The short answer
Bärbel Bas resigned as SPD leader and German labour minister at 08:00 on a Monday morning. By 21:30 that evening, when the first Swedish headline appeared, 72 outlets in 16 countries had already carried it 178 times.
That was not a one-off. In three weeks we found 13 large international stories that Swedish news apps and front pages picked up between 10 and 25 hours after the rest of the world. The typical gap was 16.4 hours.
AO.news reads the push notifications of hundreds of news apps and the front pages of hundreds of news sites, translates them into English and groups them into stories as they arrive. Because the same clustering runs for every country, it can show when a story has been everywhere except one market. This report looks at Sweden: every story that was big abroad, landed late in Sweden, and still held up after we checked it by hand.
"Sweden" here means the 17 Swedish news apps and 53 Swedish front pages AO.news tracks, from Aftonbladet, Expressen, DN, SvD, SVT, Sveriges Radio and Omni to regional dailies. Together they produced 46,208 items in the period. The clock stops at the first of them to carry the story, whichever outlet that was.
The gap, story by story
Hours from the first report anywhere to the first Swedish app push or front-page headline. All times on this page are Stockholm time.
12 of the 13 stories took more than twelve hours to reach a Swedish front page or app. The most widely carried, the priest killed by a falling crucifix in Ecuador, ran on 121 outlets in 41 countries before Expressen had it.
The thirteen stories
For each story: the first report we have, a few of the outlets that followed, and the first Swedish item. Foreign-language items are machine-translated; the Swedish headlines are shown as published, with our own translation.
Politician named Hitler Mussolini wins Peruvian mayoral election
The longest gap in the report. Fifty sources in 20 countries had run the result by the time Dagens Nyheter carried it, on Saturday lunchtime.
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Le Figaro front page
Candidate named Hitler Mussolini Simeón Flores wins municipal election in Peru
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Il Messaggero front page
Peruvian mayoral candidate named Hitler Mussolini sparks controversy due to his provocative name, despite being a leftist.
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The Sun front page
Nazi-named candidate Hitler Mussolini wins election to become Peru's second mayor.
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news18.com front page
Controversial candidate with Nazi and Fascist associations wins mayoral race in Peru by narrow margin
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oem.com.mx front page
Controversial politician in Peru gains attention for his provocative names and wins election
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55 items from 50 outlets in 20 countries, 1 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Dagens Nyheter front page
Hitler Mussolini vald till borgmästare i Peru
Hitler Mussolini elected mayor in Peru
Wikipedia links OpenAI agents to its May outage
The Wikimedia Foundation's claim spread from Indian and Latin American front pages to the Telegraph, FAZ and Die Welt during Tuesday. Omni was the first Swedish outlet, almost a day later.
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Times of India front page
Wikipedia operator suggests OpenAI's rogue agents may be linked to May data service disruption
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jornada.com.mx front page
Wikipedia blames OpenAI agents for service disruptions in May
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NDTV front page
Wikipedia Operator Warns of Potential Rogue Agents Disrupting Data Services
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watson app
AI agents secretly attacked Wikipedia – what we know about the incident.
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Die Welt front page
Rebel AI agents breach Wikipedia, raising security concerns
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33 items from 29 outlets in 15 countries, 1 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Omni front page
AI-agenter från OpenAI redigerade Wikipedia
AI agents from OpenAI edited Wikipedia
Priest killed by falling crucifix during live-streamed mass
The most widely carried story in this report: 121 international sources in 41 countries before Sweden. The video circulated all Sunday, and Expressen ran it the next morning.
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El Periódico front page
Priest dies after being struck by a cross during live-streamed mass
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avaz.ba front page
Priest killed during mass as wooden cross falls on him, captured live footage
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TMZ front page
Ecuadorian Catholic priest dies after being struck by a falling cross during a live stream
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prensalibre.com front page
Priest dies accidentally during live-streamed mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador
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People front page
Priest killed when massive crucifix falls during live-streamed mass, churchgoers rush to aid
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150 items from 121 outlets in 41 countries, 2 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Expressen front page
Korset faller – dödar prästen
The cross falls, killing the priest
Ukraine evacuates a wounded soldier by drone, a world first
Kyiv Post, NV, BFM TV, Corriere and the BBC all carried the first battlefield evacuation by heavy drone on Monday afternoon and evening. In Sweden it appeared the next morning.
