# Story Scout — project ideas Questions to investigate; no underlying data analysis has been performed. ## American Airlines at O'Hare: What Public Route-Level Data Suggest About Hub Performance vs. Other Hubs **Corporate Strategy, Airlines, Hub Economics · Moderate · 68/100 · new** Using DOT Form 41 financial schedules and BTS route statistics, how do American Airlines' reported system-level cost and revenue metrics at O'Hare compare—in observable proxies such as load factor, yield, and capacity share—with its Dallas, Charlotte, and Miami hubs? A public-data comparison of American's O'Hare hub against its other hubs using observable BTS metrics could shed light on a contested public claim about nine-figure losses. The gap between United's allegation, American's denial, and what disaggregated public data actually support is a concrete, bounded question. **Why now:** United CEO Kirby has escalated loss estimates ($800M → $1.1B+) while American's CFO disputes the characterization. The claim is high-stakes but hinges on contested profitability math, making a documented baseline urgent for assessing competitive dynamics. **Possible approach:** Download BTS Form 41 traffic and financial schedules (T-100, P-1, P-7) from the BTS airline data portal and compile hub-level proxies—seat capacity, load factor, stage-length-adjusted yield—for each of American's four main hubs across comparable quarters. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** Form 41 data are filed system-wide or at the carrier level; true hub-level operating margins are not publicly broken out, so the comparison is limited to observable proxy metrics rather than confirmed profit/loss figures. **News** - [United CEO Says American Airlines Will Abandon Chicago After Losing $1.1 Billion—What Its Exit Would Mean For Fares]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [Airline Information for Download | Bureau of Transportation Statistics]() — BTS airline data download portal is the primary access point for Form 41 schedules and T-100 traffic data. (Found in search; page not read) - [DOT Form 41 Airline Financial Data Guide]() — Guides the specific Form 41 schedule tables relevant to financial and operational analysis by hub. (Found in search; page not read) - [An Introduction to DOT Form 41 Web Resources for Airline Financial Analysis]() — Introductory reference explaining which Form 41 sub-schedules contain cost and revenue data usable for hub comparisons. (Found in search; page not read) **Related work** - [Is American Really Losing $1 Billion A Year At Chicago O'Hare? Here's What The Data Shows - One Mile at a Time]() - [United Wants American Airlines Out Of Chicago—AI Backs Its $1.1 Billion Loss Claim By Inventing $2.8 Billion In Costs]() - [American Airlines Hits Back At United CEO Scott Kirby’s Billion Dollar Loss Claim — Chicago O’Hare Makes Money - View from the Wing]() ## Operation Southern Spear: Deaths Per Strike and Evidence Basis Across Unilateral vs. Joint Operations **International Law, Drug Policy · Moderate · 74/100 · new** From SOUTHCOM public announcements covering September 2025 through September 2026, what is the documented kill count per strike and the stated evidentiary basis for 'narco-terrorist' designation across the 69 announced unilateral strikes, and how do the few described joint operations differ in those respects? SOUTHCOM has published strike-by-strike announcements that allow a structured tally of deaths, vessel types, and stated justifications. Compiling this record could illuminate how consistently (or inconsistently) the 'narco-terrorist' label has been applied and whether joint operations share the same disclosure pattern. **Why now:** Rubio's September 2026 remarks signal a strategic shift from unilateral strikes to allied joint operations, claiming higher efficiency. The 230 deaths across 69 unilateral strikes offer a baseline to compare against the newly expanded joint-operation model as it develops over coming months. **Possible approach:** Compile SOUTHCOM press releases and the Just Security timeline of vessel strikes into a structured database of date, location, kill count, vessel type, and stated designation basis for each announced strike. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** SOUTHCOM releases contain limited detail on evidentiary basis; the project can document what is publicly stated but cannot verify targeting intelligence. Joint-operation figures are sparse so the comparison may rest on a small number of cases. **News** - [Rubio signals shift to working with allies to fight drug trade as latest boat strike kills three]() — Article excerpt read - [Notorious Ecuadorian crime gang designated a terrorist group by US]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [Death toll from US strikes on suspected drug boats passes 200]() — Task & Purpose article compiles SOUTHCOM-released figures through strike 62, providing a usable running tally and operational context. (Source page read) - [Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions]() — Just Security maintains a structured public timeline of boat strikes and related actions, a key aggregation source. (Found in search; page not read) - [Mapping Out US Alleged Drug Boat Strikes]() — InSight Crime's mapping of alleged drug-boat strikes offers geographic and incident-level data for cross-checking. (Found in search; page not read) **Related work** - [Drug cartels adapt as US boat strikes fail to curb cocaine, fentanyl]() - [Trump’s Killing Spree Isn’t Stopping the Flow of Drugs Into the U.S.]