Join us daily as we navigate through the HEADLINES that are defining our times, illuminating the complexities and challenges we face as a society and some that seem incredible.

Readers should engage critically with the headlines by querying the search engine of choice (ex: Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo) and discover the truth behind the headlines, seeking reliable sources for the ‘rest of the story.’ Simply copy a headline and enter in the search engine to see all versions of the story.

World headlines:

Gaza ceasefire deal resumes

Hamas agrees to continue releasing Israeli hostages as scheduled, committing to implement the Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel. A return to war can be averted if the follow through on the ceasefire deal is completed.

Kayaker is briefly swallowed by humpback whale

An unsuspecting kayaker was swallowed by a humpback whale in Bahia El Águila in the Strait of Magellan. The whale released the kayaker quickly. Look online for the video.

National headlines:

The Senate confirms Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, has no academic background in medicine or health care. He was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 with no Democratic votes for his nomination and one Republican vote against. Senator Mitch McConnel, R-Ky, who survived polio before the polio vaccine was developed, has raised concerns on Kennedy’s position on vaccination, voting against his nomination.

Department of Education to be ‘reoriented’

At Thursday’s confirmation hearing for Linda McMahon, she detailed how the Department of Education would maintain its core programs, but would ‘reorient’ the department to function more efficiently. She also reminded that Congress is the only one to abolish a department. The core programs she vowed to maintain were Title I money for low-income schools, Pell grants and Public Service Loan Forgiveness among others.

Local headlines:

Gay Street bridge will be permanently closed to traffic

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon held a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 12, announcing the bridge will never reopen to vehicle traffic. The expense to repair it is not feasible. There are plans to have it open for pedestrians and bicyclists as many major cities have done in similar situations when bridges became unusable for vehicles.

Remember to, fact-check information:

  1. Snopes – One of the oldest and most well-known fact-checking sites
  2. FactCheck.org– A non-profit organization that monitors the factual accuracy of statements made by public officials.
  3. PolitiFact– Focuses on political claims and provides a ‘Truth-O-Meter’ rating to assess their accuracy.

See previous article for more tips on how to assess reliability.

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