← 27 Sep Thursday 28 September 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
44,898 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 news turned to protests in Mount Lavinia (Sri Lanka), a disaster in Ambae and violence in Beirut. Lebanon's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostSri Lanka 58 in 100 of its 425 stories, usually 26
RegionCentral Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 12
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Sri Lanka

247 of its 425 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Mount Lavinia accounted for 128 of Sri Lanka's 247 stories about harm, carried by 118 outlets. 98 of Mount Lavinia's 128 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (105 stories). Volcanic eruption 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.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Mount Lavinia stories →
Disasters & accidents

Vanuatu

248 of its 302 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Ambae accounted for 232 of Vanuatu's 248 stories about harm, carried by 229 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (108 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Vanuatu over 30 days → its stories → Ambae stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

109 of its 198 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Beirut accounted for 92 of Lebanon's 109 stories about harm, carried by 85 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (85 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Health

Zambia

54 of its 134 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (42 stories). Malaria was named in 43 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Guatemala

64 of its 132 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (56 stories). Landslides were named in 54 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kyrgyzstan

27 of its 74 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Madagascar

18 of its 29 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Plague was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with outbreaks and wildfires. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

142 of its 181 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Mogadishu accounted for 100 of Somalia's 142 stories about harm, carried by 80 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

357 of its 524 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Kabul accounted for 249 of Afghanistan's 357 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Uganda

129 of its 315 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 55 of Kampala's 86 stories were about protests or strikes. Drought was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Guatemala (54 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); food poisoning in North Korea (131 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in Madagascar (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in Marshall Islands (12 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); drought in Mexico (117 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 20 the day before
33 in 10020 in 10030 Aug6 Sep13 Sep20 Sep28 Sep30 Aug: 25 in 10031 Aug: 26 in 1001 Sep: 25 in 1002 Sep: 26 in 1003 Sep: 27 in 1004 Sep: 25 in 1005 Sep: 24 in 1006 Sep: 23 in 1007 Sep: 25 in 1008 Sep: 26 in 1009 Sep: 30 in 10010 Sep: 33 in 10011 Sep: 29 in 10012 Sep: 25 in 10013 Sep: 24 in 10014 Sep: 23 in 10015 Sep: 24 in 10016 Sep: 27 in 10017 Sep: 27 in 10018 Sep: 23 in 10019 Sep: 23 in 10020 Sep: 23 in 10021 Sep: 23 in 10022 Sep: 22 in 10023 Sep: 24 in 10024 Sep: 24 in 10025 Sep: 20 in 10026 Sep: 21 in 10027 Sep: 20 in 10028 Sep: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 Sep. 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 44,898 stories about harm among 204,013 counted on 28 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

In Guatemala's news, mentions of landslides ran more than ten times their usual. the news turned to Sri Lanka for the second day running. Sri Lanka's news was 58% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%. of the day's 204,013 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 25.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Vanuatu82 in 100 of its 302 stories · usually 50 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia78 in 100 of its 181 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen77 in 100 of its 167 stories · usually 71 · mostly rights & justice Bangladesh77 in 100 of its 1,138 stories · usually 72 · mostly displacement Syria72 in 100 of its 661 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Chicago US436 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1003 Washington US343 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2330 Salt Lake City US169 stories about protests or strikes, of its 199 Missouri US119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 157 Barcelona Spain105 stories about protests or strikes, of its 135

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 lessYemen: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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: 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 lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: 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 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 lessNorway: 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: 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: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: too little coverage to readMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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 lessIndonesia: 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 lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: 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 lessEgypt: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: 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 lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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 lessBrunei: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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 lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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 readPuerto Rico: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMexico: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualGambia: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualDominica: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualChad: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualKidal, Mali -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsAmsterdam, Netherlands -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 38 stories, carried by 31 outletsRapid City, US -- displacement: 24 stories, carried by 25 outletsColorado River, Mexico -- shelter & services: 118 stories, carried by 131 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 14 outletsFolly Beach, US -- disasters & accidents: 21 stories, carried by 28 outletsZhongan, China -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 24 stories, carried by 13 outletsNorth Vietnam, Vietnam -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 13 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

● Netherlands warmth about one and a half times usual ● Puerto Rico warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sri Lanka warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mexico warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kidal Mali about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Amsterdam Netherlands about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 38 stories ● Rapid City US about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 24 stories ● Colorado River Mexico about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 118 stories ● Khartoum Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 12,723 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Health21% 9,027 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents20% 8,729 stories · much less than usual (usually 31%) Conflict & violence14% 6,221 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,780 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,866 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,803 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 761 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 killed12,285 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,324 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting arrests4,950 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,866 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,375 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations590 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Vanuatu Stories reporting abductions363 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced349 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting people falling ill63 at about the usual rate

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 softer than 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 →

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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.