We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
44 of its 76 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Kathmandu accounted for 28 of Nepal's 44 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (20 stories). Illness was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.
70 of its 164 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Kampala accounted for 54 of Uganda's 70 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (45 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
157 of its 295 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Tsunami was named in 111 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with earthquake, volcanic eruption and building collapse.
15 of its 18 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
263 of its 485 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Hunger was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
31 of its 194 stories (16%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Covid was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Havana accounted for 27 of Cuba's 38 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
27 of its 72 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (17 stories).
16 of its 48 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
5 of Gaza's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: covid in Romania (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); dust storm in Greece (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Pakistan (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hunger in Israel (18 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); snowstorms in UK (27 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 Apr. 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 13,475 stories about harm among 80,273 counted on 2 Apr.
For the third day running, the news turned to Nepal. Stories about people being harmed made up 17 in every 100 of the day's 80,273 stories, below the usual 18. Mentions of the tsunami ran more than ten times their usual in Indonesia's news. In Nepal, 58% of the news was about people being harmed, where 32% is usual. A year earlier, on 2 April 2025, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 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?
Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.
Create a free accountSign in · a username, an email and a password.