News from around the nation.

AI deepfakes complicate a high-profile missing-person case as new data reveal gaps in river protections, education payoffs and health-care affordability across the U.S. 

Transcript

The Public News Service Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 Afternoon Update.

I'm Farah Siddiqui.

The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, is being complicated by the growing use of artificial intelligence and so-called deepfakes.

Law enforcement says fake ransom messages and manipulated images or audio are making it harder to verify proof of life.

President Donald Trump says the Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Detroit and Windsor will not open without new concessions from Canada, despite existing agreements governing the long-delayed project.

And beyond high-profile national stories, new data out today is giving communities a clearer picture of environmental risks closer to home.

More than 80 percent of watersheds in the United States lack adequate protection.

And now a new online tool will tell you if the river or creek in your neighborhood is in trouble.

Suzanne Potter reports.

The National Protected Rivers Assessment from the nonprofit American Rivers and conservation science partners shows that hundreds of rivers and creeks across California remain woefully underprotected.

John Zablocki with American Rivers says before now the data has been scattered.

Nobody's really had a reliable way to assess how protected rivers are.

They're really the most threatened system and also the least identifiably protected.

The tool includes more than 70 possible mechanisms of protection.

And while environmental data is helping shape policy decisions, new numbers are also reshaping how states think about education and earnings.

Indiana trails the nation in education attainment, but new data show Hoosiers slightly outperformed the national average when it comes to payoff.

Joe Ulery reports.

The latest A Stronger Nation report from Indiana-based non-profit Lumina Foundation aims to shift the focus from how many people earn credentials to whether those credentials lead to higher earnings.

Lumina's new national goal calls for 75 percent of adults in the labor force to hold a college degree or other credential of value by 2040.

NBC News data analyst Steve Kornacki explains Indiana clears that value bar more often.

43.8 percent right now.

That's a little bit above the national average work being done in the Hoosier state specifically on value.

You can see it paying off already.

Nationally, nearly 44 percent of adults meet that standard with With health insurance costs reaching an all-time high, experts are urging Illinoisans to know and use all of the health benefits they pay for.

Research shows more than half of Americans don't know the full scope of what their health insurance offers.

With Illinoisans facing an average 28 percent spike to their premiums, Paula Campbell with the Illinois Primary Health Care Association says it's never been more important for folks to be proactive about using all of their benefits.

They might get a gym membership discount, fitness trackers, or rewards for completing certain health screenings.

The state's parity laws ensure all health plans cover mental health services at the same rate as medical services.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

This is Public News Service.

More than 12,000 Alabama students have completed profiles through the Alabama Direct Admission Initiative.

As acceptance letters roll out in Alabama, admission counselors are giving tips on next steps for students.

Shantia Hudson reports.

So far, nearly 180,000 college admission offers have been sent statewide.

But now that acceptance letters are arriving, some students may be wondering what to do next.

Audrey Crawford with the University of Montevallo works in admissions and says this is a critical time for students to take action.

It's really important as a part of their next step is making sure that they connect with the admissions counselor that's assigned to them.

That's their best resource at each university.

Crawford says one of the first priorities should be completing the FAFSA.

She also encourages students to fill out any required supplemental scholarship applications.

Shantia Hudson reporting.

Researchers in the Midwest are studying the economic and ecological impacts of mature trees that have protected many Iowa farms for nearly half a century.

Asking farmers how natural wind breaks, rows of trees or shrubs that slow wind and create beneficial soil conditions have contributed to the success of farms.

The study will focus on crops, soil health, biodiversity and wildlife that wind breaks in the Midwest have supported for decades, including on the land owned by Nathan Anderson, a family farmer in northeast Iowa's Cherokee County.

Yeah, there's part of it that what's old is new again.

And that's really interesting to see that cycle.

But I think part of it is we've seen an increased need for those trees and the services that they provide.

The Savannah Institute received a five-year, $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct the study in parts of Iowa and Illinois.

Many Coloradans got new health insurance plans this year, and experts say the best time to get to know your benefits is before you need them.

Beyond basic coverage, many plans offer free preventative services, mental health support, access to wellness apps, options that often go underused because you might not realize they're available.

Amy Jordan with UnitedHealthcare recommends becoming familiar with their health plan's online website, which can help you find providers, compare costs, and understand treatment options.

What are your benefits?

What is covered or what's not covered?

And what you can expect?

Preventative benefits are oftentimes covered for everyone.

And so really understanding what's included in that and what you have that coverage for.

Jordan in terms of your premium, O pays and deductibles, O insurance, and out-of-pocket maximums.

She says those and other health care terms are defined at the website JustPlainClear.com.

Mark Richardson reporting.

This is Farah Siddiqui for Public News Service.

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