← 19 Oct Saturday 20 October 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Oct →
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.

How to read these numbers →

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
24 in 10017 in 10021 Sep28 Sep5 Oct12 Oct20 Oct21 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 1008 Oct: 21 in 1009 Oct: 21 in 10010 Oct: 21 in 10011 Oct: 22 in 10012 Oct: 21 in 10013 Oct: 23 in 10014 Oct: 24 in 10015 Oct: 20 in 10016 Oct: 19 in 10017 Oct: 19 in 10018 Oct: 19 in 10019 Oct: 18 in 10020 Oct: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 24,456 stories about harm among 113,184 counted on 20 Oct.

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.

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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 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: too little coverage to readTonga: 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 lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNiger: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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 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: 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 lessIndonesia: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: too little coverage to readCôte 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 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: 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 readTanzania: warmth about twice its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualPanama: warmth about one and a half times its own usualOman: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsMilwaukee, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 16 outletsKutupalong, Bangladesh -- displacement: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsAnantnag, Kashmir -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 56 stories, carried by 35 outletsOregon, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 34 stories, carried by 18 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 102 stories, carried by 140 outletsAddis Ababa, Ethiopia -- rights & justice: 79 stories, carried by 104 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

● Tanzania warmth about twice usual ● Netherlands warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sri Lanka warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kashmir warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Mogadishu Somalia about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Milwaukee US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Kutupalong Bangladesh about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 15 stories ● Anantnag Kashmir about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 56 stories ● Oregon US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories

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?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

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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.