Topic of the Week
Advanced Topic
Note: Advanced Topic of the Week may sometimes link to content that some readers find disturbing and/or otherwise challenging.
Some groups may prefer to choose Starter Topic of the Week.
How it Works
- We select a topic each week and post links to varying reporting on it
- You can find the links here on Mondays and rate the content yourself
- Our team rates it too, and we post our scores here on Wednesdays
- Compare and discuss!
Check back on Wednesday to see our analysts’ scores and compare them with your own!
Trump Posts and Later Deletes Meme Depicting Obamas As Apes
- Week of February 8, 2026
Alex Pretti's Previous Encounter with Federal Agents
- Week of February 1, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| PBD Podcast – Patrick Bet-David– “Paid To Push ICE Agents” – Alex Pretti Video SHATTERS ICE Shooting Narrative | 5.67 | 29.67 |
| Article 2: American Greatness– New Video of Slain Anti-ICE Activist Alex Petti Contradicts Narrative of ‘Peaceful Protester’ | 15.33 | 21.33 |
| CBS News (website)– Video shows Alex Pretti in scuffle with federal agents 11 days before his death | -7.33 | 44.67 |
| New York Post– Alex Pretti appears to spit at ICE, kick out taillight in previous Minneapolis confrontation before he was shot by Border Patrol | 6.33 | 44.00 |
| Wonkette– Alex Pretti Kicked A Car. That’s A Shootin’! | -26.67 | 16.33 |
| ABC: The View– Video Appears To Show Previous Alex Pretti Clash | The View | -17.67 | 26.67 |
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Jack Smith Testifies before the House
- Week of January 25, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| DeVory Darkins (YouTube)– Congress HUMILIATES Jack Smith on LIVE TV with shocking rebuke as fight breaks out | 20.00 | 22.67 |
| Blaze Media– ‘Flagrant violation’: GOP lawmaker grills Jack Smith for ‘spying’ on former House speaker | 17.00 | 22.67 |
| CNN (website)– Takeaways from special counsel Jack Smith’s public hearing | -3.67 | 45.33 |
| AP | Associated Press– Takeaways from Jack Smith on his case against Trump, ‘so many witnesses’ and the threats ahead | -4.67 | 47.33 |
| Salon– Jack Smith lays it out: Trump has shattered the rule of law | -18.33 | 26.00 |
| MS NOW: Special Coverage (MSNBC)– ‘TRUMP BELONGS IN PRISON’: Maddow and MS NOW colleagues share reactions to Jack Smith testimony | -20.00 | 25.33 |
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Iran and the U.S.
- Week of January 18, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Fox News: Fox and Friends Weekend– ‘IT’S TIME!’: Trump URGES for new leadership in Iran | 9.67 | 29.67 |
| American Greatness– The Fog of Prewar in Iran | 23.33 | 16.67 |
| New York Post– Iran threatens to resume executions, warns of ‘all out war’ if US steps in during brutal crackdown | 5.00 | 40.67 |
| NBC News (website)– Protests in Iran appear to have slowed as Khamenei claims Trump personally ‘encouraged’ unrest | 0.00 | 44.67 |
| The Jimmy Dore Show– The REAL REASON Trump Called Off Iran Bombing Explained By Steve Bannon! w/ Max Blumenthal | -23.67 | 25.67 |
| Foreign Affairs– Iran and the Limits of American Power | -8.00 | 44.33 |
Want to go deeper? Get complete lessons via educator subscription.
ICE Officer Fatally Shoots Woman in Minnesota
- Week of January 11, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| The Megyn Kelly Show– Megyn Kelly Breaks Down What the Minnesota ICE Shooting Videos REALLY Show and Reveals NEW Info | 20.00 | 21.00 |
| SGT Report – Sean Turnbull– We’re in a Slow-Rolling Civil War, President Trump Needs to Recognize It | 23.00 | 12.33 |
| NPR (website)– Frictions over investigations emerge after ICE agent fatally shoots Minneapolis woman | -2.00 | 45.00 |
| ABC News (website)– Minneapolis ICE shooting: A minute-by-minute timeline of how Renee Nicole Good died | -6.67 | 48.33 |
| HuffPost– Kristi Noem Falsely Claims ICE Agent Was ‘Ran Into’ Before Deadly Shooting In Minneapolis | -12.67 | 24.67 |
| Brian Tyler Cohen (YouTube)– Prosecutor issues MUST-SEE response to ICE shooting in Minneapolis | -15.00 | 32.67 |
Want to go deeper? Get complete lessons via educator subscription.
US captures Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
- Week of January 4, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Ben Shapiro (YouTube)– Ben Reacts: The U.S. Takes Down Maduro | 18.00 | 30.67 |
| Fox News (website)– DAVID MARCUS: Trump restores America as the world’s sole superpower | 21.33 | 21.67 |
| CBS News (website)– Trump says the U.S. will “run” Venezuela for now. What do we know about the plans? | 5.00 | 42.33 |
| AP | Associated Press– How the US captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro | -0.67 | 44.67 |
| Mother Jones– The Lie of “Self-Financing” Oil Wars | -13.33 | 33.33 |
| Legal AF (YouTube)– Trump INVADES Venezuela over OIL?!?! Maduro Indictment RELEASED… | -11.67 | 31.33 |
Want to go deeper? Get complete lessons via educator subscription.
Safety (with original Pneuma html)
- Week of August 29, 2022
