Michael Sang Correa, found working in Denver, is accused of torturing opponents of ex-President Jammeh.
from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2MUoAB6
via
Friday, June 12, 2020
Chicago police officers under fire for napping, eating popcorn during looting
A group of Chicago police officers are under fire after being caught on camera lounging in the burglarized office of a U.S. congressman, amid civil unrest in the city.
The incident took place around 1:00am on June 1, during protests over the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a former Minneapolis police officer late last month. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide and international demonstrations over race relations and police brutality.
Three supervisors and 10 other officers were captured on surveillance “having a little hangout for themselves, while small businesses on the South Side were looted and burned,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
READ MORE: Gov. Newsom pushes for ‘reimagining’ law enforcement amid calls for defunding police
As many as 13 Chicago police officers broke into Rep. Bobby Rush’s Chicago campaign offices to lounge on chairs, drink coffee and make popcorn while looters vandalized nearby businesses in the wake of the killing of George Floyd https://t.co/1KOXrLhHFj pic.twitter.com/ldEQrYaQiD
— POLITICO (@politico) June 12, 2020
The viral video shows the officers preparing popcorn, drinking coffee and napping on the couch inside the office of U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois, according to The Washington Post.
“They even had the unmitigated gall to go and make coffee for themselves and pop popcorn, my popcorn, in my microwave, while looters were tearing apart businesses within their sight, within their reach,” Rush said. “They did not care about what was happening to business people, to this city. They didn’t care. They absolutely didn’t care.”
Rep. Bobby Rush says Chicago police broke into his campaign office to take his coffee and popcorn and relax while looters threatened the city: pic.twitter.com/UEzcYHQIEJ
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 11, 2020
Mayor Lightfoot slammed the bold cops over their selfish antics during a time when “their colleagues were getting bottles thrown at their heads,” she said.
“We should all be disgusted, and we should all feel hurt and betrayed, in this moment of all moments,” Lightfoot added. “The officers in this incident, and others we’ve seen in the past weeks, have demonstrated a total disregard for their colleagues, for the badge and for those they’re sworn to serve and protect.”
An investigation will be launched to determine whether the officers committed a crime, said Lightfoot.
She also noted that “not one of these officers will be allowed to hide behind the badge and act like nothing ever happened.”
Police Superintendent David Brown assured Rush that the 13 officers will be held accountable.
“If you sleep during a riot, what do you do on a regular shift?” Brown said. “What makes you comfortable enough that a supervisor won’t hold you accountable? Supervisors … need to step up or step out. I’m not playing.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Chicago police officers under fire for napping, eating popcorn during looting appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3hmK5c7
via
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Federal spy planes monitored protests over killing of George Floyd
Nearly three dozen Democrats are calling for the immediate end to the use of Federal surveillance planes flying over protest cities.
Several government spy planes have reportedly been spotted in Washington, Minneapolis and Las Vegas, monitoring Americans protesting the police killing of George Floyd, according to CNN. A small Cessna Citation jet is one of several aircrafts, both piloted and unpiloted, that have been tracked by the outlet.
Lawmakers are demanding to know whether the planes were used for “surveilling of Americans engaged in peaceful protests.”
READ MORE: Gov. Newsom pushes for ‘reimagining’ law enforcement amid calls for defunding police
Witnesses with a military background reported seeing a Cessna Caravan and Cessna 182 circling Washington multiple times on protest nights.
“The use of aerial surveillance is deeply disturbing, especially as we’re seeing so much misconduct against protesters across the country,” said Jake Laperruque of the government watchdog group Project on Government Oversight.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut tweeted about one of the flights over Washington. “I have questions,” he wrote, adding that it was the “first time I can find that this aircraft, normally used for war zones/disasters/narcotics, has been used to gather intel at a protest.”
An Air National Guard RC-26B reconnaissance aircraft circled the DC protests last night. Flight path below.
First time I can find that this aircraft, normally used for war zones/disasters/narcotics, has been used to gather intel at a protest.
Very troubling. I have questions. pic.twitter.com/DlQRPJf7NI
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 4, 2020
Democrats in Congress have called the government’s use of surveillance planes to spy on advocates of police reform a “deep and profound” violation of the First and Fourth Amendment.
