← 18 Oct Thursday 19 October 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
46,541 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to illness in Havana, violence in Valletta and protests in Warsaw (Poland). Malta's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostMalta 66 in 100 of its 380 stories, usually 30
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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 →
Health

Cuba

339 of its 472 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Havana accounted for 322 of Cuba's 339 stories about harm, carried by 362 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (313 stories). Poisoning was named in 280 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
Conflict & violence

Malta

249 of its 380 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Valletta accounted for 147 of Malta's 249 stories about harm, carried by 134 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (99 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Malta over 30 days → its stories → Valletta stories →
Protests & strikes

Poland

121 of its 441 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 79 of Warsaw's 87 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories → Warsaw stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Uganda

239 of its 400 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (147 stories). Ebola was named in 139 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with haemorrhagic fever. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kenya

283 of its 829 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 122 of Nairobi's 172 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (15 stories). Polio was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Madagascar

132 of its 153 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Antananarivo accounted for 77 of Madagascar's 132 stories about harm, carried by 73 outlets. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

163 of its 334 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (116 stories). Plane crash was named in 47 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Brazil

164 of its 684 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. 69 of Sao Paulo's 117 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (61 stories).

its stories →
Displacement

Central African Republic

59 of its 83 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: ebola in Uganda (139 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Ukraine (47 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Indonesia (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Puerto Rico (102 of its stories, about three times its usual); oil spill in Trinidad & Tobago (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 22 the day before
28 in 10020 in 10020 Sep27 Sep4 Oct11 Oct19 Oct20 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 10017 Oct: 23 in 10018 Oct: 22 in 10019 Oct: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 46,541 stories about harm among 215,976 counted on 19 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

In Cuba's news, mentions of poisoning ran more than ten times their usual. A year earlier, on 19 October 2016, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 22 today. Cuba's news was 72% about people being harmed, against a usual 50%. of the day's 215,976 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 23.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Madagascar86 in 100 of its 153 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Yemen81 in 100 of its 108 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Niger79 in 100 of its 420 stories · usually 78 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia76 in 100 of its 246 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence Cuba72 in 100 of its 472 stories · usually 50 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US341 stories about protests or strikes, of its 385 Washington US227 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2684 Jerusalem Israel154 stories about protests or strikes, of its 449 Tulsa US143 stories about protests or strikes, of its 264 Gainesville US140 stories about protests or strikes, of its 222

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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: 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 lessPortugal: 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 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 readNamibia: 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: 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 lessMali: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLatvia: 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 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 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 lessGambia: 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: 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 lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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 lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 usualVanuatu: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTogo: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualCentral African Republic: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBarbados: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGrand Rapids, US -- health: 111 stories, carried by 100 outletsSouth Lake, Canada -- food & livelihood: 15 stories, carried by 42 outletsBalaka, Central African Republic -- displacement: 19 stories, carried by 14 outletsWuxi, China -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 15 outletsPulau Perhentian, Malaysia -- disasters & accidents: 18 stories, carried by 18 outletsYazoo City, US -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 16 outletsOwerri, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 19 outletsGhazni, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 43 stories, carried by 33 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

● Czechia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Vanuatu warmth about one and a half times usual ● Poland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Central African Republic warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Grand Rapids US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 111 stories ● South Lake Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 15 stories ● Balaka Central African Republic about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 19 stories ● Wuxi China about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Pulau Perhentian Malaysia about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 12,520 stories · more than usual (usually 24%) Conflict & violence20% 9,198 stories · about as usual Health20% 9,155 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents17% 7,985 stories · less than usual (usually 22%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,181 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,728 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 961 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 911 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 killed15,760 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,105 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,752 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,535 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions637 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees615 at about half the usual rate · most about Palestine and Bangladesh Stories reporting evacuations464 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Mexico Stories reporting people displaced434 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill108 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and China

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 →

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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.