[HiTech RedNeck]

Swift's measurements showed that the burst emitted 143,000 X-ray photons per second during its short period of greatest brightness. That's more than 140 times brighter than the brightest continuous X-ray source in the sky – a neutron star that releases a steady 10,000 X-ray photons per second.

How does this math work? And does this mean emitted in all directions all told or per so much angular area or at the telescope or what?

[Zeppo]

How does this math work?

The author needs a refresher course in multiplication...

[Rockingham]

The burst is directional and narrow as it propagates from the polar regions of the nova or supernova. If concentrated enough, a gamma ray burst would devastate life on earth.

[Erasmus]

143 000 photons per second could only be the flux intercepted by the sensor.

I’m just guessing—making a SWAG—that the total flux at the source would be about a quadrillion quadrillion times that.

[okie01]

How does this math work? And does this mean emitted in all directions all told or per so much angular area or at the telescope or what?

Nowadays, science reporters are like science teachers. There's no requirement that they know or understand anything remotely scientific. Instead, they serve as "communicators", just as the teachers are "facilitators".