this is Shades of the Day — bringing you different shades of opinion in news & culture so that you can see the big picture quickly. We believe that seeing multiple POVs is the best way to stay informed.

It’s Wednesday, February 19 — here are today’s three featured stories:

1. Flight safety at risk?

2. Frozen food vs. fresh food

Shades makes it fun to stay informed on today’s top stories — check out our latest app update here.

1) Elon Musk is publicly associated with the Department of Government Efficiency. But NPR says a White House filing clarifies he's not officially in charge of DOGE. He serves as a Senior Advisor to the President, a position without formal authority.

2) Hamas announced plans to release the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including those of two young children of the Bibas family. CNN notes that six living hostages are also part of the deal -- it's all part of ongoing negotiations related to a Gaza hostage-ceasefire agreement.

3) The U.S. and Russia held peace talks without Ukraine present. CNN says these initial talks were conducted to identify high-level teams that would work to negotiate the end of the Ukraine War…but the talks excluded Kyiv.

4) A Delta plane traveling from Minneapolis crash-landed at the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Despite the plane flipping upside down and losing its tail, the NYT notes that all 80 passengers survived the accident.

5) Marine experts have given up hope of rescuing more than 150 false killer whales that stranded on a remote beach on Australia’s island state of Tasmania, officials said on Wednesday.

6) President Donald Trump signed a landmark executive order Tuesday that would allow the White House to control independent agencies that have long operated outside of its influence.

Flight safety at risk?

The Trump administration decided to lay off hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration employees. NBC says recent fatal crashes have inspired critics to speak out against the move, citing safety concerns.

Rolling Stone says FAA workers are worried: One worker called the FAA purge a “threat” to safe flying practices.

On the other hand, an ex-FAA official on Fox News insists safety's still intact: The critical safety employees won't be impacted by the layoffs.

By the way, Forbes notes that Trump's layoffs are impacting more than just the FAA: Various agencies are feeling the sting as Trump's cost-cutting measures begin.

Frozen vs. fresh

Can frozen foods compete with fresh? The Atlantic thinks so: Frozen foods match fresh in nutrition! Plus, they're more accessible than their fresh counterparts. The pandemic might've made frozen food popular, but the trend is here to stay.

The NYT also sang the praises of frozen foods: They may pack even more nutrients than their fresh counterparts! Freezing captures fruit and vegetables at peak nutrition.

But Geisinger says fresh foods have their perks, too: Eating locally grown, fresh foods is a great way to boost your local economy -- and save the planet!

For what it's worth, Eat This says the fresh v. frozen battle isn't easily settled: Freezing can alter texture and flavor -- in some instances, fresh could prevail.