← 4 Oct Wednesday 5 October 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
60,897 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 →

Violence in Brussels, storm surge in Cuba and protests in Bangkok (Thailand) drew the news. Belgium's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Haiti →
Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBelgium 58 in 100 of its 793 stories, usually 17
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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 →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

462 of its 793 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Brussels accounted for 426 of Belgium's 462 stories about harm, carried by 447 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Belgium over 30 days → its stories → Brussels stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cuba

239 of its 357 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (19 stories). Storm surge was named in 68 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with landslides. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

870 of its 1,341 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Bangkok accounted for 780 of Thailand's 870 stories about harm, carried by 490 outlets. 744 of Bangkok's 780 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories).

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Bangkok stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Georgia

129 of its 186 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Tbilisi accounted for 127 of Georgia's 129 stories about harm, carried by 108 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (29 stories).

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

Ethiopia

400 of its 558 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Addis Ababa accounted for 236 of Ethiopia's 400 stories about harm, carried by 193 outlets. 219 of Addis Ababa's 236 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

1,588 of its 1,858 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. les Cayes accounted for 804 of Haiti's 1,588 stories about harm, carried by 729 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (61 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

535 of its 1,707 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (393 stories). Outbreaks were named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with overdoses.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Poland

232 of its 749 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 87 of Warsaw's 98 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (77 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

81 of its 110 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Japan

Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (42 stories). Poisoning was named in 87 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drownings. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in South Korea (130 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Japan (87 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Sri Lanka (20 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); cyclone in New Zealand (43 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Indonesia (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
27 in 10019 in 1006 Sep13 Sep20 Sep27 Sep5 Oct6 Sep: 20 in 1007 Sep: 20 in 1008 Sep: 19 in 1009 Sep: 20 in 10010 Sep: 23 in 10011 Sep: 25 in 10012 Sep: 22 in 10013 Sep: 20 in 10014 Sep: 20 in 10015 Sep: 21 in 10016 Sep: 20 in 10017 Sep: 22 in 10018 Sep: 27 in 10019 Sep: 24 in 10020 Sep: 23 in 10021 Sep: 22 in 10022 Sep: 22 in 10023 Sep: 21 in 10024 Sep: 23 in 10025 Sep: 23 in 10026 Sep: 20 in 10027 Sep: 21 in 10028 Sep: 21 in 10029 Sep: 22 in 10030 Sep: 21 in 1001 Oct: 22 in 1002 Oct: 23 in 1003 Oct: 21 in 1004 Oct: 20 in 1005 Oct: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 Oct. 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 60,897 stories about harm among 291,202 counted on 5 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Haiti. of the day's 291,202 news stories, 21 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Belgium stood out: 58% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 17%. Mentions of the typhoon ran more than ten times their usual in South Korea's news.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti85 in 100 of its 1,858 stories · usually 68 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria76 in 100 of its 1,794 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence South Sudan75 in 100 of its 154 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Mali74 in 100 of its 110 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia72 in 100 of its 558 stories · usually 53 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Bangkok Thailand744 stories about protests or strikes, of its 780 Washington US231 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1650 Addis Ababa Ethiopia219 stories about protests or strikes, of its 236 London UK174 stories about protests or strikes, of its 806 Hollywood US160 stories about protests or strikes, of its 510

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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 lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNigeria: too little coverage to readNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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 lessMorocco: 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 lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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 lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: 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 lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 readChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: too little coverage to readChile: 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 lessBrazil: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: 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 lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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 usualUganda: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualOman: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualIceland: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualEritrea: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualJuba, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 78 stories, carried by 81 outletsAguelhok, Mali -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 20 outletsTomball, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 84 stories, carried by 73 outletsKidal, Mali -- conflict & violence: 47 stories, carried by 43 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 118 stories, carried by 86 outletsGreat Falls, US -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsShanghai, China -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsRadio Pakistan, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 19 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

● South Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Portugal warmth about one and a half times usual ● Guatemala warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Juba South Sudan about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 78 stories ● Aguelhok Mali about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Tomball US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 84 stories ● Kidal Mali about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 47 stories ● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 118 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 15,653 stories · about as usual Health20% 11,976 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents20% 11,781 stories · much more than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence19% 11,293 stories · much less than usual (usually 25%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 3,315 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 2,603 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,862 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,356 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 killed17,918 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected7,942 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,665 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,318 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting evacuations3,138 at about 5 times the usual rate · most about the US and Haiti Stories reporting refugees1,530 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions690 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced565 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Haiti and Afghanistan Stories reporting people falling ill39 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Venezuela

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 as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than usual
● Fearabout as 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.