AllSides analyzed under-covered and widely-omitted stories across the political spectrum this week. Here’s what you may have missed:
What the Left Missed
Unauthorized ‘Aircraft Pirate’ Released by Clinton-Appointed Judge
What’s The Story? Last week, US District Judge John E. Steele ordered the domestic release of Maikel Guerra Morales, an unauthorized immigrant convicted for hijacking a Cuban flight to the US in 2003. Morales completed a 22-year sentence for “aircraft piracy” in the US and was placed in ICE custody in 2025.
Though ICE reportedly planned to deport Morales to Mexico, Steele argued that holding a foreign national in US custody without active legal proceedings violated federal habeas corpus law.
Why The Miss? Right-rated outlets such as Fox News, The Post Millennial, One America News Network, and Breitbart covered this story prominently. New York Post (Right) initially issued an exclusive report. The outlets framed Steele, a Clinton appointee, as biased and defiant against the Trump administration, and they emphasized Morales’ unauthorized status. Some reports also highlighted Morales and his affiliates’ claims that they hijacked the plane “for freedom.” This narrative may work to legitimize Trump’s recent rhetoric against Cuba’s regime.
What the Right Missed
UN Commission Accuses Israeli Government of Genocide
What’s The Story? The United Nations Commission of Inquiry accused Israeli authorities of “deplorable and flagrant violations of international law” last week. It reported, “Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a Palestinian doctor and Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip, has been subjected to continued and severe abuse since his detention by the Israeli authorities in December 2024,” and ordered “the immediate, unconditional and safe release of Dr. Abu Safiya and of all medical personnel held in arbitrary detention by Israel.”
The commission used the term “genocide,” stating, “Israeli security forces deliberately killed, wounded, detained, and severely mistreated medical personnel… as part of a concerted policy to destroy the health-care system of Gaza.”
Why The Miss? While Americans’ overall sympathy for the Israeli government continues to decline, people on the right still favor Israel over Palestine, especially when linked with Hamas. Gallup (Center) polling last year found that 75% of Republican voters sympathize with Israel compared to 10% with Palestine, while 59% of Democratic voters sympathize with Palestine compared to 21% with Israel. The data showed overall sympathies for Palestinians rising 10 percentage points in five years but falling 14 percentage points for Israelis.
What Everyone Missed
Japan Set to Open Its Own Central Intelligence Agency
What’s The Story? Japan is establishing its own centralized intelligence agency amid threats from countries including North Korea, Russia and China. The venture marks significant shifts away from US reliance and Japan’s constitutional pacifism. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Western allies such as the US, Germany and Australia have advised the government on the endeavor but that the agency will be Japan’s own. It is expected to officially open by December and currently retains a $407 million budget.
Why The Miss? Biased media outlets may not have known what to make of this story, despite its significance to the US, as it doesn’t present itself on the traditional left-to-right spectrum. AllSides did find some mainstream coverage from Al Jazeera and The New York Times – both left-leaning outlets. Al Jazeera noted President Donald Trump’s pushback against allies’ reliance on the US, as Pew Research Center polling last year showed that left-leaning voters support foreign aid more prominently than right-leaning voters.
Malayna J. Bizier is a News Analyst and Social Media Editor for AllSides. She has a Right bias.
This piece was reviewed and edited by Bridging Coordinator and Media Analyst Clare Ashcraft (Center), Education Experience Manager and News Editor Emily Allen (Left), and Editor-in-chief Henry A. Brechter (Center).
