We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
26 of its 46 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Kathmandu accounted for 20 of Nepal's 26 stories about harm, carried by 24 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (12 stories). Earthquake was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with avalanche.
240 of its 413 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (101 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
18 of its 23 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. 5 of Guatemala City's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories).
15 of its 32 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).
Tehran accounted for 39 of Iran's 65 stories about harm, carried by 57 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (31 stories). Heavy rain was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
62 of its 116 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Beirut accounted for 54 of Lebanon's 62 stories about harm, carried by 236 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (23 stories).
19 of its 31 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
19 of its 20 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Kasindi accounted for 16 of the DR Congo's 19 stories about harm, carried by 17 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).
186 of its 511 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (68 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
21 of Civitanova Marche's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Spain (22 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); heavy rain in Iran (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Mexico (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drownings in Pakistan (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hiv in Canada (16 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 Jul. 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 8,475 stories about harm among 36,564 counted on 31 Jul.
On the side of help, reports of aid and relief ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 36,564 stories, above the usual 22. Mentions of the earthquake ran about 8 times their usual in Nepal's news. In Nepal, 57% of the news was about people being harmed, where 36% is usual. On 31 July 2021, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 23 today. This week the news turned most often to Iran, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 3 of them.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Countries with at least 50 stories that day.
Stories, not people.
The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its 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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