We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
348 of its 436 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Havana accounted for 147 of Cuba's 348 stories about harm, carried by 381 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (261 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
85 of its 164 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Khojaly accounted for 75 of Azerbaijan's 85 stories about harm, carried by 11 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 10 times the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.
32 of its 121 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
34 of its 156 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
50 of its 220 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (10 stories). Landslides were named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with flooding, heavy rain and storms. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
72 of its 121 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Kabul accounted for 32 of Afghanistan's 72 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
178 of its 418 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
Tehran accounted for 226 of Iran's 319 stories about harm, carried by 605 outlets. Hunger was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
11 of its 30 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
25 of its 70 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 4 of Arua's 5 stories were about protests or strikes.
Also named far more than usual: landslides in Brazil (25 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); heavy rain in Fiji (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in Zimbabwe (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); covid in Denmark (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Malaysia (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 26 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 15,485 stories about harm among 88,885 counted on 26 Feb.
Cuba stood out: 80% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 38%. 17 in every 100 of the day's 88,885 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 26 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 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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