“Aerial surveillance can be used to identify and track individuals in a number of ways, so it’s certainly improper to deploy this powerful surveillance tools to monitor protesters,” Laperruque added. “Even if abuse isn’t occurring, the mere risk could significantly chill free speech.”
The National Guard confirmed to CNN that an RC-26B surveillance aircraft responded to protests in the DC area, but claims such flights have been suspended.
The first appearances of government surveillance flights began May 29, when an unpiloted drone was spotted flying above Minneapolis near where Floyd was killed.
The Department of Homeland Security reportedly detailed in a letter to Congress that the aircraft “was preparing to provide live video to aid in situational awareness at the request of our federal law enforcement partners in Minneapolis,” but returned to base in North Dakota when it was no longer needed, according to the CNN report.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Federal spy planes monitored protests over killing of George Floyd appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/30CjNfQ
via
State-level R&D tax credits spur growth of new businesses
Here’s some good news for U.S. states trying to spur an economic recovery in the years ahead: The R&D tax credit has a significant effect on entrepreneurship, according to a new study led by an MIT professor.
Moreover, the study finds a striking contrast between two types of tax credits. While the R&D tax credit fuels high-quality new-firm growth, the state-level investment tax credit, which supports general business needs, actually has a slightly negative economic effect on that kind of innovative activity.
The underlying reason for the difference, the study’s authors believe, is that R&D tax credits, which are for innovative research and development, help ambitious startup firms flourish. But when states are simply granting investment tax credits, allowing long-established firms to expand, they are supporting businesses with less growth ahead of them, and thus not placing winning policy bets over time.
“What we see is an improvement in the environment for entrepreneurship in general, specifically for those growth-oriented startups that ultimately are the engine of business dynamism,” says MIT economist Scott Stern, co-author of a newly published paper detailing the study’s results.
“States that introduced R&D tax credits set the table for increased entrepreneurship,” says Catherine Fazio MBA ’14, a co-author of the study and research affiliate at the MIT Lab for Innovation Science and Policy.
Specifically, the study finds that — other things being equal, and accounting for existing growth trends — areas introducing R&D tax credits experience a 20 percent rise in high-quality new-firm-formation over a 10-year period, whereas areas using investment tax credits see a 12 percent drop in high-quality firm growth, also over a 10-year period.
“The investment tax credit arguably reinforces the strength of big business in these states, and that might create a barrier to entry for new firms,” Stern explains. “It might harm entrepreneurship. But the R&D tax credit facilitates knowledge, facilitates science, facilitates exactly the sorts of things that can spur new ideas, and spurring new ideas is the key for our entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Indeed, adds Jorge Guzman MBA ’11, PhD ’17, a management professor and co-author of the study, “States offering both R&D and investment tax credits in an effort to stimulate high-growth entrepreneurship may actually be offering incentives that work at cross purposes to each other.”
The paper, “The Impact of State-Level Research and Development Tax Credits on the Quality and Quantity of Entrepreneurship,” appears in the latest issue of Economic Development Quarterly. Fazio is also a lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business; Guzman is an assistant professor at the Columbia Business School of Columbia University; and Stern is the David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Third year is the take-off point
The R&D tax credit was introduced in 1981 at the federal level, with states soon adding it to their own policy toolkits. From 1981 through 2006, 32 states have implemented R&D tax credits. At the same time, 20 states granted investment tax credits. Yet no study has specifically examined the impact of state R&D tax credits on new firms.
“A classical question that had previously resisted empirical scrutiny was the impact of the state-level R&D tax credit on entrepreneurship,” Stern says. Moreover, he adds, it’s reasonable to question how effective the policy might be: “Growth-oriented startups don’t pay a lot of taxes upfront, so it’s not clear how salient taxes would be for entrepreneurship.”
To conduct the study, the researchers used a unique database they have created: the Startup Cartography Project, which features about 30 years of data on business formation and startup quality — including data showing the likelihood of success for new firms based on their key characteristics. (For instance, firms that seek intellectual property protection, or are organized to attract further equity financing, are more likely to succeed).
