← 23 Sep Monday 24 September 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 25 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
35,614 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 protests in Guatemala City (Guatemala), volcanic eruption in Iceland and rights and justice in Vilnius. Guatemala's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGuatemala 84 in 100 of its 130 stories, usually 23
RegionCentral Asia 18 in 100 of its stories, usually 14
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

Guatemala

109 of its 130 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 6 of Guatemala City's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (86 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Guatemala over 30 days → its stories → Guatemala City stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

70 of its 103 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Katla accounted for 65 of Iceland's 70 stories about harm, carried by 43 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (10 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 65 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

Iceland over 30 days → its stories → Katla stories →
Rights & justice

Lithuania

109 of its 178 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Vilnius accounted for 97 of Lithuania's 109 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Lithuania over 30 days → its stories → Vilnius stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

476 of its 1,374 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Polio was named in 59 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with measles and outbreaks. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

South Africa

325 of its 896 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 95 of Johannesburg's 147 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (104 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Uganda

195 of its 293 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Kampala accounted for 147 of Uganda's 195 stories about harm, carried by 175 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

Managua accounted for 78 of Nicaragua's 93 stories about harm, carried by 78 outlets. 76 of Managua's 78 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (78 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

223 of its 526 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (66 stories). Hunger was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

1,171 of its 2,148 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (1,020 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Tanzania

223 of its 283 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Lake Victoria accounted for 170 of Tanzania's 223 stories about harm, carried by 175 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Taiwan (33 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hunger in Venezuela (28 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tornadoes in Canada (144 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); heavy rain in Tunisia (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); outbreaks in Belgium (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 22 the day before
27 in 10019 in 10026 Aug2 Sep9 Sep16 Sep24 Sep26 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 10024 Sep: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 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 35,614 stories about harm among 182,052 counted on 24 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Guatemala stood out: 84% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 23%. A year earlier, on 24 September 2017, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today. of the day's 182,052 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 21.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo86 in 100 of its 132 stories · usually 63 · mostly health Burkina Faso85 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 67 · mostly rights & justice Nicaragua85 in 100 of its 110 stories · usually 78 · mostly rights & justice Guatemala84 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 23 · mostly rights & justice Tanzania79 in 100 of its 283 stories · usually 59 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Philadelphia US451 stories about protests or strikes, of its 778 Washington US363 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1362 Dallas US273 stories about protests or strikes, of its 339 Moscow Russia210 stories about protests or strikes, of its 571 Ahvaz Iran186 stories about protests or strikes, of its 723

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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 lessUkraine: 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: 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 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: 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 lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNiger: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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 lessMalaysia: 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 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 lessJamaica: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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 lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readEl 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: 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: 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 lessChad: 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: 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 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 lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: 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 readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualVietnam: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about one and a half times its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about twice its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMauritius: warmth about its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualLatvia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJordan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualHungary: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHong Kong: warmth about twice its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBelize: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMaldives: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKampala, Uganda -- rights & justice: 147 stories, carried by 175 outletsDarling Downs, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsAmman, Jordan -- displacement: 19 stories, carried by 11 outletsCape Cod, US -- displacement: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsJohannesburg, South Africa -- rights & justice: 147 stories, carried by 158 outletsArkansas, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 18 stories, carried by 23 outletsSochi, Russia -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsHanoi, Vietnam -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 122 stories, carried by 158 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

● Saudi Arabia warmth about twice usual ● Hong Kong warmth about twice usual ● South Africa warmth about one and a half times usual ● Uganda warmth about one and a half times usual ● China warmth about one and a half times usual ● Hungary warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kampala Uganda about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 147 stories ● Darling Downs Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 11 stories ● Amman Jordan about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 19 stories ● Cape Cod US about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 16 stories ● Johannesburg South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 147 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 11,514 stories · much more than usual (usually 28%) Health20% 6,884 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 6,796 stories · less than usual (usually 23%) Conflict & violence14% 4,840 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,985 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,178 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,015 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 767 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 killed10,345 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,586 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,051 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,056 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Iran and the US Stories reporting evacuations1,046 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees776 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions490 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced311 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Libya Stories reporting people falling ill45 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and India

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.