We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
150 of its 309 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Johannesburg accounted for 84 of South Africa's 150 stories about harm, carried by 90 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (44 stories). Hantavirus was named in 55 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks and respiratory illness.
53 of its 180 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Nairobi accounted for 33 of Kenya's 53 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories). Flooding was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain and landslides.
84 of its 230 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Oil spill was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
217 of its 890 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
89 of its 281 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 35 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with earthquake and landslides.
66 of its 270 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
54 of its 79 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Nablus accounted for 25 of Palestine's 54 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
247 of its 453 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Beirut accounted for 18 of Lebanon's 36 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
38 of its 112 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (28 stories).
Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Philippines (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in India (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 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 6,622 stories about harm among 39,026 counted on 3 May.
South Africa's news mentioned hantavirus more than ten times as often as usual. 17 in every 100 of the day's 39,026 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about South Africa and the Philippines. South Africa stood out: 49% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 24%. On 3 May 2025, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 17 today. This week the news turned most often to Indonesia, on 3 of 7 days.
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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