The scholars also used the Upjohn Panel Data on Incentives and Taxes, which contain detailed records of state tax policies, collected by Timothy Bartik, a senior economist at the W.J. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
By evaluating tax policy changes alongside changes in business activity, the researchers could assess the state-level effects of the R&D tax credit. Crucially, the study not only tallies firm formation, but also analyzes the quality of those startup firms and the development of local innovation ecosystems, to measure the full impact of the policy changes.
Ultimately the study examined 25 states where the two data sets overlapped thoroughly from 1990 to 2010, with the R&D tax credit available to companies in counties within these states 46 percent of the time.
By examining before-and-after data around the introduction of the state-level R&D tax credit, the researchers concluded that the policy change created more startup activity.
Intriguingly, the study found that the third year after the introduction of the R&D tax credit is the real take-off point for entrepreneurship in a state, with a roughly 2 percent annual growth in high-quality firm formation from that year through the 14th year after the policy change.
“It takes a few years for that impact to make its way through the system,” Stern says. “If you expect a one-year payoff from this, that’s too short.”
To be clear, many large businesses have long featured active R&D arms, and may also benefit from the state-level R&D tax credit. Indeed, Stern says, the current study was partly motivated by policymakers’ past focus on the benefits of tax credits for major corporations. Those may be real enough, but they are not the sole area of influence for the R&D tax credit.
“The policy discussion has mostly focused on lowering the burden on, and providing incentives for, investment for big business,” Stern says. “Right now Amazon, for example, takes a very large R&D tax credit. And it can say, ‘Do you like your Amazon Echo or Alexa and your crowdsourcing services? Well, all that came from our R&D.’” At the same time, Stern adds, “If the main policy rationale has always been to help big business, over time, [people in] public policy have discussed if it also helps startups.” The study now brings data to that conversation.
The long road ahead
The current study started well before the Covid-19 crisis, which has led to a massive rise in unemployment and severe problems and uncertainty for small businesses. To be clear, Stern observes, any reasonable recovery will require policy tools that extensively reach long-existing types of firms, rather than just depending on new growth.
“In this particular economic crisis, and public health crisis, we’re going to need to be restoring Main Street in a really important way,” Stern says. That means helping local restaurants, retail stores, and many other traditional small businesses, Stern emphasizes. As part of his ongoing work, he is now examining new business registrations of all kinds this spring, in the midst of the pandemic.
Still, the damage from the recovery has been so vast that efforts to bounce back must take multiple tracks — including incentives for innovative firms that might fill business needs created by the Covid-19 crisis.
“While no one can predict the future, we know that the actual economic recovery is going to depend on restoring business dynamism,” Stern says. “And that means we need to start getting new entrants, and make new entrepreneurship easier and better.”
States willing to give R&D tax relief to firms could well see the tactic spurring on part of a larger, eventual recovery.
“The R&D tax credit is one of the few innovation policy instruments that at relatively low administrative cost, can make a big difference for spurring innovation and entrepreneurship within a region,” Stern emphasizes. “You have to be committed to it. You have got to be patient. But it does pay off.”
from MIT News https://ift.tt/30yXuHZ
via
LAPD reassigns 7 officers for using excessive force during protests
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Wednesday that at least seven officers have been relieved of their field duties for using excessive force during protests over the death of George Floyd.
The move comes amid national criticism of police brutality and the violent response from members of several law enforcement agencies to demonstrators advocating for police reform.
“The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate allegations of misconduct, violations of Department policy, and excessive force during the recent civil unrest,” the department said in a statement, CNN reports. “Seven employees have been assigned to non-field duties due to improper actions during the protests.”
READ MORE: Players send video message to NFL about racial inequality
Police across the nation are catching heat for using tear gas, rubber bullets and brute force during the civil unrest that has grappled the country in the two weeks since Floyd’s death. The LAPD said of the 56 officer complaints received during this time, 28 involve alleged uses of force.
The department has reportedly assigned 40 investigators to “look into every complaint thoroughly” and “hold every officer accountable for their actions.”
