← 15 Oct Monday 16 October 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
42,620 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 →

Protests in Raqqa (Syria), violence in Maseru and evacuations in Spain drew the news. Lesotho's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeDisasters & accidents 23 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPortugal 68 in 100 of its 548 stories, usually 15
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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 →
Protests & strikes

Syria

Raqqa accounted for 208 of Syria's 440 stories about harm, carried by 152 outlets. 109 of Raqqa's 208 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories). Extreme cold was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with hypothermia and snowstorms. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Raqqa stories →
Conflict & violence

Lesotho

64 of its 75 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Maseru accounted for 53 of Lesotho's 64 stories about harm, carried by 45 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (62 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Lesotho over 30 days → its stories → Maseru stories →
Rights & justice

Spain

698 of its 1,898 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (14 stories). Outbreaks were named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about 4 times its own usual.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Portugal

373 of its 548 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (295 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Kenya

359 of its 734 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 168 of Nairobi's 209 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (252 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

1,691 of its 1,819 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Mogadishu accounted for 1,598 of Somalia's 1,691 stories about harm, carried by 1,243 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ireland

1,154 of its 2,103 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (512 stories). Storm surge was named in 377 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cyclone and landslides.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Philippines

1,092 of its 2,148 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (438 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Egypt

355 of its 613 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (171 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Rwanda

101 of its 166 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Kigali accounted for 84 of Rwanda's 101 stories about harm, carried by 83 outlets. Road crashes were named in 37 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storm surge in Ireland (377 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); illness in Afghanistan (122 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); road crashes in Rwanda (37 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Puerto Rico (88 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in South Sudan (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 25 the day before
28 in 10020 in 10017 Sep24 Sep1 Oct8 Oct16 Oct17 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 1001 Oct: 21 in 1002 Oct: 28 in 1003 Oct: 26 in 1004 Oct: 24 in 1005 Oct: 23 in 1006 Oct: 23 in 1007 Oct: 27 in 1008 Oct: 26 in 1009 Oct: 22 in 10010 Oct: 22 in 10011 Oct: 21 in 10012 Oct: 22 in 10013 Oct: 22 in 10014 Oct: 26 in 10015 Oct: 25 in 10016 Oct: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 42,620 stories about harm among 179,671 counted on 16 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 24 in every 100 of the day's 179,671 stories, as usual. It was the third day running that the news turned to Syria. In Ireland's news, mentions of storm surge ran more than ten times their usual. A year earlier, on 16 October 2016, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia93 in 100 of its 1,819 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Lesotho85 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 37 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen79 in 100 of its 189 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Syria77 in 100 of its 571 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti69 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Mogadishu Somalia401 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1598 Nairobi Kenya168 stories about protests or strikes, of its 209 Hollywood US131 stories about protests or strikes, of its 521 Barcelona Spain129 stories about protests or strikes, of its 312 Washington US111 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1815

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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readOman: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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 lessMorocco: 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: 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 lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea-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: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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 lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: 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 readCzech 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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 lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelarus: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readVenezuela: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualDominican Republic: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDenmark: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualWisconsin, US -- health: 66 stories, carried by 71 outletsSkopje, North Macedonia -- rights & justice: 36 stories, carried by 40 outletsCanberra, Australia -- rights & justice: 136 stories, carried by 151 outletsMissouri, US -- health: 22 stories, carried by 22 outletsHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- shelter & services: 21 stories, carried by 15 outletsVienna, Austria -- displacement: 111 stories, carried by 98 outletsTarrawanna, Australia -- health: 15 stories, carried by 25 outletsBasingstoke, UK -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 24 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

● North Macedonia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Guatemala warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mexico warmth about one and a half times usual ● Dominican Republic warmth about one and a half times usual ● Lebanon warmth about one and a half times usual ● Denmark warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Wisconsin US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 66 stories ● Skopje North Macedonia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 36 stories ● Canberra Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 136 stories ● Missouri US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Disasters & accidents23% 9,541 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence22% 9,355 stories · about as usual Rights & justice22% 9,309 stories · less than usual (usually 24%) Health17% 7,107 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 2,233 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,681 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,260 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,121 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 killed14,590 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,368 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured5,724 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,672 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations889 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions805 at about twice the usual rate · most about the Philippines and the US Stories reporting refugees704 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and Austria Stories reporting people displaced240 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines Stories reporting people falling ill60 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 much harsher 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.