We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
29 of its 63 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Bogota accounted for 18 of Colombia's 29 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. 9 of Bogota's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories).
69 of its 164 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Kyiv accounted for 35 of Ukraine's 69 stories about harm, carried by 121 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
26 of its 47 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. el Teniente accounted for 17 of Chile's 26 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (6 stories).
Reports of abductions ran at about 10 times the usual rate (10 stories). Heavy rain was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with storms and hunger. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
27 of its 42 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Phnom Penh accounted for 16 of Cambodia's 27 stories about harm, carried by 28 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
60 of its 155 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (12 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 28 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with avalanche.
20 of its 22 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. 3 of el Faro's 3 stories were about protests or strikes.
62 of its 121 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.
23 of its 47 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).
52 of its 179 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Storms were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hurricane and tropical storm.
Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Indonesia (28 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in Mexico (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Ireland (12 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); earthquake in Pakistan (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in US (56 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 Aug. 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 9,729 stories about harm among 49,988 counted on 2 Aug.
In Indonesia's news, mentions of volcanic eruption ran about 5 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 49,988 stories, as usual. Colombia's news was 46% about people being harmed, against a usual 31%. A year earlier, on 2 August 2024, 19 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.
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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