“I am alarmed by the growing number of disturbing accounts and images of peaceful protesters being assaulted with plastic bullets, Tasers, batons, physical force, and of reports that protestors were detained unnecessarily by law enforcement during last weekend’s George Floyd solidarity protests,” LA Councilman Mike Bonin said in a letter to Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore.
READ MORE: Gov. Newsom pushes for ‘reimagining’ law enforcement amid calls for defunding police
Los Angeles is not the only city currently managing cop controversies.
In Philadelphia, a police inspector is facing numerous charges, including aggravated assault, after being caught on camera bashing a protester over the head with a metal baton.
In Buffalo, New York, fifty-seven officers quit the emergency response team after two cops were suspended and charged with assault for shoving an elderly man to the ground, resulting in a head injury. The shocking moment was caught on camera by a reporter covering the Black Lives Matter protest.
Last week in Atlanta, six officers were charged after a viral video showed them using excessive force on two college students.
Several city officials, politicians and citizens alike are now pushing to defund the police.
Do you agree?
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post LAPD reassigns 7 officers for using excessive force during protests appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2Uzqagj
via
Grammy Awards rename ‘urban’ category after outcry from artists
The Recording Academy has announced several changes to the rules and guidelines for the 63rd Grammys, set to take place on January 31st 2021.
Among the nine key changes to its awards and nomination process is the renaming of the “Best Urban Contemporary Album” category to “Best Progressive R&B Album,” Billboard reports.
The move comes after several Black executives and artists such as Erykah Badu and Tyler the Creator called out the organization over the antiquated “Urban” word being used to describe Black music.
The “Best Urban Contemporary Album” category was added into the Grammys in 2012, and it has since been the subject of debate and criticism, with many deeming it racist and incentive.
Major changes have been made to several rules and guidelines that reflect the ongoing commitment to evolve with the musical landscape and to ensure that the #GRAMMYs nominating process and rules are more transparent and fair. https://t.co/28eho91Z1u
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) June 10, 2020
The Academy said in a statement that the newly renamed category should “highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music.”
Recording Academy chair and interim CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the future of the awards show must “reflect the current state of the music industry”
“We’re constantly evaluating our Awards process and evolving it to ensure the Grammy Awards are inclusive and reflect the current state of the music industry,” said Mason Jr. of the amended rules.
“Each year, we receive a number of rule change proposals from artists, producers and songwriters asking us to reevaluate our process,” Chief Awards Officer Bill Freimuth added.
The Black Music Coalition are calling for changes in the #music industry there, including career development for Black staff, bias training in offices, as well as the removal of the term "#Urban" in industry terminology. https://t.co/0Jdpj9K5k8
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) June 12, 2020
“It feels good to move forward from the word ‘urban’ and embrace a more inclusive future,” Chris McClenney of the Los Angeles chapter said. He co-authored the proposal for the category name change along with Ivan Barias (Philadelphia chapter trustee) and Kokayi Walker (Washington, D.C. chapter trustee).
Some industry veterans, however, caution that omitting the “Urban” word could present further challenges for Black artists and music executives.
“Some, including the younger executives, see the term ‘urban’ as a ceiling for growth beyond the format, marginalizing black executives within the hierarchy of the business,” said Thea Mitchem, EVP of programming for leading radio conglomerate iHeartMedia. “However — if you eliminate the word, does that stop the marginalization of black executives or does it exacerbate the situation?”
Meanwhile, in an effort to be more transparent, the Recording Academy has made the official Grammy Awards Rulebook available for the first time ever on Grammy.com
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Grammy Awards rename ‘urban’ category after outcry from artists appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2BRmM9Q
via
‘Breonna’s Law’ passes unanimously by Louisville city council
City officials in Louisville, Kentucky have passed a measure called Breonna’s Law that bans the use of no-knock warrants.
It was named in honor of Breonna Taylor, who was killed at her boyfriend Kenneth Walker‘s home in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13 during a botched drug raid, theGrio previously reported. The 26-year-old, who worked at two local hospitals, was shot eight times as police were serving a search warrant related to a narcotics investigation.
