliance on imports. Singapore's efficient regulatory approval process and clear framework have attracted companies like Solar Foods and Very Dairy to launch their products in the country first. However, challenges persist in scaling up production and reducing costs for alternative proteins to gain wider acceptance globally.
Ecuador and Guatemala faced similar preoccupations with violence and corruption—one of Ecuador’s candidates was assassinated on the campaign trail—but their electoral outcomes were very different. What does that reveal about the region? Once rare in America, leprosy is on the rise again, particularly in Florida (8:04). And how Singapore leads the charge for “alternative proteins” (14:08).
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