BLACK OUT TUESDAY

NEW YORK (AP) — Though Black Out Tuesday was originally organized by the music community, the social media world also went dark in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Instagram and Twitter accounts, from top record label to everyday people, were full of black squares posted in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.

Most of the captions were blank, though some posted #TheShowMustBePaused, black heart emojis or encouraged people to vote.

Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Radiohead, Coldplay, Kelly Rowland, Beastie Boys and were among the celebrities to join Black Out Tuesday on social media.

“I won’t be posting on social media and I ask you all to do the same,” Britney Spears tweeted. “We should use the time away from our devices to focus on what we can do to make the world a better place …. for ALL of us !!!!!”

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JOHN PRINE’S WIDOW ENCOURAGES ABSENTEE VOTING

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The wife of singer-songwriter John Prine, who died from complications of COVID-19, urged lawmakers to expand absentee voting so Tennesseans would not have to put their health at risk to exercise their right to vote.

Fiona Whelan Prine, who also contracted the coronavirus and has since recovered, told a Senate panel yesterday that allowing more people to cast an absentee ballot is critical in ensuring that people would remain safe and healthy during the 2020 election.

Revered for his wise and witty lyrics, John Prine, 73, was known for such songs as “Angel from Montgomery,” “Sam Stone,” “Hello in There” and scores of other quirky original tunes.

DON HENLEY SPEAKS TO CONGRESS AGAINST ONLINE PIRATING

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eagles songwriter Don Henley urged Congress yesterday to protect artists against online pirating, wading into a copyright fight pitting Hollywood and the recording industry against big tech platforms like Google’s YouTube.

The blockbuster hitmaker of the 1970s testified online from his home before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee weighing possible changes to a 1998 copyright law. The law allows holders of copyrighted material to formally ask parties they believe have taken their content without permission to remove it. If they comply promptly with the request, there are no legal consequences. Otherwise, they may be subject to criminal penalties.

Henley said the law is weak and needs to be changed to make it more effective in stopping online piracy.