We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
141 of its 214 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Sweida accounted for 95 of Syria's 141 stories about harm, carried by 180 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (18 stories). Power cuts were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
135 of its 192 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Hanoi accounted for 59 of Vietnam's 135 stories about harm, carried by 159 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (105 stories). Drownings were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
27 of its 29 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Dosso accounted for 20 of Niger's 27 stories about harm, carried by 28 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
27 of its 38 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 8 of Caracas' 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories).
88 of its 193 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (35 stories). Landslides were named in 51 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heatwave. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
51 of its 144 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Riyadh accounted for 43 of Saudi Arabia's 51 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Road crashes were named in 33 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
453 of its 617 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (162 stories). Poisoning was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with food poisoning. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
124 of its 185 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Gaza accounted for 107 of Palestine's 124 stories about harm, carried by 252 outlets. Hunger was named in 39 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
39 of its 68 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (13 stories). Hurricane was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cyclone.
96 of its 312 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (12 stories). Cyclone was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Russia (89 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in South Korea (51 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Saudi Arabia (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Palestine (39 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hurricane in Hong Kong (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 8,784 stories about harm among 42,100 counted on 20 Jul.
Mentions of the tsunami ran more than ten times their usual in Russia's news. of the day's 42,100 news stories, 21 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. the news turned to Syria for the third day running. Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. A year earlier, on 20 July 2024, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today. This week the news turned most often to Syria, on 5 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.
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 21 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 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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