“All Breonna wanted to do was save lives,” Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, told city council members before the vote, according to The Courier-Journal. “So it’s important this law passes, because with that, she’ll get to continue to do that, even in her death.”
READ MORE: Louisville detective who got no-knock search warrant for Breonna Taylor reassigned
After the 26-0 vote Thursday. District 1 Councilwoman Jessica Green said “This is probably the proudest moment I have had as a member of this council, she told Louisville ABC affiliate WHAS. “It’s a good day to be a Louisvillain. The entire world is watching us,” she added.
The police officers claimed that they were “immediately met by gunfire” upon entering the Walker’s home, according to local news outlet WDRB. Walker’s defense attorney, Rob Eggert, argued that the officers burst into the home without notifying the couple of their presence and fired off 22 rounds of bullets that sprayed into neighboring apartments.
“Had Breonna Taylor been killed by anyone except police, the person or persons responsible for her death would have been charged with a homicide,” Eggert said in a court document as reported by WDRB.
Walker, 27, was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder of a police officer after he allegedly shot Sgt. John Mattingly in the leg. The charges were ultimately dismissed and and the Louisville Metro Police union slammed a local judge’s decision to release him from jail.
Famed civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump is representing Taylor’s family in a lawsuit against the officers involved with the shooting. He views the historic Breonna’s Law as the first step in much need progress in Louisville.
“What we really have to have is transparency and accountability to equal trust,” Crump said. “I think there is a distrust after the killing of Breonna Taylor between law-enforcement and the black community. And we need responsible and progressive and proactive leadership to deal with that mistrust.”
In related news, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R) is now seeking to ban no-knock warrants nationwide, through a bill he proposed on Thursday.
“After talking with Breonna Taylor’s family, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s long past time to get rid of no-knock warrants,” Paul said. “This bill will effectively end no-knock raids in the United States.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post ‘Breonna’s Law’ passes unanimously by Louisville city council appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2UCYZ43
via
Malcolm Jenkins says NFL needs to apologize to Kaepernick
Though the NFL has come out openly in support of Black Lives Matter in an unprecedented video, and announced today that they would contribute $250M to a fund to address racial inequities, New Orleans Saints star Malcolm Jenkins says it means little until the league apologizes to Colin Kaepernick.
#InspireChange pic.twitter.com/5knqHCExSp
— NFL (@NFL) June 11, 2020
READ MORE: The NFL says they were wrong about anthem protests
He appeared on CBS This Morning to say that while the league has made some strides in acknowledging they were wrong about NFL anthem protests that league commissioner Roger Goodell didn’t explicitly state his support for Kaepernick in the video.
“I still don’t think they’ve gotten it right. Until they apologize specifically to Colin Kaepernick, or sign him to a team, I don’t think they will end up on the right side of history,” Jenkins told CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King.
“At the end of the day, they’ve listened to their players, they’ve donated money, they’ve created and Inspire Change program, they’ve tried to do things up and to this point but there’s one player they haven’t acknowledged and that they’ve ignored and that’s Colin Kaepernick.”
Jenkins said that anything that happens from here on out is empty if the league doesn’t address that Kaepernick who kneeled in the first place to protest police brutality in the wake of the deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and others.
Jenkins, who won Super Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles and with the New Orleans Saints just returned to New Orleans after six seasons with the Birds. An outspoken advocate for social justice, Jenkins participated in anthem protests and founded the Let’s Listen Together initiative to foster dialogue between police and the community.
Before he even had a chance to fully enjoy his reunion with the Saints, he had to contend with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees saying that he didn’t support anthem protests.
READ MORE: Saints’ Drew Brees apologizes for anti-protest comments
Jenkins said in an emotional video posted to Instagram that he thought of Brees as an ally.
“If you don’t understand how insensitive and how hurtful your comments are,” he said in the video, “You are part of the problem.”
READ MORE: Players send video message to NFL about racial inequality
Jenkins also said that he and Brees had talked beforehand but that he posted the video anyway because he wanted allies to understand how important it was to be mindful of their words.
Jenkins said that he had no idea whether or not Kaepernick will be on an NFL team next season but does believe that anthem protests may continue.
