The Bias Brief

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Daily MailSep 20, 2026High impactNewsConflict Crime Foreign

Russian soldiers are 'gang-raping and torturing civilians in Ukraine with four-year-old girl among victims', report finds

A UN report documents widespread conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine, attributing 89% of verified cases to Russian forces and 11% to Ukrainian authorities. It details gang rape, genital mutilation, electric shocks, and torture, including a four-year-old girl among victims, while also noting Russian forces trapping civilians in Oleshky. Ukrainian officials and UN human rights monitors are quoted condemning the abuses.

BBC NewsSep 20, 2026Sig. 7NewsCrime Law Politics

Specialist courts for rape cases to be rolled out across England and Wales

The article reports the rollout of specialist courts for rape and sexual offences across England and Wales. It presents the policy as a welcome and long-overdue response to victims' delays and trauma, while noting Conservative criticism over jury trial restrictions.

Left 2.6

New York PostSep 20, 2026Sig. 5NewsCrime Law Health

Lindsay Clancy-obsessed mom Corie Walsh too dangerous to release — but psychiatrist warns risk can change

An Illinois judge denied pretrial release for Corie Walsh, a mother charged with murdering her 2-year-old son, after prosecutors said she posed a danger to her family. A forensic psychiatrist explains that 'dangerousness' is a forward-looking risk assessment that can change with treatment, though the judge's finding does not guarantee release.

Left 2.8

New York PostSep 20, 2026Sig. 3NewsCrime Law Culture

Hustling for love: Inside the minds of the men and women who romance their way into the hearts of the ultra-rich

A lawsuit by widow Marianne Flippo accuses escort Gregg Starr of manipulating her out of $6 million after her husband's death. The article interviews experts who describe how romance hustlers target wealthy, vulnerable people, while Starr's attorneys deny the coercion allegations.

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Daily MailSep 20, 2026Sig. 6NewsCrime Law

Family of 'Putney Pusher' suspect accuse Met Police of trying to 'rewrite history' after he took his own life following 'negligent' handling of case

The family of Nicholas Brandram, the suspect in the 2017 'Putney pusher' case, accuse the Met Police of trying to 'rewrite history' after he took his own life. They say a DNA test could have proved his innocence and that police negligence and prolonged pressure drove him to suicide, while the Met says investigations continue. The article highlights a police email that appears to contradict the force's public position.

Left 2.5

New York PostSep 19, 2026Sig. 4NewsCrime Culture Other

Hundreds of dead chickens found abandoned in NYC U-Hauls: cops and activists

Hundreds of chickens were found abandoned in two Brooklyn U-Hauls, many dead, in what activists say was tied to the Kaporos ritual before Yom Kippur. Police are investigating, and animal rights advocates and neighbors condemned the treatment as cruel.

Left 3.7

Daily MailSep 19, 2026Sig. 7NewsCrime Law Politics

Andrew feels he is 'living in limbo' over Epstein investigation but is 'making the most' of his new life in Sandringham, friends say

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is said by friends to be 'living in limbo' while police investigate his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, as he remains at Sandringham after his arrest. The report also notes a Republican congressman's sex-crime accusations, Andrew's denial, and delays or redactions in US Epstein files under the Trump administration.

Left 2.0

New York PostSep 19, 2026Sig. 8NewsConflict Foreign Crime

Russian troops’ barbaric rape campaign in Ukraine includes 4-year-old girl, UN details in alarming report

A UN report has found nearly 900 acts of sexual violence by Russian troops against Ukrainian civilians and POWs, including children as young as 4. The article details horrific abuses such as rape, genital mutilation, and electric shocks, and criticizes Russia for failing to investigate or prosecute. It includes testimony from victims and UN officials.

Left 3.3

The GuardianSep 19, 2026Sig. 6NewsCrime Health Law

Lindsay Clancy ex-husband says ‘I think I did the best I could’

Patrick Clancy and his wife Rachel Danis are set to speak on 60 Minutes about the Massachusetts triple-murder trial of his former wife Lindsay Clancy, which ended in a mistrial over postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors will decide this month whether to retry Lindsay Clancy.

Left 2.2

The GuardianSep 19, 2026Sig. 6NewsCrime Law

Elderly man allegedly beaten to death in Virginia Walmart by parents of employee

A 77-year-old Walmart shopper died after an alleged attack inside a Norfolk, Virginia store by the parents of a teenage employee he had confronted over a shopping cart. The parents were arrested and held without bond, while their daughter also faces charges; surveillance video captured the confrontation.

Left 2.7

New York PostSep 19, 2026Sig. 6NewsCrime Foreign Education

College of the damned: 3 female students at Mexican university murdered in last 7 months

Three female students at a Mexican university, including a Spanish exchange student, were found dead over seven months, with one killing classified as a femicide. The article details the attacks and quotes critics who say authorities are not doing enough to protect women.

Left 2.3

The GuardianSep 19, 2026Sig. 8NewsCrime Law Politics

‘Way too many guns around’: experts say firearm access key factor in spate of US family killings

The article reports a sharp rise in US familicide cases and presents expert consensus that easy firearm access and weak gun regulations are key drivers. It highlights red-flag laws as effective while noting Republican-led opposition and the NRA's reversal on such measures.

Left 5.2