Boston Mayor Wu divests city funds from fossil fuels
The measure prohibits public investment in any financial instrument deriving more than 15% of its revenue from fossil fuels, as well as from tobacco products or jail or prison facilities.
United States
Target to keep stores closed on Thanksgiving for good
“You don’t have to wonder whether this is the last Thanksgiving you’ll spend with family and friends for a while,” Target CEO Brian Cornell wrote in a note to employees.
Apple to start backing self-service technology repair
The program, Self Service Repair, will include tools, manuals, and Apple parts for users to fix their own products when something goes awry. It is set to launch in 2022.
U.S. Education Department announces $2 billion of student loans will be cancelled within weeks
Borrowers who are pursuing public service student loan forgiveness will be able to count previously ineligible student loan payments, get credit for late student loan payments that were late, and more.
Pfizer to allow developing nations to make its treatment pill
U.S. drug company Pfizer will allow its experimental Covid-19 treatment pill to be made and sold in 95 developing nations. The deal could make the treatment available to 53% of the world’s population.
Brian Michael Smith becomes the first trans man to be named one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive
In 2019, he became the first out Black transgender man cast in a regular role on a network series with 911: Lone Star.
American Psychological Association apologizes for role in promoting and perpetuating racism in U.S.
The APA passed two other resolutions: one on what the APA and the field of psychology must do to dismantle racism, and another committing to eradicating inequality in health and healthcare.
Facebook to stop targeting ads based on race, sexual orientation, and politics
Facebook said it decided to make these changes to “address feedback from civil rights experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders on the importance of preventing advertisers from abusing the targeting options we make available.”
Alaska Airlines eliminates plastic water cups and bottles on board
Alaska is the first major airline to eliminate plastic cups and estimates that the measure will save 1.8 million pounds of single use plastic waste per year.
The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. rose 21% between 2014 and 2019
Businesses owned by Black women represent the highest rate of growth in the number of total women-owned businesses.