On PR Newswire: A Look Back at 2020

With thousands and thousands of press releases published each year, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire for Journalists. Here are some of the most newsworthy stories of 2020. Miss some of our weekly recaps? Check out previous editions of On PR Newswire.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Dictionary

Dictionary.com Names ‘Pandemic’ 2020 Word of the Year

On Nov. 30, Dictionary.com announced it has named “pandemic” the 2020 Word of the Year. The choice encapsulates an unprecedented year in which the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted every sector of society and defined the context for all the many other consequential events of the year, including racial injustice, an economic downturn, climate disaster, political division, and rampant disinformation.  And just as the pandemic upended life in 2020, it also reshaped language, requiring a new vocabulary for a new reality. The event drove not only record searches for new or unfamiliar terms, but a record in the number of related additions made to Dictionary.com.

The coronavirus has been a trending topic on PR Newswire nearly all year long. Here’s the latest.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Boy Scouts

The Boy Scouts of America Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy to Equitably Compensate Victims While Ensuring Scouting Continues Across the Country

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced on Feb. 18 that the national organization had filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to achieve two key objectives: equitably compensate victims who were harmed during their time in scouting and continue carrying out its mission for years to come. The BSA intends to use the Chapter 11 process to create a Victims Compensation Trust that would provide equitable compensation to victims.

Check out the other bankruptcy news announcements from the year.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Nobel prize

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020: Genetic Scissors – A Tool for Rewriting the Code of Life

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna shared this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry. They have discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. Using these, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants, and microorganisms with extremely high precision. This technology has had a revolutionary impact on the life sciences, is contributing to new cancer therapies, and may make the dream of curing inherited diseases come true.

Catch up on other awards that were handed out in 2020.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Boeing

Boeing Responds to FAA Approval to Resume 737 MAX Operations

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Nov. 18 rescinded the order that halted commercial operations of Boeing 737-8s and 737-9s. The move will allow airlines that are under the FAA’s jurisdiction, including those in the U.S., to take the steps necessary to resume service and Boeing to begin making deliveries.

Air travel was severely disrupted this year. Follow all the aviation and airline news on PR Newswire.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Stock market

Anticipating a Coronavirus Vaccine, UCLA Anderson Forecast Expects Robust Economic Recovery to Begin in Spring 2021

The quarterly UCLA Anderson Forecast anticipates positive economic news on the horizon. After the COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S., the Anderson Forecast’s March report was followed by two downward revisions, and the June and September releases charted the pandemic’s impact on the California and national economies. The December forecast offers hope of a robust recovery from the current recession, based on the assumption that mass vaccinations would clear a path toward a new, productive normalcy for many industries.

With lots of news announcements on the economy, make sure you’re following the latest finance and investing news on PR Newswire.

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Larry Grady is online content manager at PR Newswire for Journalists.  He has worked in business media for nearly 30 years and enjoys reality TV and daydreaming about travel and wine.