Join us daily as we navigate through the HEADLINES that are defining our times.
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:
Hamas returns four dead hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners
As the ceasefire appeared in jeopardy, an agreement was reached and Hamas returned dead hostages to the Red Cross in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of prisoners. The first six-week phase of the ceasefire ends March 1 with negotiations for the next phase beginning.
Germany’s new Chancellor Merz travels for dinner with France’s Emmanuel Macron
A lot can happen in the world in three days. In a three-day period, Friedrich Merz won the German election for the office of chancellor. In the same three-day period, France’s Emmanuel Macron traveled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Add to the world stage, Friedrich Merz travels to France to have dinner with Emmanuel Macron.
Macron’s take on these meetings appears to be resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine with Europe taking a larger role than is currently happening.
National headlines:
Gene Hackman, his wife and dog found dead in home
Gene Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner known for his performances in films like The French Connection and Unforgiven, was found deceased along with his wife and family dog. Authorities are investigating the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Two near misses put air traffic conditions suspect
While there are over 108,000 commercial flights across our country each day, it’s the near misses that get our attention. A Southwest jet aborted a landing in Chicago when a private jet headed to Knoxville crossed the runway in front of the larger plane. Another aborted landing happened at Reagan National Airport.
State headlines:
Weed Wrangle tomorrow, Saturday, March 1
The state’s annual Weed Wrangle, part of a national effort to remove invasive plants from public spaces, has 42 state parks participating.
Park Rangers will guide volunteers on identifying and removing invasives such as Bush Honeysuckle, Chinese Privet, English Ivy and Multiflora Rose that are invading that area.
Examples of the events include:
- At Cumberland Mountain State Park, the group will remove invasive plants, while planting native pollinator-friendly plants along the accessible trail.
- At Paris Landing State Park, the group will remove non-native brush after hearing from a guest speaker from the Paris Garden Club.
- At North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park, the group will remove English Ivy encroaching on the Springfield Trail.
- At Middle Fork Bottoms State Park, the group will help restore native prairie habitats.
Local headlines:
Brush collection to begin
City of Knoxville website announces brush pickup will begin March 3 and run through October. Brush piles can include sticks and leaves but no garbage. Set piles away from cars, utility poles and garbage carts. View collection schedule here.
Pat Summitt documentary on Netflix
Netflix has released a documentary on Pat Summitt titled, Pat Summitt: Defining Greatness. The documentary is to show never before seen footage, include interviews with former players and coaches, and delve into the iconic legend’s coaching philosophy.
The Tennessee Valley Fair, Kissel Entertainment and Food City donate to Love Kitchen
The Tennessee Valley Fair, in partnership with Food City and Kissel Entertainment, presented $5,500 in Food City gift cards to the Love Kitchen. Food City matched the donation at 10%, further supporting the organization’s mission. The donation was presented on February 26 at the Love Kitchen, located off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.
Remember to, fact-check information:
- Snopes – One of the oldest and most well-known fact-checking sites
- FactCheck.org– A non-profit organization that monitors the factual accuracy of statements made by public officials.
- 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.
