← 20 Apr Thursday 21 April 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Apr →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
56,682 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

The day's news pointed at evacuations in Mexico, protests in Lusaka (Zambia) and violence in Kabul. Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostNepal 71 in 100 of its 487 stories, usually 35
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 24
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

923 of its 1,764 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (181 stories). Gas explosion was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zambia

105 of its 209 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 41 of Lusaka's 71 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Zambia over 30 days → its stories → Lusaka stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

353 of its 508 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Kabul accounted for 224 of Afghanistan's 353 stories about harm, carried by 116 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Rights & justice

Lebanon

543 of its 706 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Beirut accounted for 483 of Lebanon's 543 stories about harm, carried by 359 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (361 stories).

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Sudan

169 of its 236 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. 5 of Darfur's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (137 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kuwait

66 of its 248 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. 7 of Kuwait City's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bahrain

32 of its 101 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 11 of Manama's 14 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

206 of Damascus' 368 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (315 stories). Heatwave was named in 24 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. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

347 of its 487 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Kathmandu accounted for 241 of Nepal's 347 stories about harm, carried by 170 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

157 of its 236 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of abductions ran at about 7 times the usual rate (119 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: polio in Pakistan (144 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Cambodia (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Haiti (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); drought in North Korea (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Philippines (99 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 19 the day before
25 in 10018 in 10023 Mar30 Mar6 Apr13 Apr21 Apr23 Mar: 23 in 10024 Mar: 22 in 10025 Mar: 23 in 10026 Mar: 22 in 10027 Mar: 23 in 10028 Mar: 22 in 10029 Mar: 22 in 10030 Mar: 21 in 10031 Mar: 21 in 1001 Apr: 20 in 1002 Apr: 23 in 1003 Apr: 23 in 1004 Apr: 19 in 1005 Apr: 18 in 1006 Apr: 19 in 1007 Apr: 19 in 1008 Apr: 20 in 1009 Apr: 21 in 10010 Apr: 23 in 10011 Apr: 20 in 10012 Apr: 19 in 10013 Apr: 20 in 10014 Apr: 19 in 10015 Apr: 20 in 10016 Apr: 23 in 10017 Apr: 25 in 10018 Apr: 22 in 10019 Apr: 20 in 10020 Apr: 19 in 10021 Apr: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 Apr. 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 56,682 stories about harm among 294,023 counted on 21 Apr.

Read the day's briefing

In Mexico, 52% of the news was about people being harmed, where 20% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 294,023 stories, below the usual 21.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burundi83 in 100 of its 136 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Ecuador78 in 100 of its 1,143 stories · usually 81 · mostly disasters & accidents Lebanon77 in 100 of its 706 stories · usually 56 · mostly rights & justice Syria75 in 100 of its 1,412 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan72 in 100 of its 236 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US627 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2145 Damascus Syria206 stories about protests or strikes, of its 368 Carver County US116 stories about protests or strikes, of its 717 New York US98 stories about protests or strikes, of its 589 London UK93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 838

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualUK: warmth about its own usualTajikistan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualAngola: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMaldives: warmth about its own usualKokomo, US -- rights & justice: 36 stories, carried by 35 outletsXinjiang, China -- conflict & violence: 48 stories, carried by 39 outletsAgartala, India -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsBern, Switzerland -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 26 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 20 stories, carried by 22 outletsColorado, US -- health: 41 stories, carried by 37 outletsAdamawa, Nigeria -- shelter & services: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsXiao Li, China -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 12 outlets
Warmer than its own usual The warmest eventsAbout as warm or lessToo little news

Each country shaded by the warmth in its news — care, help, gratitude — against its own last 30 days. Stronger colour: further above. Dots: the events whose coverage carried the most warmth, even where the event itself began as harm. Warm words, not good outcomes. Click a country or a dot.

Warmest news

● Cyprus warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Egypt warmth about one and a half times usual ● Spain warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kokomo US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 36 stories ● Xinjiang China about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 48 stories ● Agartala India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Bern Switzerland about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Sunshine Coast Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 20 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 15,386 stories · much less than usual (usually 35%) Health19% 10,646 stories · much more than usual (usually 10%) Conflict & violence19% 10,539 stories · much less than usual (usually 26%) Disasters & accidents16% 8,868 stories · more than usual (usually 13%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given8% 4,563 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 2,204 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,973 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,218 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed18,906 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected7,831 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,951 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,170 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Mexico and the US Stories reporting refugees1,691 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions1,505 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Lebanon and Australia Stories reporting evacuations842 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and Mexico Stories reporting people displaced532 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill45 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and China

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout two-thirds of usual
● Warmtha little less than usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Fearabout two-thirds of usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.