The Bias Brief

Lean

CBS NewsSep 17, 2026High impactNewsLaw Economy Other

There are more trucks on highways. But the government is inspecting them less.

An analysis of federal records finds that while truck traffic has risen, roadside safety inspections per mile have fallen about 20% since 2016, leaving thousands of trucking companies uninspected. More than 2,000 people have died since 2019 in crashes involving companies with no prior inspection, including 621 deaths since 2024. State agencies cite staffing shortages while federal regulators say they are increasing enforcement.

The HillSep 18, 2026Sig. 5NewsPolitics Law Other

Trump signs orders loosening hunting restrictions, teases Outdoors Act ‘2.0’

Trump announced executive orders expanding federal land access for hunters and anglers and rolling back Biden-era restrictions on lead ammunition and fishing limits. He also teased a follow-up to the Great American Outdoors Act.

Right 1.7

The HillSep 18, 2026Sig. 6NewsLaw Politics Other

Trump administration memo reduces ESA protections

The Trump administration issued a memo narrowing Endangered Species Act 'take' protections, saying only intentional acts directed at specific animals are prohibited. The change was publicized by the Center for Biological Diversity and drew criticism that Fish and Wildlife enforcement will be muzzled.

Left 2.6

CBS NewsSep 18, 2026Sig. 7NewsPolitics Law Other

Government truck inspections decline plummeting in many states

Government roadside inspections of commercial trucks are declining in many states. A CBS News investigation found more than 2,000 people killed since 2019 in crashes involving licensed trucking companies that had no roadside inspection on record before the crash.

Left 2.0

Fox NewsSep 17, 2026Sig. 4NewsPolitics Other

Mamdani's new $4M NYC public bathrooms auto-open doors after 10 minutes

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani launched a $4 million pilot installing 17 Throne Labs public restroom units across all five boroughs. The units are free, ADA-accessible, and do not require water or sewer connections, but stall doors automatically open after 10 minutes following escalating warnings.

Right 3.4

The GuardianSep 17, 2026Sig. 8NewsPolitics Law Other

Trump officials move to dismantle key protection for US endangered species

The Trump administration issued a Fish and Wildlife Service memo reinterpreting the Endangered Species Act’s 'take' prohibition so that unintentional harm to endangered species would generally not be illegal. The article presents the move as a major rollback affecting over 1,600 imperiled species and quotes environmental groups condemning it as a prescription for extinction.

Left 5.2

PBS NewsHourSep 17, 2026Sig. 6NewsPolitics Law Other

Jon Kyl, long-serving lawmaker from Arizona who shaped water policy, dies at 84

Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, a Republican who shaped major Western water policy and helped guide Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation, died at 84. The obituary recounts his nearly three decades in Congress and includes praise from Democratic and Republican figures.

Right 2.3

Daily MailSep 17, 2026Sig. 7NewsPolitics Other

Archbishop of Canterbury forced to withdraw controversial award given on anniversary of 9/11 to Muslim cleric who praised Bin Laden

The Archbishop of Canterbury withdrew a reconciliation award given to Pakistani Muslim cleric Tahir Ashrafi after reports resurfaced that his council had honored Osama bin Laden. The article emphasizes backlash from Conservative figures and secular groups, who criticized the decision as dangerous naivety, while noting Lambeth Palace defended interfaith work even as it revoked the award.

Right 3.8

The HillSep 17, 2026Sig. 6NewsLaw Politics Other

Trump administration reduces protections for endangered species again

The Trump administration has further narrowed Endangered Species Act protections by saying it will treat 'take' as only intentional acts, according to an internal Fish and Wildlife Service memo made public by the Center for Biological Diversity. The Interior Department defends the guidance, while environmental advocates say it will effectively stop enforcement for many harmed species. It follows earlier rollbacks of protections for threatened species.

Left 2.3

Washington ExaminerSep 17, 2026Sig. 2OpinionPolitics Law Other

July Fourth made us independent. Sept. 17 kept us from collapsing

This opinion essay argues that Constitution Day is too often ignored and recounts the 1787 Constitutional Convention as rescuing the young United States from chaos. It praises the framers and the Constitution as an effective but limited blueprint for government.

Right 2.3

NPRSep 17, 2026Sig. 5NewsPolitics Other

D.C. airspace is complicated. Experts say Trump's arch would add one more risk

The Trump administration is moving forward with a proposed 250-foot arch near Reagan National Airport, prompting aviation safety experts and a Democratic congressman to warn it could add risk to already congested D.C. airspace. The FAA will determine whether the arch poses a hazard.

Left 2.6

Fox NewsSep 17, 2026Sig. 3NewsForeign Other

Plane passengers scream in harrowing mid-flight video as violent shaking sends cabin ceiling panels flying

A Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 flying from Mashhad to Kermanshah experienced violent shaking and cabin damage, with video showing passengers screaming and praying as ceiling panels fell. Reports suggest possible engine damage and a tire blowout during takeoff. The article presents the incident as a dramatic accident without advancing a political or policy argument.

Right 2.6