1. Typhoon Damrey inundates Vietnamese cities ahead of regional summit
“The floods came quite often and quite suddenly due to the impact of climate change.” So said Head of Commune Police, Truong Duc Lien, of Hoi An, a city on Vietnam’s central coast facing major flooding caused by Typhoon Damrey. The storm, which struck last weekend, killed more than 100 people and injured nearly 200.
The country is working to clean up the debris and prevent more flooding, especially as it prepares to host this weekend’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
2. Guatemala’s first openly LGBTQ lawmaker pushes social justice
She’s been in this for a while. Sandra Morán Reyes made history when she became Guatemala’s first openly lesbian Congressperson in 2016. She has used her platform to push for policies that protect LGBTQ people in a traditionally conservative society. But her activism didn’t start with her career in politics. Morán Reyes started working for social justice at age 14 and joined Ejército Guerrillero de los Pobre (the Guerrilla Army of the Poor) during the civil war. Decades later, she continues to be a champion for the rights of LGBTQ people, women and indigenous people.
3. More Black South Africans are establishing beekeeping businesses
It’s all the buzz. In South Africa, Black beekeepers are expanding their businesses in an industry dominated by White folks. Besides harvesting their own honey, some beekeepers also buying raw honey from subsistence farmers in rural areas. Mokgadi Mabela, who started her own beekeeping company Native Nosi two years ago, is doing just that.
While honeybees pollinate more than half of South Africa’s crops, 50% of honey consumed in the country is imported. By growing their businesses, Black bee farmers are not only helping the environment but are also benefiting the country’s economy.