“I’m sure there are guys that are more motivated than ever to get involved, whether its through protest or advocacy or their own charities. I think there’s definitely going to be a larger participation from athletes on social activity in general but whether that translates into kneeling or anthem protests, that’s yet to be seen,” Jenkins said.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Malcolm Jenkins says NFL needs to apologize to Kaepernick appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/37nNFOD
via
MIT, guided by open access principles, ends Elsevier negotiations
Standing by its commitment to provide equitable and open access to scholarship, MIT has ended negotiations with Elsevier for a new journals contract. Elsevier was not able to present a proposal that aligned with the principles of the MIT Framework for Publisher Contracts.
Developed by the MIT Libraries in collaboration with the Ad Hoc Task Force on Open Access to MIT’s Research and the Committee on the Library System in October 2019, the MIT Framework is grounded in the conviction that openly sharing research and educational materials is key to the Institute’s mission of advancing knowledge and bringing that knowledge to bear on the world’s greatest challenges. It affirms the overarching principle that control of scholarship and its dissemination should reside with scholars and their institutions, and aims to ensure that scholarly research outputs are openly and equitably available to the broadest possible audience, while also providing valued services to the MIT community.
“I am disappointed that we were not able to reach a contract with Elsevier that honors the principles of the MIT Framework, but I am proud knowing that the MIT community — as well as hundreds of colleagues across the country — stand by the importance of these principles for advancing the public good and the progress of science,” said Chris Bourg, director of the MIT Libraries. “In the face of these unprecedented global challenges, equitable and open access to knowledge is more critical than ever.”
More than 100 institutions, ranging from multi-institution consortia to large research universities to liberal arts colleges, decided to endorse the MIT Framework in recognition of its potential to advance open scholarship and the public good.
“We've seen widespread support in all quarters of the MIT community — faculty, students, postdocs, and staff alike — for the core grounding of the framework: that the value in published scholarship originates in our work and in the institutions that support us,” says Roger Levy, associate professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and chair of the Committee on the Library System (CLS). “CLS was unanimous in its recommendation to end negotiations. We are publicly committed to supporting the rights of MIT community members to freely share the scholarship we create, and stand by the principles articulated in the MIT Framework in our recommendation.”
“We hope to be able to resume productive negotiations if and when Elsevier is able to provide a contract that reflects our community’s needs and values and advances MIT’s mission,” said Bourg. “In the meantime, we will continue to use the framework to pursue new paths to achieving open access to knowledge. The groundbreaking agreement we reached with the Association for Computing Machinery in collaboration with the University of California, Carnegie Mellon University, and Iowa State University is one such example of building the business models of the future.”
MIT has long been a leader in open access. Adopted in 2009, the MIT Faculty Open Access Policy was one of the first and most far-reaching initiatives of its kind in the United States. Forty-seven percent of faculty journal articles published since the adoption of the policy are freely available to the world. In 2017, the Institute announced a new policy under which all MIT authors — including students, postdocs, and staff — can opt in to an open access license. The Ad Hoc Task Force on Open Access to MIT’s Research, first convened by Provost Martin Schmidt in 2017, released its final recommendations in October 2019. An implementation team, led by Bourg, is working to prioritize and enact the task force’s recommendations, which range from policy to incentives to national and global advocacy.
Information for the MIT community about access to Elsevier articles can be found on the MIT Libraries’ website.
from MIT News https://ift.tt/2YoF8Xw
via
Entertainment Networks and Comcast announce content carriage arrangement
Editor’s Note: Entertainment Studios is the parent company of theGrio.com.
LOS ANGELES and PHILADELPHIA – (June 11, 2020) – Entertainment Studios Networks and Comcast today announced they have entered into a content carriage arrangement that extends and amends terms for The Weather Channel and 14 broadcast television stations.
The deal also includes distribution of Comedy.TV, Recipe.TV and JusticeCentral.TV on X1 and video on demand and TV everywhere rights for those networks. Comcast will also launch the free ad-supported digital app, Local NOW, on the Xfinity X1 and Flex platforms, and Xfinity customers who receive The Weather Channel will have access in the coming months to its weloveweather.tv website and app on an authenticated basis.
