We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
45 of its 100 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Kathmandu accounted for 39 of Nepal's 45 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. 32 of Kathmandu's 39 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories).
Kabul accounted for 20 of Afghanistan's 42 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Flooding was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
16 of its 33 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Tehran accounted for 317 of Iran's 553 stories about harm, carried by 637 outlets. Power cuts were named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
15 of its 17 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Beirut accounted for 45 of Lebanon's 75 stories about harm, carried by 55 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Havana accounted for 26 of Cuba's 42 stories about harm, carried by 74 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories).
Jerusalem accounted for 143 of Israel's 294 stories about harm, carried by 431 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
106 of Washington's 199 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Australia (36 of its stories, about three times its usual); covid in New Zealand (14 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 Mar. 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 6,714 stories about harm among 38,441 counted on 29 Mar.
It was the second day running that the news turned to Nepal. of the day's 38,441 news stories, 17 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Nepal stood out: 45% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 31%. On 29 March 2025, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 17 today. This week the news turned most often to Bangladesh, on 3 of 7 days.
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 harsher 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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