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The News front page
Ukraine conducts world's first drone-assisted soldier evacuation from the frontline
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Kyiv Post front page
Ukrainian soldier wounded in combat airlifted by world's first heavy drone
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Il Sole 24 Ore front page
First-ever evacuation of a wounded soldier by drone in Kiev
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delfi.ee front page
Ukrainian drone rescue makes history by saving a wounded soldier from the front line.
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liberation.fr front page
Ukraine claims to have conducted the first drone evacuation of a wounded soldier
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52 items from 45 outlets in 21 countries, 2 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Expressen front page
Första räddningen i världshistorien – med drönare
The first rescue in world history, by drone
Diddy hospitalised after prison fight
TMZ broke the story on Wednesday afternoon, and 30 sources in 15 countries followed overnight. Expressen ran it at 11:23 the next day.
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TMZ front page
Music mogul Diddy involved in violent clash with Jamaican drug lord and prison kingpin.
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The Sun front page
Diddy involved in fight leading to head injury, new details emerge in the investigation.
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People front page
Diddy sustains head injury during prison fight with drug lord, source reveals
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Yahoo News front page
Diddy's head injury linked to Jamaican drug lord, details revealed
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oregonlive.com front page
Jailed rapper sustains head injury after inmate altercation
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36 items from 30 outlets in 15 countries. Nothing in Sweden.
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Expressen front page
Diddy till sjukhus med ambulans efter slagsmål i fängelset, enligt källor
Diddy taken to hospital by ambulance after prison fight, sources say
Trump says the US is in denuclearisation talks with Russia and China
Twenty-one sources in 14 countries reported Trump's remarks overnight and through the European morning, and the Kremlin's reply was out by midday. The first Swedish headline came Friday evening.
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Jerusalem Post front page
Trump reports discussions with Russia and China on denuclearization efforts
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Arab News front page
Trump reports discussions with Russia and China on denuclearization efforts
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examiner.com.au front page
Trump conducts high-level talks with Russia and China on denuclearization efforts
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xalqqazeti.az front page
US, Russia, and China hold negotiations to reduce nuclear arsenals
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Delfi app
Trump hinted at talks with Russia and China
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22 items from 21 outlets in 14 countries, 1 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Göteborgs-Posten front page
Trump: ”Skulle gärna avrusta om möjligt”
Trump: “Would gladly disarm if possible”
US orders DeepSeek removed from federal systems
The US ban on the Chinese AI model ran on Quartz, the Straits Times, Le Parisien and the BBC on Monday afternoon and evening. In Sweden it appeared the next morning.
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Quartz front page
U.S. government orders removal of DeepSeek and bans Chinese AI firm from federal contracts
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The Star front page
US bans Chinese AI DeepSeek from government IT systems amid security concerns
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eleconomista.com.mx front page
EU bans Chinese AI DeepSeek from government computer systems
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Times of India front page
US bans Chinese AI DeepSeek from government IT systems amid security concerns
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Mint front page
US government bans DeepSeek AI from official systems amid security concerns
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27 items from 24 outlets in 15 countries. Nothing in Sweden.
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Omni front page
USA:s departement för inrikes säkerhet har beordrat federala myndigheter att ta bort tjänster från det kinesiska AI-bolaget Deepseek
The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal agencies to remove services from the Chinese AI company Deepseek
Gerhard Schröder celebrates Putin's birthday in Moscow
German front pages had the former chancellor's Kremlin visit by 22:07 on Thursday. By Friday lunchtime it had become a political row, with Merz condemning it. Dagens Nyheter covered it at 13:57.
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La Nouvelle Tribune front page
Vladimir Putin celebrates his 74th birthday with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder at his residence in Moscow.
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20 Minuten front page
Putin invites former Chancellor Schröder to his 74th birthday celebration spontaneously.
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Tagesspiegel front page
German criticism erupts over Schröder attending Putin's birthday celebration, seen as a betrayal to Europe.
