We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
63 of its 171 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Aarau accounted for 46 of Switzerland's 63 stories about harm, carried by 75 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
62 of its 97 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Kyrenia accounted for 55 of Cyprus' 62 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (52 stories).
33 of its 77 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories).
Diphtheria was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
546 of its 596 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 77%. Kathmandu accounted for 140 of Nepal's 546 stories about harm, carried by 410 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
40 of its 128 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (17 stories).
14 of its 46 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories).
12 of its 26 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Wildfires were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
Niamey accounted for 23 of Niger's 27 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: landslides in China (46 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); wildfires in Algeria (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); hurricane in Mexico (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Indonesia (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in New Zealand (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 11,610 stories about harm among 58,454 counted on 31 Aug.
The news turned to Switzerland for the second day running. 20 in every 100 of the day's 58,454 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Switzerland, 37% of the news was about people being harmed, where 23% is usual. A year earlier, on 31 August 2025, 20 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 20 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 about as 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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