READ MORE: Byron Allen: ‘Black America speaks. America should listen.’
“We’re excited to begin a new phase of partnership with Comcast and Xfinity, including the distribution of our cable channels for the first time on Xfinity platforms,” said Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Entertainment Studios/Allen Media Group.
“We are pleased to have reached this multifaceted agreement that continues our long relationship with The Weather Channel while bringing Xfinity customers additional content. We look forward to an ongoing partnership,” said Bec Heap, Senior Vice President, Video and Entertainment, Comcast Cable.
READ MORE: Media mogul Byron Allen sues Nielsen for breach of contract
The companies also announced that pending litigation between the two organizations has been withdrawn. Additionally, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Entertainment Networks and Comcast announce content carriage arrangement appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/30yqvni
via
Beauty Companies Are Stepping Up To Foster Diversity After Black Workers Voice Their Complaints
The recent protests over racial violence and police brutality have inspired many others to create change within their own industries that are in need of diversifying their boardrooms and overall workforce. The beauty industry has long dealt with issues of race discrimination including who has access to lucrative cosmetic contracts. After numerous beauty influencers and insiders stepped forward to speak out against the racist behavior in several work environments, corporations now have to step up to make things right.
Estée Lauder plans to increase its hiring of black workers within corporate ranks and pledged $10 million to various organizations including the NAACP to fight against racial injustice. Bloomberg reported that the move came after a group of 100 employees spoke up with complaints about racist behavior in the workplace.
“Some of these actions will be immediate, others will take some time, but all will be impactful,” Executive Chairman William Lauder and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Freda wrote in the memo to staff according to Bloomberg.
Sephora has also joined in and announced they will me joining fashion designer Aurora James’ 15% pledge initiative for corporations to commit to pledging 15% of their revenue or space to black-owned businesses. In a press statement, the company announces that 15% of its shelf space will be reserved for black-owned companies.
“We were inspired to make the 15% Pledge because we believe it’s the right thing to do, for our clients, our industry and for our community,” said Artemis Patrick, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer of Sephora, in a press statement.
“Ultimately, this commitment is about more than the prestige products on our shelves, it starts with a long-term plan diversifying our supply chain and building a system that creates a better platform for black-owned brands to grow, while ensuring black voices help shape our industry. We recognize we can do better and this pledge builds on our ongoing work to use our resources to drive meaningful and long-term change for Sephora and our industry.”
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3ffE4fu
via
Entrepreneur Felicia Dortch Opens Up About Juggling a Day Job, a Business, and Four Children
Being a single mother of four is a job in itself, especially in today’s challenging times. But, somehow Felicia Dortch is managing motherhood with her many other titles, which include author, publisher, registered nurse, public speaker, model, and entrepreneur.
In an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the multi-hyphenated domestic abuse survivor talks about how she put her faith in God to find success.
BE: What motivates you to be an entrepreneur while managing your day job?
Dortch: The motivation stems from the lack of ability to have my own schedule and be there for my children when it really counts without having to request days off or hope to get paid for being off. I am a registered nurse so being off is difficult considering the need is so great. Also, the ability to control what I make. With the position that I have at this time, I receive a set amount of pay with no increase unless I receive a raise. I want the sky to be the limit as to what I can bring home, not what a company deems sufficient.
How do you find the time to run your own business?
I am very strategic and I schedule everything. I have a “family command center” at which I have my schedule and my children’s schedule. They understand that if it is not on the schedule, it will not be done or they will not go. I keep a calendar book and I utilize it to the fullest. I also block out family time to make sure I don’t neglect what’s most important to me.
Being a writer, how and where do you draw inspiration?
I’ve been writing since a very early age. I love creating stories, and my children, past hurts, and life experiences are where I draw my inspiration.
Why did you decide to start your own publishing company and what goals do you have for it?
I decided to start my company because I got very frustrated and felt like giving up. The companies I called felt so out of reach for me and my vision. So I prayed about it and honestly, the training and launch fell into my lap. My goal is to help those that feel the same way. The ones that have a story but can’t get it out. Those who have a story that needs to be told. I want to be accessible to those people.
