← 20 Oct Friday 21 October 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
52,525 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 →

A disaster in Eseka, illness in Ouagadougou and violence in Kirkuk drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCameroon 84 in 100 of its 307 stories, usually 25
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 56 in 100 of its stories, usually 48
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Cameroon

258 of its 307 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Eseka accounted for 125 of Cameroon's 258 stories about harm, carried by 154 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (178 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Cameroon over 30 days → its stories → Eseka stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

2,202 of its 2,615 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Kirkuk accounted for 1,352 of Iraq's 2,202 stories about harm, carried by 886 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (440 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Kirkuk stories →
Protests & strikes

Italy

361 of its 1,556 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 96 of Rome's 165 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (79 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Rome stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Japan

750 of its 2,657 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (75 stories). Earthquake was named in 481 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with tsunami. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

335 of its 392 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 78%. Sanaa accounted for 175 of Yemen's 335 stories about harm, carried by 147 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

326 of its 383 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (165 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Hong Kong

189 of its 498 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (78 stories). Typhoon was named in 152 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storms and tropical storm.

its stories →
Health

Guinea

69 of its 117 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (65 stories). HIV was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with malaria.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Myanmar

104 of its 161 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (57 stories). Drownings were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Hong Kong (152 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Japan (481 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); typhoon in Philippines (524 of its stories, about three times its usual); cholera in Angola (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Chile (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 19 the day before
26 in 10019 in 10022 Sep29 Sep6 Oct13 Oct21 Oct22 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 1006 Oct: 22 in 1007 Oct: 23 in 1008 Oct: 24 in 1009 Oct: 26 in 10010 Oct: 22 in 10011 Oct: 21 in 10012 Oct: 21 in 10013 Oct: 21 in 10014 Oct: 20 in 10015 Oct: 23 in 10016 Oct: 22 in 10017 Oct: 21 in 10018 Oct: 20 in 10019 Oct: 20 in 10020 Oct: 19 in 10021 Oct: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 52,525 stories about harm among 267,395 counted on 21 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

In Cameroon, 84% of the news was about people being harmed, where 25% is usual. Hong Kong's news mentioned the typhoon more than ten times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 267,395 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 22.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen85 in 100 of its 392 stories · usually 78 · mostly conflict & violence Libya85 in 100 of its 383 stories · usually 54 · mostly disasters & accidents Congo85 in 100 of its 143 stories · usually 64 · mostly rights & justice Iraq84 in 100 of its 2,615 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Cameroon84 in 100 of its 307 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US374 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1366 Aleppo Syria272 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1287 San Francisco US257 stories about protests or strikes, of its 624 Islamabad Pakistan187 stories about protests or strikes, of its 423 Kirkuk Iraq162 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1352

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: near the world's share or lessCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCroatia: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesChina: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 27 in 100 of its 664 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Yemen: 85 in 100 of its 392 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Uganda: 28 in 100 of its 599 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Türkiye: 46 in 100 of its 998 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Tunisia: 33 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Syria: 74 in 100 of its 2,026 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Sudan: 40 in 100 of its 68 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sudan: 81 in 100 of its 300 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sri Lanka: 32 in 100 of its 327 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Africa: 42 in 100 of its 2,736 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Somalia: 46 in 100 of its 134 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Saudi Arabia: 30 in 100 of its 440 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Philippines: 37 in 100 of its 2,818 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Peru: 50 in 100 of its 297 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Pakistan: 40 in 100 of its 2,343 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Nigeria: 29 in 100 of its 2,677 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Niger: 50 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Malawi: 27 in 100 of its 177 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Libya: 85 in 100 of its 383 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Liberia: 34 in 100 of its 154 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Latvia: 35 in 100 of its 65 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Japan: 28 in 100 of its 2,657 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Israel: 37 in 100 of its 1,118 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 632 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iraq: 84 in 100 of its 2,615 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iran: 30 in 100 of its 413 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Indonesia: 32 in 100 of its 498 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Haiti: 71 in 100 of its 421 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Guyana: 30 in 100 of its 99 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Guinea: 59 in 100 of its 117 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Georgia: 49 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ethiopia: 53 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Egypt: 33 in 100 of its 517 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cyprus: 32 in 100 of its 249 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cuba: 28 in 100 of its 245 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Côte d’Ivoire: 63 in 100 of its 35 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Costa Rica: 51 in 100 of its 53 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)DR Congo: 55 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Congo: 85 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Colombia: 29 in 100 of its 175 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Hong Kong: 38 in 100 of its 498 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Central African Republic: 77 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cameroon: 84 in 100 of its 307 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cambodia: 32 in 100 of its 126 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Myanmar: 65 in 100 of its 161 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Burundi: 41 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Burkina Faso: 81 in 100 of its 169 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Brazil: 30 in 100 of its 784 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bolivia: 49 in 100 of its 43 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bangladesh: 36 in 100 of its 549 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bahamas: 35 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Angola: 31 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Afghanistan: 41 in 100 of its 425 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 306 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 632 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 632 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 306 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 306 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 38 in 100 of its 632 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 306 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 20 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Iraq 84 in 100 of its 2,615 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Yemen 85 in 100 of its 392 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Libya 85 in 100 of its 383 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Cameroon 84 in 100 of its 307 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Syria 74 in 100 of its 2,026 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Sudan 81 in 100 of its 300 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 13,710 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence20% 10,481 stories · less than usual (usually 24%) Health20% 10,221 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 8,192 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,508 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 2,158 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,610 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,345 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 killed15,724 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,673 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,314 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,972 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced979 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iraq and the Philippines Stories reporting abductions951 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations741 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the UK and the US Stories reporting people falling ill21 at less than a quarter of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.