Here’s your daily Bwoglines, all jazzed up!

Happening in the World: After blocking media access, the Russian government has banned what it calls “fake” news of the Ukrainian invasion, and journalists are fleeing the country. “Putin understands how high the stakes are in the invasion of Ukraine, and a big part of this war is the information war,” said Gulnoza Said, coordinator for Europe and Central Asia programs for the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Once Russian officials saw the information war could be lost because of the activities of Russian-based outlets, I think they were outraged and decided to close them.” (The Washington Post)

Happening in the US: A California task force in charge of the state’s reparations effort, the first in the nation, is struggling to decide which Black Californians should receive payments. For months, the nine-member task force has been hearing testimony and gathering evidence about the way Black Californians have been affected for generations by redlining, school segregation, voting restrictions and other discriminatory policies. The panel is supposed to finalize a report by the summer of 2023 that would detail who should get reparations, in what form and in what amounts. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced masks will be optional for public school students, K-12, and staff starting Monday, March 7th. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced masks will be optional for public school students, K-12, and staff starting Monday, March 7. Even as face coverings become optional, the Department of Education will continue to offer masks on campuses for students, teachers, and staff, said Amaris Cockfield, a spokesperson for the mayor. Officials said the department will also renew efforts to vaccinate students, targeting school communities with lower vaccination rates. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: Tonight, the Dezron Douglas Jazz Quartet will be performing in Columbia’s Miller Theatre. Dezron Douglas is one of the most in-demand young bassists in jazz today. The New York-based composer, bandleader, and sideman was featured in Miller’s Live from Columbia digital series over the pandemic, and now returns with his new quartet. The performance will begin at 8 pm; tickets are required.

Live from New York! via Pixabay