I have two news items worth sharing.
Yesterday, I wrote about food safety in a school cafeteria in Kunming, China. Around the same time, I came across a report on food preparation laws in India. I was somewhat familiar with unsanitary food practices there, which I assumed were cultural—no judgment, as long as people enjoy the food. But the practice of spitting in food is something altogether different.
That India’s government intervened against this practice suggests it’s considered just as unacceptable there. While I may not fully grasp the cultural context, it’s encouraging to see that food safety is becoming a shared priority across borders.
A Chinese saying goes, 病从口入 (bìng cóng kǒu rù), meaning “illness enters the body through the mouth.” This wisdom underscores the universal importance of safe, clean food preparation, a sentiment now echoed in efforts worldwide.
Turning to another matter of governance, there’s news from Georgia: The losing candidate declared she does not accept the results of the recent parliamentary vote, officially won by the ruling party. She alleged a “Russian special operation” aimed at derailing Georgia’s path toward Europe. Standing with opposition leaders, she called on Georgians to rally, claiming a “total falsification” of their votes. Her words signal potential unrest and a possible escalation of political turmoil in the South Caucasus.
— “Tens of thousands of Georgians, many of them draped in EU and Georgian flags gathered outside parliament in Tbilisi on Monday night, in response to a call from the pro-Western president to press for the annulment of Saturday's election.”
She appealed to the European community to stand behind her after a disputed election that she says was "totally falsified".
Are we seeing the start of a broader trend where election results are increasingly contested? Are we going to see a repeat of January 6th Capitol Hill riot in Georgia? With the U.S. election only a week away, it’s natural to wonder: Could these events be a sign of what’s to come in other countries around the world?