We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
184 of its 334 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Mecca accounted for 154 of Saudi Arabia's 184 stories about harm, carried by 186 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (168 stories). Heatstroke was named in 64 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with heatwave. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.
30 of its 50 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 21 of Haiti's 30 stories about harm, carried by 206 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (20 stories). Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
52 of its 69 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Quito accounted for 43 of Ecuador's 52 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. Drought was named in 42 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with power cuts.
255 of its 531 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Tropical storm was named in 156 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with hurricane, flooding and storms.
148 of its 399 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 59 of Nairobi's 81 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (14 stories).
30 of its 67 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Illness was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
68 of its 137 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories). Flooding was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heavy rain.
24 of its 43 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. the Red Sea accounted for 23 of Djibouti's 24 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
224 of its 610 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
38 of its 80 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories).
Also named far more than usual: illness in Colombia (20 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Bangladesh (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); wildfires in Greece (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Nigeria (60 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); covid in France (30 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 Jun. 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 18,260 stories about harm among 103,742 counted on 20 Jun.
For the fifth day running, the news turned to Saudi Arabia. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 103,742 stories, as usual. Saudi Arabia's news was 55% about people being harmed, against a usual 16%. A year earlier, on 21 June 2023, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as 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 18 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?
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