We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
54 of its 64 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Toamasina accounted for 45 of Madagascar's 54 stories about harm, carried by 66 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories). Cyclone was named in 52 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding, tropical storm and landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
15 of its 25 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Tirana accounted for 13 of Albania's 15 stories about harm, carried by 28 outlets. 13 of Tirana's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
39 of its 104 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Yerevan accounted for 23 of Armenia's 39 stories about harm, carried by 17 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
951 of its 3,189 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (428 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
155 of its 514 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Moscow accounted for 84 of Russia's 155 stories about harm, carried by 126 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
62 of Sydney's 104 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (59 stories). Hypothermia was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
36 of its 122 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 9 of Colombo's 15 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).
17 of its 62 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Wildfires were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with storms.
Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Illness was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Tehran accounted for 175 of Iran's 229 stories about harm, carried by 225 outlets. 122 of Tehran's 175 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Argentina (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Ukraine (19 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); covid in New Zealand (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); hypothermia in Australia (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 Feb. 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 15,524 stories about harm among 88,721 counted on 11 Feb.
Madagascar stood out: 84% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 26%. 17 in every 100 of the day's 88,721 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Madagascar's news, mentions of the cyclone ran about 4 times their usual. On 11 February 2025, a year earlier, the share was 17 in every 100, the same as today.
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 about as 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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