() - [After killing hundreds in boat strikes, US military expands campaign on land in Latin America - ABC News]() ## Somali Piracy 2026 Resurgence: How Does the New Wave Compare to the 2005–2012 Peak? **Maritime Security, Geopolitics · Moderate · 72/100 · new** Using IMO monthly piracy reports (available through July 2026), how do the 2026 Somali hijackings compare to the 2005–2012 peak in terms of documented incident frequency, vessel types targeted, and geographic clustering? IMO publishes downloadable monthly and annual piracy reports that allow a structured tally of 2026 incidents against the historical peak period. Compiling these figures could provide a data-grounded portrait of whether the resurgence represents a structural shift or a temporary spike, and which operational patterns have changed. **Why now:** Recent incidents—including the high-profile Lutuf capture and evidence of repurposed pirate motherships—show technical sophistication and coordination resembling earlier waves. The confounding factors (Houthi displacement of naval assets, regional instability, oil price changes) create an opportunity to isolate which structural conditions drive piracy cycles. **Possible approach:** Download and parse IMO GISIS monthly piracy reports (January–July 2026) alongside the annual MSC.4 circulars for 2005–2012 to tabulate incident counts, vessel categories, and coordinates. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** IMO reports reflect only submitted Member State data; under-reporting may differ between periods, making direct frequency comparisons uncertain. Ransom amounts and hostage counts are rarely in the official reports and would require separate sourcing. **News** - [Hijacking pirates exploit regional chaos to return to seas off Somalia]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [Piracy Reports]() — IMO GISIS hosts downloadable monthly and annual piracy reports from 1982 onward, directly usable for the comparison. (Source page read) **Related work** - [Piracy and Security :: Lloyd's List]() - [Piracy attacks off Somalia surge in 2026: AFP analysis of IMO data]() - [Somali Piracy Activity Hits 10-Year High]() ## 2026 DRC Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak: How Reported Fatality Rates Compare to Prior Strain Benchmarks **Public Health, Epidemiology · Straightforward · 68/100 · new** Using WHO outbreak fact sheets, CDC historical outbreak tables, and published CFR meta-analyses, how do the reported adult and child fatality rates in the 2026 DRC Bundibugyo outbreak compare to documented CFR ranges for the same strain in prior outbreaks? Multiple published sources provide strain-specific CFR data for past Bundibugyo outbreaks alongside contextual factors such as vaccine availability and healthcare access. Systematically tabulating these against the 2026 figures could show whether the current outbreak's severity falls within or outside historical bounds for this strain. **Why now:** The current outbreak is described as 'on track to be the worst on record' with 6,800 confirmed cases and 3,310 deaths (as of early September 2026). The absence of an approved vaccine or antiviral for Bundibugyo, combined with conflict-driven healthcare collapse, creates a natural experiment for understanding environmental and systemic determinants of fatality beyond viral strain. **Possible approach:** Compile CFR figures by strain and outbreak from the CDC outbreak history table, WHO fact sheet data, and the published CFR meta-analysis, then place the 2026 DRC figures alongside them in a comparison table. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** The 2026 outbreak CFR figures in news coverage are interim and may shift; published meta-analyses cover through 2022, so the comparison will be between a live outbreak and historical benchmarks rather than a matched study design. **News** - ['I've never seen anything like this' -- A U.S. doctor treats Ebola's youngest victims]() — Article excerpt read - [More than a dozen children killed in fire in eastern DR Congo schools]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [Ebola disease]() — WHO Ebola fact sheet provides strain-specific CFR ranges (25–90%) and context on approved vs. unapproved vaccines. (Source page read) - [History of Ebola Outbreaks | Ebola | CDC]() — CDC outbreak history page lists CFR and case counts for all documented Ebola outbreaks by strain, enabling direct benchmarking. (Found in search; page not read) - [Case fatality rate for Ebola disease, 1976–2022: A meta-analysis of global data - ScienceDirect]() — Published CFR meta-analysis (1976–2022) provides pooled strain-specific fatality rates for systematic comparison. (Found in search; page not read) **Related work** - [Ebola outbreak now deadliest ever in DR Congo as death rate reaches 46% | CIDRAP]() - [Ebola outbreak becomes deadliest in DR Congo’s history | UN News]() - [Analysis of past Ebola outbreaks suggests 54% death rate, identifies hemorrhage as key risk factor | CIDRAP]() ## Gaza Casualty Data Quality: Documented Gaps Between MoH Individual Lists and Aggregate Totals Over Time **War in Gaza, Military Accountability · Moderate · 65/100 · new** Using published Gaza MoH individual fatality lists and aggregate toll