With the current pandemic crisis taking over our lives, how has it affected you and how you work?
Actually, it has helped my business. On one hand, due to the type of nursing I do, which is a Nurse Analyst, I am able to work from home, therefore I have more time on my hands to work for my publishing company. On the other, people are bored and need something to do. So why not write. I gained 10 clients during this pandemic.
What would you suggest to anyone who is interested in starting their own business?
I would say do your research. Learn as much as you can about that business. Also, pray and make sure that it’s your destiny because if it’s not, the doors won’t open. Lastly, get a coach! Someone that REALLY knows what they are doing and has the receipts to prove it. Someone like Dave Anderson. He has been a Godsend. He pushes you beyond where you can even see.
What are your future business plans? Where do you want to see your business heading?
I want to continue to build and expand. I am currently in the process of launching my social media marketing firm. I am a model, and I also just signed a contract to co-write movies. I hope to become a household name per se, and most importantly, I want to continue to walk in the path set before me by God.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2XPWkpO
via
Donald Trump to hold next rally on Juneteeneth in Tulsa
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, June 10, that his first re-election rally after the coronavirus pandemic will be on Juneteenth in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Why is this significant?
Tulsa is the location of the deadliest race massacre in American history. Almost 100 years ago, a thriving Black community was decimated when racist whites killed hundreds of African Americans.
READ MORE: Donald Trump likes a tweet for the first time and it’s about ‘Insecure’
Oklahoma’s governor, Kevin Stitt, issued a statement yesterday saying, “The President is making Oklahoma his first campaign stop since March 2, and his visit here confirms Oklahoma is the national example in responsibly and safely reopening.”
The Oklahoma rally will be the president’s first since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Tulsa County has had 973 people die from coronavirus, according to state tallies. The president is also planning rallies in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina.
The White House has not given a clear reason why the president chose to hold his first rally on Juneteenth or at this historic site. But people are watching and questioning the decision.
“Hard to view this as deliberate,” MSNBC host Joy Reid tweeted about the Tulsa rally. “Trump and his alt-right crew salt the wounds of our ugly racial history to activate the ID of his white conservative followers and try to send a shiver of fear down Black folks’ spines. But this theater of horrors won’t work. Ever.”
Hard to view this as anything but deliberate. Trump and his alt-right crew salt the wounds of our ugly racial history to activate the ID of his white conservative followers and to try to send a shiver of fear down black folks’ spines. But this theater of horrors won’t work. Ever. https://t.co/gdfk048tXm
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) June 11, 2020
When asked about social distancing at his rallies, the president’s campaign communications director referenced the recent peaceful protests against police brutality.
“Where we go we will make sure it is safe to hold a rally and what safety precautions we put in place,” Tim Murtaugh said, “But, I would point out to the national media that I don’t remember them doing any social distancing shaming when they were doing all of the coverage of the demonstrations that were going on.”
It is hard for many to believe that the significance of the date or location was lost on the president and his campaign leaders. Twitter users were quick to point out the historic significance of Juneteenth and Tulsa, OK as a rally site calling the campaign’s choice is “curious,” while others called it “disgusting symbolism.”
Trump will hold his first rally in months on June 19 in Tulsa.
June 19 is Juneteenth.
The campaign’s choice of Tulsa on Juneteenth is curious given the city’s history. The worst single incident of racial violence in US history occurred in Tulsa in 1921.https://t.co/sZo14FQYiL
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 10, 2020
Trump’s first rally in months will be on Juneteenth in the city of the Black Wall Street massacre. His team might be too stupid to realize this, but what disgusting symbolism. https://t.co/uUUFppEBj7
— Tyler Dinucci (@TylerDinucci) June 10, 2020
READ MORE: Russell Westbrook executive producing Tulsa race massacre docuseries
The massacre has become the subject of books, films, and even a TV show—The Watchmen on HBO. Also, Juneteenth is the date that African Americans acknowledge as the official ending of enslavement in America.
After the pandemic and worldwide conflicts related to police brutality, this year’s celebrations are due to be significant.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Donald Trump to hold next rally on Juneteeneth in Tulsa appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2AZ0iU9
via
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)