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Two men arrested after emerging from NYC manhole near Netanyahu's hotel

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 4 outlets across the spectrum.

4 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

New York police arrested two men, 26-year-old Kevin Rodriguez and 25-year-old Samuel Reveron, both from Queens, after they were seen climbing out of a manhole in Midtown Manhattan near a hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to stay during the United Nations General Assembly. Both face charges of criminal trespass and conspiracy. Police said the incident occurred in the early morning hours and initially prompted a security response involving the NYPD and Secret Service, given the sensitivity of the location during UN Week, though authorities later said the men appeared to be searching the sewer system for scrap metal or valuables rather than posing a security threat. The men pleaded not guilty. The incident is part of a broader pattern of people entering New York's sewer system, which officials and utility experts warn is illegal and dangerous.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and Samuel Reveron, 25, both of Queens, were arrested and charged with criminal trespass and conspiracy.

    Reported byLeftCenterRight

  2. The men were seen exiting a manhole near the hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to stay during the UN General Assembly.

    Reported byLeftCenterRight

  3. Police said the men appeared to be searching for scrap metal or valuables rather than posing a security threat.

    Reported byCenterRight

  4. A third man seen with them was not arrested, according to police.

    Reported byCenter

  5. The incident prompted additional security sweeps by the NYPD and its federal partners, including the Secret Service.

    Reported byCenterRight

Show 2 more pointsShow fewer points

  1. The men pleaded not guilty at a hearing.

    Reported byCenter

  2. City officials and utility experts describe entering the sewer system as illegal and extremely dangerous, citing a fatal manhole fall in May.

    Reported byCenter

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Whether the incident posed a security threat to visiting dignitaries.

    PJ Media and BBC report that police initially investigated a possible security threat given the proximity to Netanyahu's hotel during UN Week, but ultimately concluded the men were searching for scrap metal or valuables, ruling out any terrorist threat.

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    1 outlet

    ABC News uses a brief, factual headline noting the arrest and location without elaborating on the security context.

    WATCH: 2 arrested in mysterious New York City sewers case
    ABC NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Center outlets frame the story around the mystery of people emerging from sewers, with one outlet focusing on the specific arrests and the other on a broader trend and safety warnings.

    New York City’s Loaded modifier“sewer dwellers”Labels the individuals with a dismissive term that pre-judges them beyond the facts reported.More neutral: people entering the sewer systemDisagree with this highlight? are still at it, and utilities warn that Sensational language“the hobby could kill them”Adds dramatic, alarmist framing beyond the factual danger described.More neutral: the practice could be dangerousDisagree with this highlight?
    Straight Arrow NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    1 outlet

    PJ Media's headline emphasizes the proximity to Netanyahu's hotel and frames the arrests within a security narrative before noting the mundane motive.

    Manhole Suspects Arrested After Emerging Underground Near NYC Hotel Where Netanyahu Was Staying
    PJ MediaFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center4

    Swarms of peopleflabbergasting bystanderssewer dwellersthe hobby could kill them

  • Right0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    Swarms of peopleMore neutral: A number of people

    Exaggerates the scale of the phenomenon with dramatic word choice.

    Swarms of people are making the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” a reality in the Big Apple’s sewers…

    Used byStraight Arrow News (Center)

  • Sensational language

    flabbergasting bystandersMore neutral: surprising bystanders

    Uses dramatic language to heighten the sense of spectacle beyond a neutral description.

    …in the Big Apple’s sewers as they pop out, lifting manhole covers and flabbergasting bystanders.

    Used byStraight Arrow News (Center)

  • Loaded modifier

    sewer dwellersMore neutral: people entering the sewer system

    Labels the individuals with a dismissive term that pre-judges them beyond the facts reported.

    New York City’s sewer dwellers are still at it, and utilities warn that the hobby could kill them

    Used byStraight Arrow News (Center)

  • Sensational language

    the hobby could kill themMore neutral: the practice could be dangerous

    Adds dramatic, alarmist framing beyond the factual danger described.

    New York City’s sewer dwellers are still at it, and utilities warn that the hobby could kill them

    Used byStraight Arrow News (Center)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

  • basic arrest facts
  • location of the incident

Leaves out

  • Netanyahu connection details
  • motive investigation
  • broader sewer-entry trend

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the leftHide the headlines
  • ABC NewsLeft

    WATCH: 2 arrested in mysterious New York City sewers case

    Two men from Queens have been charged with trespassing and conspiracy after police say they were spotted slipping into a manhole on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

    Read at ABC News (opens in a new tab)

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • security response near UN dignitaries
  • broader pattern of sewer entries
  • danger of entering sewers
  • official statements from NYPD and city agencies
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • Straight Arrow NewsCenter

    New York City’s Loaded modifier“sewer dwellers”Labels the individuals with a dismissive term that pre-judges them beyond the facts reported.More neutral: people entering the sewer systemDisagree with this highlight? are still at it, and utilities warn that Sensational language“the hobby could kill them”Adds dramatic, alarmist framing beyond the factual danger described.More neutral: the practice could be dangerousDisagree with this highlight?

    People are launching into New York City’s sewer system to see the city’s underground. The adventure worries utility experts.

    Read at Straight Arrow News (opens in a new tab)
  • BBC NewsCenter

    Two arrested after people seen mysteriously emerging from various New York City sewers

    The city has seen a string of incidents in which people have climbed out of manholes late at night.

    Read at BBC News (opens in a new tab)

From the right

1 outlet

Leads with

  • security investigation near Netanyahu
  • details of the arrests and charges
  • ruling out a terrorist threat

Leaves out

  • broader citywide trend of sewer entries
  • utility experts' safety warnings

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
  • PJ MediaFar Right

    Manhole Suspects Arrested After Emerging Underground Near NYC Hotel Where Netanyahu Was Staying

    The New York Police Department (NYPD) arrested two male suspects after investigators determined that they had entered the sewer system in Midtown Manhattan, near the hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was staying, to steal valuables and scrap metal.

    Read at PJ Media (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    7 hr 7 min later

    Its first report, Sep 25, 9:05 PM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    BBC News, Sep 25, 1:59 PM EDT

  • Right

    1 day 6 hr later

    Its first report, Sep 26, 8:24 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. BBC NewsCenterSep 25, 1:59 PM EDT
  2. Straight Arrow NewsCenterSep 25, 2:00 PM EDT
  3. ABC NewsLeftSep 25, 9:05 PM EDT
  4. PJ MediaFar RightSep 26, 8:24 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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