We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
64 of its 105 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Nsanje accounted for 24 of Malawi's 64 stories about harm, carried by 38 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Drownings were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
450 of its 945 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Islamabad accounted for 160 of Pakistan's 450 stories about harm, carried by 150 outlets. 83 of Islamabad's 160 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
21 of its 26 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Khartoum accounted for 71 of Sudan's 146 stories about harm, carried by 86 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
39 of its 48 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Sittwe accounted for 19 of Myanmar's 39 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (24 stories). Cyclone was named in 28 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
286 of its 1,063 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (51 stories). Flooding was named in 174 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drought, heavy rain and landslides.
17 of its 42 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 5 of Lusaka's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
263 of its 789 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Wellington accounted for 137 of New Zealand's 263 stories about harm, carried by 224 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories).
15 of Mexico City's 30 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (28 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Jerusalem accounted for 108 of Israel's 234 stories about harm, carried by 124 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: flooding in Italy (174 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Myanmar (28 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drought in Russia (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Vietnam (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); road crashes in France (15 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 May. 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 23,018 stories about harm among 129,878 counted on 17 May.
Mentions of flooding ran more than ten times their usual in Italy's news. of the day's 129,878 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 17 May 2022, a year earlier, the share was 23 in every 100, against 18 today. Malawi's news was 61% about people being harmed, against a usual 35%.
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 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?
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