Pandemic

PARIS - Media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders, RSF, says the coronavirus pandemic has helped to curb press freedom and spread disinformation, with a shrinking number of countries offering favorable environments for journalism. Reporters Without Borders’ latest Press Freedom Index offers little good news about the state of today’s media. While it shows little change from last year, the overall indicator of world press freedom has dropped significantly in recent years. The Nordic countries, along with Costa Rica, are again high up on the index, with Norway ranked first for the fifth year running. North Korea again placed last, at 180, with Turkmenistan, China and Djibouti right behind. Significantly, RSF found, the coronavirus pandemic has helped to exacerbate repression. Pauline Ades-Mevel is a spokeswoman for the group. "This year’s index, which evaluates the press freedom in 180 countries, shows that journalism — which is arguably the best vaccine against the virus … [Read more...] about Survey Says Pandemic Is Taking Toll on Press Freedom

BOSTON (AP) — This year’s 11th graders won’t be required to take the MCAS test to graduate as the state continues to slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education board voted Tuesday to modify graduation requirements so members of the Class of 2022 won’t be required to take the MCAS test to graduate due to the turmoil created by the pandemic. READ MORE: 'George Floyd’s Life Mattered': Local Politicians React To Derek Chauvin Verdict It marks the first time since 2003 that an entire high school class has been exempted from having to pass the exam in order to graduate. READ MORE: Gov. Baker Makes National Guard Available After Chauvin Guilty Verdict The change had been recommended last month by Massachusetts Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley. Thousands of students across the state have begun returning to in-classroom education after the pandemic forced many schools to adapt to remote teaching. MORE NEWS: … [Read more...] about MCAS Exam Requirement Lifted For Class Of 2022 Due To Pandemic

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Working from home could be one of the pandemic practices that’s here to stay. A new survey from USC and the California Emerging Technology Fund explored Californians feelings about remote work, remote learning and telehealth after more than a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers say they have found hesitancy about each of these practices have been swept away. READ MORE: Proposal Would Make LA Homeless Camp Cleanups Voluntary “Now we’re seeing a seismic shift in the way people want to work, learn and manage health visits among those who have broadband access. Those changes give us a real opportunity to cut congestion and carbon emissions,” Hernan Galperin, the study’s lead researcher and an associate professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said in a statement. Ally Sillins works at her home in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. (Scott Strazzante/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty … [Read more...] about USC Survey Finds More Californians Want To Keep Working, Learning From Home After The Pandemic Ends

Advocates in favor of raising the federal minimum wage met with Sen. Joe Manchin Joe Manchin On The Money: Treasury creates hub to fight climate change | Manchin throws support behind union-backed PRO Act | Consumer bureau rolls out rule to bolster CDC eviction ban Miners union to back Biden on green energy if it retains jobs Manchin throws support behind union-backed PRO Act MORE (D-W.Va.) on Thursday in hopes of convincing the moderate Democrat to reconsider his opposition to a $15 an hour rate. Manchin, who has signaled support for a smaller minimum wage increase, held the virtual meeting with representatives from groups such as the Poor People’s Campaign and Service Employees International Union. Rev. William J. Barber II, president of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, said a $15 minimum wage shouldn’t be a partisan debate. ADVERTISEMENT “No politician, Democrat [or] Republican … can say this is a left issue or … [Read more...] about Manchin meets with advocates pushing for $15 minimum wage

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday said that global carbon dioxide emissions are expected to increase by 5 percent in 2021, the second largest jump in history. The intergovernmental organization in its Global Energy Review 2021 unveiled the predicted emissions increase, which was previously anticipated following a drop in 2020 amid pandemic lockdown orders and economic slowdowns that decreased production. However, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said Tuesday that the agency’s prediction of emissions surging by 1.5 billion tons this year is “a dire warning that the economic recovery from the Covid crisis is currently anything but sustainable for our climate.” ADVERTISEMENT “Unless governments around the world move rapidly to start cutting emissions, we are likely to face an even worse situation in 2022,” Birol noted in a statement along with Tuesday’s report. He added that this Thursday’s Leaders Summit on Climate hosted by President … [Read more...] about IEA predicts 5 percent rise in global CO2 emissions from energy this year