announcements from October 2023 through mid-2026, how has the gap between individually documented deaths and the official total changed, and what does the demographic breakdown of the identified list reveal about reporting completeness? The MoH has released multiple downloadable named lists alongside aggregate death toll announcements. Tracking how the gap between the two evolves—and the completeness of age, sex, and ID fields—offers a data-grounded account of how casualty recording has improved or deteriorated under active conflict conditions. **Why now:** The NAZA documentary has just premiered at Venice with testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders discussing AI-based targeting systems and predicted civilian death thresholds. This rare disclosure of internal systematic approaches creates a concrete empirical question: do actual casualty records support or contradict these stated targeting parameters? **Possible approach:** Download the Tech for Palestine CSV dataset and cross-reference successive MoH list releases against publicly announced aggregate totals to quantify the identification gap and demographic completeness at each update. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** The Tech for Palestine dataset is updated irregularly and reflects MoH sourcing limitations; the gap metric depends on MoH's own announced totals, which have known methodological shifts, so trend interpretation requires careful documentation of methodology changes. **News** - [NAZA review – Israeli intelligence officers cast chilling light on civilian deaths]() — Article excerpt read - [Secret systems used by Israel in mass killings of Gaza civilians revealed in new film]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [Killed in Gaza | Palestine Datasets]() — Tech for Palestine hosts a downloadable CSV/JSON of individually named MoH fatality records, updatable as new lists are released. (Source page read) - [Opening the Black Box: Fresh Insights into the Casualty Recording System of the Gaza Ministry of Health - Every Casualty Counts]() — Every Casualty Counts analysis documents the MoH methodology, headcount procedures, and identification gap—key for interpreting data changes. (Source page read) - [Tracking Gaza’s war death toll: Ministry of Health improves accuracy in latest casualty report - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb]() — ReliefWeb/Spagat analysis of the August 2024 MoH list quantifies the gap reduction and demographic field completeness at a specific point. (Source page read) **Related work** - [Analysis of new death data from Gaza’s Health Ministry reveals several concerns - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb]() - [Tracking Gaza’s war death toll: Ministry of Health improves accuracy in latest casualty report - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb]() ## NHS Summer vs. Winter Demand: How Do 2026's Heatwave Peaks Compare to Recent Winter Peaks? **Climate, Public Health · Straightforward · 78/100 · new** Using published NHS England monthly performance statistics, how do the 2026 summer A&E attendance and ambulance callout totals compare to the peak winter months in 2024–25 and 2025–26? NHS England has published monthly A&E and ambulance figures that allow a direct summer-versus-winter comparison. Contextualising record summer 2026 figures against recent winter peaks would concretely test the 'twin crisis' claim made by the King's Fund and put a number on how far seasonal parity has shifted. **Why now:** NHS England released record summer performance data on 2026-09-10 showing 7.3M A&E visits (June–Aug), up 240k year-on-year. The article establishes heat as a new pressure point but does not break down service type, geography, or compare seasonal symmetry. A heat taskforce allocated only £32M of £1.5B funding, suggesting policy uncertainty about scale. **Possible approach:** Pull published NHS England monthly statistical releases for A&E attendances and ambulance incidents covering June–August 2026 and the preceding two winter periods (Dec–Feb 2024/25 and 2025/26), then plot monthly peaks side by side. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** The main check is whether NHS England's publicly downloadable monthly statistical release tables include the same metrics (total attendances, ambulance incidents) for all relevant months consistently, or whether definitions shifted between reporting periods. **News** - [NHS reports busiest ever summer as heatwaves drive up hospital admissions]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [NHS England » Busiest summer ever for NHS but A&Es see record numbers within four hours]() — NHS England aggregate summer 2026 A&E and ambulance figures covering June–August. (Source page read) - [NHS England » NHS keeps its cool as temperatures and demand soar]() — NHS England July 2026 monthly release with ambulance incident totals and year-on-year comparisons. (Source page read) - [NHS A&E departments see record 2.5 million patients as temperatures soar - Health & Protection]() — Corroborates July 2026 record A&E attendance figures and heat-related admission drivers. (Source page read) **Related work** - [NHS under ‘relentless pressure’ as figures show impact of summer heatwaves]() - [Heatwave Drives Record Ambulance Demand]() ## Documented Cases of Foreign Nationals Coerced into Russia's Military: A Country-by-Country