December 12, 2025 – Global Headlines

Story gist: Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado stated the U.S. helped her leave Venezuela. She told the BBC she knows the risks of her Oslo trip after months in hiding.

Bias summary: Left-leaning NYT emphasizes Machado’s Nobel status and U.S. assistance, framing her exit positively with American involvement. Center BBC focuses on her awareness of ‘risks’ and hiding, highlighting personal peril without U.S. emphasis. Right-leaning coverage absent, missing potential emphasis on U.S. intervention against Venezuelan government.

Story gist: U.S. bombers joined Japanese jets in a military exercise described by Tokyo as a show of force. The exercise followed China-Russia drills.

Bias summary: Left-leaning NPR frames the event confrontationally as U.S.-Japan ‘flexing military muscles’ amid a ‘feud with Beijing,’ emphasizing escalation. Center Reuters reports neutrally with factual headline matching the story title. Right-leaning WSJ portrays it positively as a ‘high-profile show of support for Japan,’ highlighting alliance strength without mentioning China-Russia drills.

Story gist: A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s northeast. Authorities issued a mega quake advisory.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like NYT provide explanatory ‘what to know’ on the advisory, emphasizing preparedness information. Center outlets like Axios focus on the earthquake with photos and vivid terms like ‘powerful’ and ‘rocks,’ highlighting visual impact. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting potential emphasis on government actions or risk assessment.

Story gist: A general strike occurred in Portugal, disrupting travel and national public services.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Al Jazeera calls it a ‘general strike’ that ’causes major disruptions in national services,’ emphasizing broad national impact. Center AP labels it a ‘major strike’ that ‘severely disrupts travel and public services,’ highlighting severity in transport. Both use negative disruption-focused language without striker demands. Right-leaning outlets absent, omitting pro-business or anti-union perspectives.

Story gist: A skydiver became suspended below a jump aircraft’s tailplane after his parachute snagged on the plane. Video captured the incident.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like NYT emphasize drama with ‘dangling’ and video focus, heightening peril. Center sources like ATSB use technical terms like ‘suspended,’ ‘tailplane,’ ‘snagged handle,’ and ‘reserve chute’ for precise mechanics. Right-leaning coverage absent, leaving no conservative framing or emphasis on individual risk in adventure sports.