← 29 Sep Saturday 30 September 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,718 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 Bucharest, evacuations in Indonesia and arrests in Kuwait drew the news. Romania's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostKuwait 71 in 100 of its 99 stories, usually 16
RegionSouth Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 32
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Romania

110 of its 200 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Bucharest accounted for 100 of Romania's 110 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (67 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Romania over 30 days → its stories → Bucharest stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

244 of its 418 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (93 stories). Road crashes were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Kuwait

70 of its 99 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (67 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Ghana

94 of its 432 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

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

Vanuatu

65 of its 70 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Ambae accounted for 47 of Vanuatu's 65 stories about harm, carried by 40 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (37 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

208 of its 285 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (49 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

South Africa

157 of its 510 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Cameroon

30 of its 70 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 12 of Yaounde's 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (23 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Egypt

160 of its 337 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Cairo accounted for 129 of Egypt's 160 stories about harm, carried by 126 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (130 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Idlib accounted for 129 of Syria's 281 stories about harm, carried by 114 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (86 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in U.S. Virgin Islands (66 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); plane crash in Congo (36 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Portugal (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Germany (53 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in China (104 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 23 the day before
33 in 10020 in 1001 Sep8 Sep15 Sep22 Sep30 Sep1 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 10029 Sep: 23 in 10030 Sep: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 24,718 stories about harm among 105,256 counted on 30 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Romania's news was 55% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. of the day's 105,256 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 25. A year earlier, on 30 September 2016, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 23 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Vanuatu93 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 61 · mostly disasters & accidents U.S. Virgin Islands82 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 58 · mostly disasters & accidents Congo80 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 59 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen74 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 69 · mostly health Syria74 in 100 of its 378 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Barcelona Spain258 stories about protests or strikes, of its 279 Washington US197 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1301 Madrid Spain153 stories about protests or strikes, of its 199 Chicago US97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 204 Paris France75 stories about protests or strikes, of its 122

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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: too little coverage to readEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: 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 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 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 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 readNetherlands: 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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 lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: 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 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 lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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 lessDenmark: 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 lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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 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 lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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 lessBelgium: 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 readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualAnadolu, Türkiye -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 17 outletsNagpur, India -- conflict & violence: 40 stories, carried by 30 outletsFitchburg, US -- health: 44 stories, carried by 41 outletsUniversity of Northern Iowa, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 98 stories, carried by 94 outletsLake Chad, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 28 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 17 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

● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Puerto Rico warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Anadolu Türkiye about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Nagpur India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 40 stories ● Fitchburg US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 44 stories ● University of Northern Iowa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Mogadishu Somalia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 98 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 6,725 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Disasters & accidents24% 5,716 stories · much less than usual (usually 29%) Health20% 4,922 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence15% 3,711 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,487 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 845 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 524 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 309 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 killed7,121 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,098 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,687 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting people injured2,061 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees486 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and the US Stories reporting evacuations390 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Indonesia Stories reporting people displaced195 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting abductions154 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Cuba

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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 →

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.