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:
US delegation travels to Saudi Arabia to discuss Gaza and Ukraine
Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday to discuss the future of both Gaza and Ukraine. Rubio also met earlier in the day with Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi foreign minister
National headlines:
Kentucky reels from devasting flooding
Reporting over 1,000 water rescues this weekend, the death toll from the devasting flooding in Kentucky is expected to rise from the original 11 fatalities. Hampering the recovery efforts is an anticipated winter weather system predicted for Tuesday that could bring 6-8 inches of snow.
Bessent v. Dellinger could define Congress authority
The Supreme Court is deciding the validity of President Trump’s firing of Hampton Dellinger, director of the Office of Special Counsel who was confirmed by the Senate last year to a five-year term. This case may be critical to defining Congress’s ability to create independent agencies that are protected from elimination.
Colleges and K-12 schools to erase DEI by 2/28
The U.S. Department of Education has given colleges and K-12 schools with race-specific programs until the end of the February to abolish them or risk losing federal funding. What does this mean? Educators are trying to understand the exact direction.
State headlines:
University of Tennessee’s international program halted
The University of Tennessee’s Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture has put its program on hold pending a review of the spending of the U. S. Agency for International Development. U. S. volunteers travel to multiple countries to provide two-week technical training to support resilient food systems. The program had been awarded five years of funding in 2023.
Tennessee Songwriters advance to Showcase Rounds
Two songwriters advanced from each qualifying round that took place from January 26 through February 8. More than 1,200 songwriters performed their genre of music in the qualifying rounds. Qualifiers move on to the Showcase Rounds taking place from February 23- March 1 at venues from Gatlinburg to Memphis: here.
Local headlines:
Margie Ison has died, leaving lasting legacy
Margie Ison, a longtime member of the WBIR Channel 10 family and a welcomed, familiar presence in our homes for many years, has died from pancreatic cancer at age 84.
Knox County Schools names new security chief
Carlo J. Granillo will start his position as chief of security for Knox County Schools in March. Granillo has served in police departments for 28 years in California before becoming the Chief of Police for the Fontana School Police Department which served 45 schools and around 33,000 students.
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.
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