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What the world's news said happened to people.

Counts of coverage, not of suffering

24,456 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.

The day's news pointed at protests in Sweida (Syria), violence in Kabul and rights and justice in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Mexico and Spain → Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Syria and Afghanistan →

Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostCyprus 75 in 100 of its 121 stories, usually 25

RegionSouth Asia 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 26

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

359 of its 396 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Sweida accounted for 145 of Syria's 359 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. 87 of Sweida's 145 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (200 stories). Natural hazards were named in 31 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Sweida stories →

Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

1,080 of its 1,281 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Kabul accounted for 936 of Afghanistan's 1,080 stories about harm, carried by 706 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (99 stories). Poisoning was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →

Rights & justice

Ethiopia

96 of its 120 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Addis Ababa accounted for 79 of Ethiopia's 96 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (80 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories → Addis Ababa stories →

Displacement

Cyprus

91 of its 121 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (86 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Cyprus over 30 days → its stories →

6 more places the news pointed at

Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

2,336 of its 3,830 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Riyadh accounted for 1,275 of Saudi Arabia's 2,336 stories about harm, carried by 1,110 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (1,883 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Rights & justice

Türkiye

308 of its 577 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Istanbul accounted for 265 of Türkiye's 308 stories about harm, carried by 316 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (179 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

Nigeria

341 of its 1,182 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (103 stories). Natural hazards were named in 56 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. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Mexico

763 of its 1,169 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 293 of Mexico City's 318 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (381 stories).

its stories →

Rights & justice

Palestine

394 of its 655 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (175 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Disasters & accidents

India

1,965 of its 5,540 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (789 stories). Drownings were named in 61 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with bridge collapse.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drownings in Spain (69 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); ebola in Liberia (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Nicaragua (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in Nigeria (56 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Brazil (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 18 the day before

Read the day's briefing

In Spain's news, mentions of drownings ran more than ten times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 22 in every 100 of the day's 113,184 stories, above the usual 20. Refugees were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Mexico and Spain. In Syria, 91% of the news was about people being harmed, where 69% is usual. On 20 October 2017, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, the same as today.

22 in every 100 of the day's 113,184 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 20).
Syria: 359 of its 396 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%.
Afghanistan: 1,080 of its 1,281 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%.
Ethiopia: 96 of its 120 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%.
Cyprus: 91 of its 121 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%.
Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Mexico and Spain.
Mentions of drownings ran more than ten times their usual in Spain's news.
Mentions of Ebola ran about 4 times their usual in Liberia's news.
Across the world, the words of the day's news were much harsher than usual.
A year earlier, on 20 October 2017, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo94 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 75 · mostly health Syria91 in 100 of its 396 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan84 in 100 of its 1,281 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia80 in 100 of its 120 stories · usually 39 · mostly rights & justice Cyprus75 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 25 · mostly displacement

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Mexico City Mexico293 stories about protests or strikes, of its 318 Suchiate Mexico246 stories about protests or strikes, of its 263 Washington US246 stories about protests or strikes, of its 710 Riyadh Saudi Arabia223 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1275 Pocahontas US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 135

Stories, not people.

Where it happened

feelings in full →

Feelings Events Harm Warmth

Biggest events

● Kabul Afghanistan attacks & violence · 936 stories, 706 outlets ● Mexico City Mexico protests & strikes · 318 stories, 447 outlets ● Suchiate Mexico protests & strikes · 263 stories, 310 outlets ● Amritsar India accidents & disasters · 922 stories, 500 outlets ● Gulf County US accidents & disasters · 183 stories, 219 outlets ● Kranskop South Africa deaths, cause not given · 83 stories, 167 outlets ● Sydney Australia attacks & violence · 138 stories, 279 outlets ● Pocahontas US protests & strikes · 135 stories, 126 outlets

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 7,933 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Health18% 4,436 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 4,015 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Disasters & accidents16% 3,903 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 1,796 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 1,128 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 544 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 346 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 killed7,948 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,501 at about twice the usual rate · most about Saudi Arabia and the US Stories reporting people injured2,874 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and Afghanistan Stories reporting people affected2,496 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees800 at about twice the usual rate · most about Mexico and Spain Stories reporting abductions574 at about twice the usual rate · most about Syria and Afghanistan Stories reporting people displaced125 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting evacuations103 at less than a quarter of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill21 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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?

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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.