We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
78 of its 135 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Kampala accounted for 54 of Uganda's 78 stories about harm, carried by 92 outlets. 29 of Kampala's 54 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (41 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
62 of its 99 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Havana accounted for 44 of Cuba's 62 stories about harm, carried by 89 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Aleppo accounted for 33 of Syria's 59 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Kyiv accounted for 61 of Ukraine's 87 stories about harm, carried by 77 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Tehran accounted for 407 of Iran's 688 stories about harm, carried by 373 outlets. 378 of Tehran's 407 stories were about protests or strikes. Power cuts were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
32 of its 128 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Storms were named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heatwave.
7 of its 14 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
83 of its 386 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories).
22 of its 51 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).
5 of its 10 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
Also named far more than usual: flooding in South Africa (65 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in Romania (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Thailand (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in Japan (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 Jan. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 13,992 stories about harm among 81,815 counted on 16 Jan.
It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 11 December 2025. of the day's 81,815 news stories, 17 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 19. the news turned to Uganda for the fourth day running. Mentions of flooding ran about 5 times their usual in South Africa's news. In Uganda, 58% of the news was about people being harmed, where 30% is usual.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Countries with at least 50 stories that day.
Stories, not people.
Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 17 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.
Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.
Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.
Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.
The words in the day's stories were much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.
From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?
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