We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
184 of its 361 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Jazan accounted for 70 of Saudi Arabia's 184 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
157 of its 281 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Jakarta accounted for 94 of Indonesia's 157 stories about harm, carried by 136 outlets. Volcanic eruption was named in 62 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
13 of its 23 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 5 of Quito's 7 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).
Cyclone was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
49 of its 62 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Malaria 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.
Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (49 stories). Earthquake was named in 37 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.
63 of its 118 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people affected ran at about 10 times the usual rate (36 stories).
8 of its 15 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 4 of Vientiane's 6 stories were about protests or strikes.
9 of its 19 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. 6 of Tirana's 6 stories were about protests or strikes.
Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Sri Lanka (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hepatitis in Italy (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Sudan (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Yemen (10 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); building collapse in India (119 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 Sep. 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 13,001 stories about harm among 67,620 counted on 8 Sep.
In Saudi Arabia, 51% of the news was about people being harmed, where 14% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 67,620 stories, as usual. On 8 September 2025, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, 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 19 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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