• With many small businesses struggling to hold on during the coronavirus pandemic, Issa Rae believes now is the time to support independent stores more than ever. The creator and star of HBO series "Insecure" strongly encourages people to shop locally as part of Small Business Saturday, today, a couple of days after Thanksgiving. She said the initiative created by American Express, for which she is a compensated endorser, can help give an extra push during the holidays to small businesses that have gone into survival mode. Rae said using "word of mouth" and tagging a business on social media tremendously helps. "Survival is on the line," the Emmy-nominated actor said. "You're seeing the pandemic shut down so many businesses and businesses are struggling. I think now is the best time to shout out some of the places that literally need you to keep their doors open." So far, during the pandemic, Rae has watched several businesses close down, which she says "breaks my heart."
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• Singer and actress Cher is in Pakistan to celebrate the departure of Kaavan, dubbed the "world's loneliest elephant," who will soon leave a Pakistani zoo for better conditions after years of lobbying by animal welfare groups and activists. Because of security concerns, Cher's schedule was not made public. However, she met Friday with Prime Minister Imran Khan and was expected to visit Kaavan later in the trip, according to the prime minister's office. Kaavan is set to leave for a sanctuary in Cambodia on Sunday, said Martin Bauer, spokesman for Four Paws International, a global animal welfare group that's led the charge to save Kaavan since 2016. The animal has languished in the zoo for 35 years, most of those years in chains, and lost his partner in 2012. Khalil said Kaavan was heartbroken after his partner died. Activists dubbed Kaavan the "world's loneliest elephant" after his plight gained international attention and the unhappy elephant was diagnosed as emotionally as well as physically damaged. Kaavan has been diagnosed by veterinarians as overweight and malnourished, and also suffers behavioral problems due to his isolation. Four Paws, which often carries out animal rescue missions, will accompany Kaavan to the sanctuary. In a tweet after her meeting with Pakistan's prime minister, Cher said she thanked Khan "for making it possible for me to take Kaavan to Cambodia."