Tally **Human trafficking, War in Ukraine · Moderate · 72/100 · new** Across publicly available reports and prisoner-of-war testimony, how many documented cases of coerced or deceptively recruited foreign nationals in Russia's military can be tallied, and which source countries and recruitment methods appear most frequently? Amnesty International's September 2026 briefing and related investigations name specific countries and recruitment patterns, but aggregate counts by nationality and method have not been compiled in one place. A structured tally from public reports and POW interview excerpts could give readers a clearer picture of the documented scale and geographic spread. **Why now:** Amnesty International released a new trafficking report on 2026-09-10 documenting fraud, deception, and coercion of foreign nationals. The report cites ~28,000 foreigners estimated in Russian forces but does not quantify trafficking prevalence. As the conflict enters its fifth year, understanding forced enlistment patterns and origins could inform victim support and sanctions policy. **Possible approach:** Start with the Amnesty International briefing and the Courthouse News/AFP summary, then cross-reference the Truth Hounds case database and the media identification of 1,500+ mercenaries from 48 countries to build a sourced case log by nationality and recruitment type. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** The key check is whether Truth Hounds and the media mercenary list publish downloadable or browsable case-level records, or only aggregate totals—this determines whether a granular tally is feasible or limited to country-level counts from press releases. **News** - [Amnesty accuses Russia of trafficking foreigners to fight in Ukraine]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [Russia: Recruitment of foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine amounts to human trafficking - Amnesty International]() — Primary Amnesty briefing naming source countries and recruitment methods from POW interviews. (Source page read) - [Combatants, Mercenaries or Victims of Human Trafficking? Russia’s Exploitation of Foreign Fighters in Its War Against Ukraine – Truth Hounds]() — Truth Hounds case database on foreign fighters may contain individual case records by nationality. (Found in search; page not read) - [Russia trafficking foreigners to fight in Ukraine, Amnesty says | Courthouse News Service]() — AFP/Courthouse News summary adds AFP's Kenya investigation and Ukraine's April estimate of 28,000 foreign nationals. (Source page read) **Related work** - [Media identifies over 1,500 foreign mercenaries from 48 countries Russia recruited for war in Ukraine]() - [Russia's recruitment of foreign nationals amounts to human trafficking, Amnesty International says]() ## Foul Rates in the WNBA vs. NBA: What Do Play-by-Play Records Show About Physical Contact Calls? **Sports, Gender, Media Bias · Moderate · 65/100 · new** Based on publicly available WNBA and NBA play-by-play data, do WNBA games record more personal fouls per possession than comparable NBA seasons, and has this gap changed over the past five years? Claims about physicality in the WNBA have become a prominent cultural flashpoint, but the debate is rarely grounded in the league's own officiating statistics. Comparing per-possession foul rates across the two leagues using public play-by-play data could give readers an evidence-based reference point for that recurring argument. **Why now:** NPR's interview with sports journalist Sabreena Merchant on 2026-09-10 acknowledges Caitlin Clark draw fouls at a higher rate than other guards, yet online perception frames her defense as unfairly physical. The article notes data does not support the claim, but does not quantify the perception gap or analyze media framing across outlets. **Possible approach:** Use Basketball-Reference WNBA statistics and the wehoop R package for WNBA play-by-play, alongside NBA play-by-play data to calculate personal fouls called per 100 possessions by season for both leagues. **Existing coverage:** Related reporting or research was located; compare the linked work before committing to this project. **Main unknown:** Possession estimates must be constructed consistently across both datasets; if WNBA play-by-play event coding differs from NBA coding in ways that affect foul classification, comparisons may require manual normalisation or be limited to per-game totals. **News** - [How the WNBA became a political prop in the culture wars]() — Article excerpt read **Possible public sources** - [WNBA Statistics and History | Basketball-Reference.com]() — Basketball-Reference WNBA hub with season and game-level statistics for foul totals. (Found in search; page not read) - [wehoop: Access Women's Basketball Play by Play Data]() — wehoop R package provides programmatic access to WNBA play-by-play data for possession-level analysis. (Found in search; page not read) - [All-Time WNBA Play-by-Play & PxP-derived Statistics Added to Basketball Reference | Sports-Reference.com]() — Sports-Reference announcement confirms all-time WNBA play-by-play data is now accessible on Basketball-Reference. (Found in search; page not read) **Related work** - [Out of Bounds: An Examination of Gender Representationin Basketball Media Coverage | Reading Physical Culture]() - [An Analysis of Media Representation of Female Athletes]()