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hs.fi front page
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, a long-time friend of Putin, visits his birthday celebration, causing controversy amid ongoing Ukraine conflict.
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ksml.fi front page
Former German Chancellor Attends Putin's Birthday Celebration
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70 items from 48 outlets in 17 countries, 3 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Dagens Nyheter front page
Schröders firande av Putin i Moskva väcker tysk ilska
Schröder's celebration of Putin in Moscow sparks German anger
Meghan Markle's father investigated over child abuse images
The Sun pushed the story to its app at 23:00. By the next afternoon it had 82 sources in 25 countries, and Meghan had made a statement, before the first Swedish front-page headline.
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The Sun app
MEG DAD CHILD SEX PROBE: Meg's dad probed over vast stash of child sex images after son reported him to cops
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The Sun front page
Thomas Markle, father of Meghan Markle, investigated for possessing child sex images after being reported by his son.
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The News front page
Child pornography stash found with Thomas Markle sparks investigation
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dailyrecord.co.uk front page
Meghan Markle's father investigated for possessing child abuse images found by his son in the Philippines
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Le Figaro front page
Meghan Markle responds to her father's allegations of child pornography.
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119 items from 82 outlets in 25 countries, 13 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Expressen front page
Bryter tystnaden om brottsmisstankarna – Meghan Markles pappa anklagas för barnpornografibrott
Breaks the silence on the allegations: Meghan Markle's father accused of child pornography offences
German police seize a robot after alleged groping of a 16-year-old
The story began on Die Welt's front page and was picked up by the Telegraph and BFM TV within two hours, and by the BBC overnight. Dagens Nyheter ran it at 06:36 the next morning.
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Die Welt front page
Police investigate incident involving robot allegedly sexually harassing a 16-year-old girl
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The Telegraph front page
Robot allegedly sexually assaults teenage girl, sparking urgent safety concerns.
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Winnipeg Free Press front page
Police seize robot involved in groping 16-year-old girl as investigation into male operators continues
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proceso.com.mx front page
International police seize robot accused of inappropriate behavior towards a 16-year-old girl and investigate its controller.
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vanguardia.com.mx front page
German police investigate alleged sexual harassment by a robot
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32 items from 27 outlets in 14 countries, 1 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Dagens Nyheter front page
Robot beslaglagt – tafsede på 16-åring
Robot seized after groping a 16-year-old
Bärbel Bas resigns as SPD leader and German labour minister
The SPD co-leader quit both posts on a Monday morning, weakening Friedrich Merz's coalition. German apps pushed it within minutes and Austrian and Swiss apps right after. The first Swedish headline came at 21:30.
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Handelsblatt front page
Labor Minister Bas resigns immediately
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Handelsblatt Live app
Bärbel Bas resigns as SPD Chairwoman and as Minister of Social Affairs
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blue News front page
German Federal Minister Bärbel Bas resigns following the death of her stepdaughter.
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La Repubblica front page
German SPD co-leader and Labor Minister Baerbel Bas resigns suddenly.
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lematin.ch front page
German minister resigns after being targeted during a period of mourning, sparking a major controversy.
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178 items from 72 outlets in 16 countries, 13 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Göteborgs-Posten front page
Tysk S-ledare avgår – nytt bakslag för Merz
German Social Democrat leader resigns, a new setback for Merz
Trump says Iran could bomb Los Angeles or San Diego
The rally remark led front pages in the US, UK and Israel overnight, and California's governor had already responded. The first Swedish item came in the late afternoon.
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Daily Mirror front page
Donald Trump provocatively urges Iran to attack Los Angeles or San Diego, claiming it would be a small price to pay.
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The Daily Beast front page
Former President Trump makes shocking proposal to target two U.S. cities in provocative war talk.
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Mediafax front page
Trump warns Iran could destroy Los Angeles and San Diego for a small price
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elmundo.es front page
Trump threatens Iran with destruction of Los Angeles or San Diego if attacked
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Jerusalem Post front page
Trump's controversial comments on LA and San Diego ignite widespread outrage
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77 items from 59 outlets in 21 countries, 5 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Omni front page
Trump: Låt Iran bomba Los Angeles och San Diego
Trump: Let Iran bomb Los Angeles and San Diego
Nine dead, including children, in Pennsylvania mass shooting
A Saturday story: the New York Post had the deaths at dawn Stockholm time, and British tabloids had the death toll of nine by mid-morning. Expressen's breaking-news headline came ten hours after the first report.
