← 22 Sep Sunday 23 September 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,627 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 the drought in Iran, protests in Managua (Nicaragua) and rights and justice in Vilnius. Tanzania's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostLithuania 82 in 100 of its 500 stories, usually 26
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Iran

1,725 of its 2,189 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Ahvaz accounted for 1,003 of Iran's 1,725 stories about harm, carried by 815 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (1,053 stories). Drought was named in 315 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with snowstorms. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Ahvaz stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

85 of its 86 stories (99%) were about people being harmed, usually 77%. Managua accounted for 69 of Nicaragua's 85 stories about harm, carried by 65 outlets. 68 of Managua's 69 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (77 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Nicaragua over 30 days → its stories → Managua stories →
Rights & justice

Lithuania

412 of its 500 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Vilnius accounted for 369 of Lithuania's 412 stories about harm, carried by 324 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Lithuania over 30 days → its stories → Vilnius stories →
Disasters & accidents

Tanzania

381 of its 412 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Lake Victoria accounted for 272 of Tanzania's 381 stories about harm, carried by 228 outlets. Extreme cold was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Tanzania over 30 days → its stories → Lake Victoria stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Uganda

69 of its 106 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Ebola was named in 35 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Guatemala

27 of its 38 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 17 of Guatemala City's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Dominican Republic

15 of its 22 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Spain

193 of its 658 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (164 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

470 of its 1,095 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Congo

46 of its 52 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cholera in Yemen (37 of its stories, about three times its usual); ebola in Uganda (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Iceland (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tornadoes in Canada (153 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Dominican Republic (12 of its stories, about three times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 23 the day before
27 in 10019 in 10025 Aug1 Sep8 Sep15 Sep23 Sep25 Aug: 23 in 10026 Aug: 24 in 10027 Aug: 20 in 10028 Aug: 19 in 10029 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 20 in 10031 Aug: 20 in 1001 Sep: 22 in 1002 Sep: 22 in 1003 Sep: 21 in 1004 Sep: 20 in 1005 Sep: 21 in 1006 Sep: 20 in 1007 Sep: 19 in 1008 Sep: 21 in 1009 Sep: 22 in 10010 Sep: 22 in 10011 Sep: 23 in 10012 Sep: 23 in 10013 Sep: 22 in 10014 Sep: 24 in 10015 Sep: 27 in 10016 Sep: 26 in 10017 Sep: 21 in 10018 Sep: 20 in 10019 Sep: 20 in 10020 Sep: 20 in 10021 Sep: 20 in 10022 Sep: 23 in 10023 Sep: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 22,627 stories about harm among 102,300 counted on 23 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Iran. Stories about people being harmed made up 22 in every 100 of the day's 102,300 stories, as usual. Iran's news was 79% about people being harmed, against a usual 32%. In Yemen's news, mentions of the cholera ran about three times their usual. A year earlier, on 23 September 2017, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 22 today. This week the news turned most often to Tanzania, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Nicaragua99 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 77 · mostly rights & justice Tanzania92 in 100 of its 412 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia92 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Libya91 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Congo88 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 63 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Ahvaz Iran256 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1003 Tehran Iran214 stories about protests or strikes, of its 569 Vilnius Lithuania143 stories about protests or strikes, of its 369 Washington US120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 547 Managua Nicaragua68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 69

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 lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: 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 readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 readKazakhstan: 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 lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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 lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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 lessFrance: 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 lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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 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 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 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 lessChile: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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 readAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern 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 lessEast Jerusalem: too little coverage to readAzad 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualMaldives: warmth about its own usualWindsor Locks, US -- disasters & accidents: 30 stories, carried by 33 outletsCid Harbour, Australia -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 35 stories, carried by 61 outletsDarling Downs, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 22 stories, carried by 21 outletsCape Cod, US -- displacement: 31 stories, carried by 31 outletsAthlone, Ireland -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsPulwama, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 56 stories, carried by 33 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 18 stories, carried by 11 outletsRomagne, France -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 30 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

● Ethiopia warmth about one and a half times usual ● China warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Windsor Locks US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 30 stories ● Cid Harbour Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 35 stories ● Darling Downs Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 22 stories ● Cape Cod US about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 31 stories ● Athlone Ireland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 6,341 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 5,058 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence21% 4,583 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Health15% 3,444 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,404 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 672 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 551 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 290 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 killed7,667 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,691 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,485 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iran and the US Stories reporting arrests2,416 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations495 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions399 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees332 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people displaced133 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and the Philippines Stories reporting people falling ill29 at about half the usual rate · most about Zimbabwe and the US

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

● Angera little more than 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.