We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
470 of its 788 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Ashdod accounted for 198 of Israel's 470 stories about harm, carried by 172 outlets. 138 of Ashdod's 198 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (125 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
164 of its 253 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Bundibugyo accounted for 107 of Uganda's 164 stories about harm, carried by 143 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
241 of its 465 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Havana accounted for 143 of Cuba's 241 stories about harm, carried by 229 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (181 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
23 of its 85 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (10 stories). Building collapse was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
77 of its 101 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Alima accounted for 24 of Congo's 77 stories about harm, carried by 172 outlets. Malaria was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
167 of its 772 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (84 stories). Plane crash was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
11 of its 17 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
18 of its 32 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. la Paz accounted for 15 of Bolivia's 18 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets. 13 of la Paz's 15 stories were about protests or strikes.
23 of its 91 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).
177 of its 477 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Egypt (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in Singapore (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); plane crash in France (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Congo (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); diphtheria in Australia (31 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 14,519 stories about harm among 82,230 counted on 21 May.
Egypt's news mentioned the earthquake more than ten times as often as usual. 18 in every 100 of the day's 82,230 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Israel, 60% of the news was about people being harmed, where 51% is usual. A year earlier, on 21 May 2025, 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 much 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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