TUESDAY EDITION

Snopes Debunker

Government shutdown: What's open, what's closed and who's affected

The federal government has entered another day of shutdown as Congress remains at an impasse over a spending deal. Certain federal employees continue to work without pay during the shutdown, while others are temporarily furloughed.

During the shutdown, many people turned to Google to understand how staffing changes might affect vital federal agencies and services.

Snopes web producer and reporter Megan Loe examined how the shutdown affects Social Security benefits, Medicare, SNAP and WIC, among other programs. She also looked into the statuses of DMVs, post offices and national parks. Read the full guide below.

Did Coca-Cola pull Super Bowl sponsorship over Bad Bunny halftime show?

"I will end my sponsorship of the Super Bowl if they let Bad Bunny perform at halftime," posts quoted Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey as saying.

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Snopes has been busy fact-checking political claims, including those related to the Trump administration. But we investigate claims on every topic, not just politics. For example, one fact check featured later in this newsletter verifies whether unplugging appliances and electronics when they're not in use actually saves electricity. We need your help to keep doing this far-ranging work. By growing our membership, we can continue cutting straight to the facts on any subject our readers are interested in. We appreciate any support you can give.

ADL dropped extremist label for Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk's death

Shortly after we asked the ADL why it still categorized its page on TPUSA under "extremism," the page disappeared.

Watch out for videos claiming Gen. Randy George spoke out against Trump

The videos claimed to show U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George declaring Trump a direct threat to national security and calling for his immediate removal from office.

Willie Nelson memorialized Charlie Kirk in song titled 'Let's Make Heaven Crowded'?

According to online users discussing this matter, "Nelson's heartfelt tribute is already being hailed as one of his most moving works in decades."

Staff Pick

Does unplugging appliances when not in use prevent unnecessary electricity usage?

You've probably heard that unplugging appliances and electronics when they're not in use can save energy and money. But is that really true?

Snopes reporting intern William Kramer found that in most cases, it is. Still, some devices don't use power when off and others are best left plugged in. Click below for the full breakdown.