What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
How to read these numbers →
The day's news pointed at violence in Tehran, flooding in Afghanistan and people killed in Malawi. Iran's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.
Conflict & violence
881 of its 2,089 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Tehran accounted for 350 of Iran's 881 stories about harm, carried by 623 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (66 stories). Accidents were named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Disasters & accidents
Kabul accounted for 32 of Afghanistan's 52 stories about harm, carried by 87 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Flooding was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heavy rain and earthquake. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Food & livelihood
11 of its 22 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).
Rights & justice
13 of its 36 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents
19 of its 41 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Heavy rain was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.
Conflict & violence
30 of its 73 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
Conflict & violence
Gaza accounted for 22 of Palestine's 39 stories about harm, carried by 20 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Disasters & accidents
11 of its 15 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).
Disasters & accidents
39 of its 232 stories (17%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (14 stories).
Health
Dhaka accounted for 40 of Bangladesh's 68 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Measles was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with outbreaks.
Also named far more than usual:
measles in Bangladesh (19 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); power cuts in Ireland (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Fiji (10 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); storms in UK (29 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in India (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Read the day's briefing
On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 34,705 stories, as usual. It was the second day running that the news turned to Iran. In Afghanistan's news, mentions of flooding ran about 6 times their usual. Iran stood out: 42% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 37%. This week the news turned most often to Afghanistan, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.
- 18 in every 100 of the day's 34,705 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 18).
- Iran: 881 of its 2,089 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%.
- Afghanistan: Kabul accounted for 32 of Afghanistan's 52 stories about harm, carried by 87 outlets.
- Malawi: 11 of its 22 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%.
- Thailand: 13 of its 36 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%.
- Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate.
- Mentions of flooding ran about 6 times their usual in Afghanistan's news.
- Mentions of measles ran about 6 times their usual in Bangladesh's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were much harsher than usual.
- It was the second day running that the news turned to Iran.
- A year earlier, on 5 April 2025, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today.
- This week the news turned most often to Afghanistan, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
The day in three measures
harshwarm
The words in the day's stories were much harsher than usual.
Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.
● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than usual
● Fearabout as usual
From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?
The weekly briefing · 18 Oct – 24 Oct
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How to read these numbers →
These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.