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New York Post front page
Multiple fatalities including children and a pregnant woman in suspected murder-suicide at Pennsylvania residence
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The Sun front page
Mass shooting at US home leaves 9 dead, including children and pregnant woman
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avaz.ba front page
Massacre at family home leaves nine dead, including children and a pregnant woman
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PennLive front page
Mass shooting in Erie leaves 9 dead, including children, after standoff with police
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette front page
Mass shooting in Erie leaves 9 dead, including children, with ongoing standoff
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18 items from 18 outlets in 8 countries, 1 of the outlets via app push. Nothing in Sweden.
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Expressen front page
JUST NU: Nio döda efter masskjutning – stor insats i Pennsylvania
BREAKING: Nine dead after mass shooting, major police operation in Pennsylvania
What the gap does and does not show
It shows when Swedish readers could first see the story. A Swedish outlet may have had a line in a live blog or deep in its site earlier. If it was not on a front page we track or in a push, a reader scanning Swedish news would not have found it, and neither did we. Where a Swedish outlet did have the story earlier under a different angle, we dropped the case (see below).
Some of the gap falls at night. Five of the stories broke in the Stockholm evening or night, and the times are on every card so you can judge. Even so, the Bas resignation, the drone evacuation, the Hitler Mussolini result and the crucifix accident all broke between 08:00 and 14:00 Stockholm time, and the Schröder visit and the Wikipedia claim were everywhere through the following working day.
It is not a ranking of Swedish newsrooms. Thirteen stories in three weeks is a sample of misses, not a scorecard. Plenty of foreign stories reached Swedish front pages within minutes in the same period. The point is narrower: a large story can run in dozens of countries for most of a day before any Swedish outlet carries it, and a desk that watches those countries directly would see it hours earlier.
How the cases were found
Clustering. Every push and front-page headline AO.news collects is translated into English, embedded and assigned to a story within seconds by the clustering described in how AO.news clusters breaking news. The current version has run since 4 October 2026, so the window starts there.
Candidates. We took every story with at least one Swedish member and four or more sources, where the first Swedish item came at least 90 minutes after the first item anywhere: 847 stories. Of those, 237 had at least 15 sources from at least 8 countries before Sweden and a gap of three hours or more.
Checking the clustering. We read every one of the 237 by hand and threw out stories where:
- the story had chained together different developments of a running saga, so the Swedish item reported a later event, not the one the world had early;
- the early items were previews of a scheduled event (an election, a trial, a prize) and Sweden reported the outcome as it happened;
- the first item was an unrelated push that had slipped into the story, which would make the gap look longer than it was;
- a Swedish outlet had the same news earlier in a separate story that the clustering had not merged. We checked this two ways: an embedding search of every Swedish item in the gap, and a Swedish keyword search of the same items. The keyword search caught four early Swedish reports that the embedding search had missed, among them an Australian MP run over by a car and a drone attack on ships off Bulgaria. Every case with an earlier Swedish report was dropped.
21 stories survived. This page shows the 13 biggest with the longest gaps. The other eight were lighter stories (a celebrity divorce, a Netflix spin-off, a tennis final, a singer's death) or had gaps under eight hours (the Pope's surgery, Prince Harry's interview, South Korea's Kyiv embassy, raids at the European Parliament). For each story, the first report is the earliest item that reports the event itself, picked by hand, and the counts cover every non-Swedish item between that moment and the first Swedish one.
Sources and time. Push times are when the notification reached our phones. Front-page times are when we first saw a headline on the page. Several Swedish apps were offline on our collection phones for part of the period; the front pages of those outlets were tracked throughout, so their coverage still counts. All times are Stockholm time (CEST). A source's country is the market it publishes for.
The numbers are a frozen snapshot built by scripts/sweden_behind_report.py. Corrections and questions: hello@ao.news.