← 6 Oct Sunday 7 October 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 8 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,715 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 tsunami in Haiti, the hunger in Iraq and protests in Juba (South Sudan) drew the news. Haiti's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostHaiti 88 in 100 of its 979 stories, usually 22
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

857 of its 979 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Port-de-Paix accounted for 449 of Haiti's 857 stories about harm, carried by 585 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (448 stories). Tsunami was named in 100 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Haiti over 30 days → its stories → Port-de-Paix stories →
Displacement

Iraq

260 of its 321 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Baghdad accounted for 199 of Iraq's 260 stories about harm, carried by 219 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (176 stories). Hunger was named in 158 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Protests & strikes

South Sudan

63 of its 75 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Juba accounted for 60 of South Sudan's 63 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. 54 of Juba's 60 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

South Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Juba stories →
Rights & justice

Bulgaria

73 of its 99 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

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

Portugal

174 of its 307 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Lisbon accounted for 170 of Portugal's 174 stories about harm, carried by 230 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (166 stories). Wildfires were named in 160 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bosnia

157 of its 225 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Sarajevo accounted for 145 of Bosnia's 157 stories about harm, carried by 145 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 8 times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Saudi Arabia

533 of its 932 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. 273 of Riyadh's 399 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (163 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Croatia

45 of its 139 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

North Korea

160 of its 523 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (144 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

265 of its 490 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Tsunami was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about 4 times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Portugal (160 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); tropical storm in Mexico (205 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Cuba (34 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); oil spill in France (64 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in Sri Lanka (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 22 the day before
27 in 10017 in 1008 Sep15 Sep22 Sep29 Sep7 Oct8 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 10025 Sep: 19 in 10026 Sep: 18 in 10027 Sep: 17 in 10028 Sep: 19 in 10029 Sep: 22 in 10030 Sep: 21 in 1001 Oct: 19 in 1002 Oct: 19 in 1003 Oct: 19 in 1004 Oct: 19 in 1005 Oct: 20 in 1006 Oct: 22 in 1007 Oct: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 7 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 24,715 stories about harm among 105,988 counted on 7 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Haiti's news was 88% about people being harmed, against a usual 22%. In Portugal's news, mentions of wildfires ran about 6 times their usual. A year earlier, on 7 October 2017, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 23 today. 23 in every 100 of the day's 105,988 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 21. This week the news turned most often to Indonesia, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 2 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti88 in 100 of its 979 stories · usually 22 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria87 in 100 of its 373 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence South Sudan84 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 70 · mostly rights & justice Iraq81 in 100 of its 321 stories · usually 55 · mostly displacement Indonesia79 in 100 of its 1,085 stories · usually 67 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US1138 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1406 Riyadh Saudi Arabia273 stories about protests or strikes, of its 399 Jerusalem Israel100 stories about protests or strikes, of its 542 Salfit Palestine79 stories about protests or strikes, of its 215 Kennebunkport US78 stories about protests or strikes, of its 79

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-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 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: too little coverage to readOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: too little coverage to readPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: 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: too little coverage to readIceland: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominican 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: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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 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 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 lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: 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 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readUS: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualJuba, South Sudan -- rights & justice: 60 stories, carried by 34 outletsAdo Ekiti, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsAdelaide, Australia -- health: 86 stories, carried by 27 outletsStrathbogie, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 25 stories, carried by 24 outletsTripoli, Libya -- conflict & violence: 41 stories, carried by 28 outletsConnecticut, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsKashmir Valley, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 13 outletsWisconsin, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 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

● South Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Libya warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Juba South Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 60 stories ● Ado Ekiti Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 11 stories ● Adelaide Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 86 stories ● Strathbogie Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 25 stories ● Tripoli Libya about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 41 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 7,395 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 5,580 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence15% 3,635 stories · about as usual Health15% 3,598 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given10% 2,399 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Displacement3% 753 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 610 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 492 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 killed8,624 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Haiti Stories reporting arrests3,090 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,954 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,294 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Haiti and the US Stories reporting refugees612 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iraq and Italy Stories reporting evacuations307 at about half the usual rate · most about Portugal and Indonesia Stories reporting abductions241 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced229 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Haiti and Indonesia Stories reporting people falling ill14 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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 →

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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.