← 20 Oct Sunday 21 October 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,772 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 train derailment in Taiwan and Sri Lanka and deaths in Naranjito. Congo's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Taiwan → Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Congo and Syria →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostTaiwan 88 in 100 of its 741 stories, usually 18
RegionEast Asia 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 16
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

Taiwan

650 of its 741 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Taipei accounted for 482 of Taiwan's 650 stories about harm, carried by 688 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (627 stories). Train derailment was named in 605 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Taiwan over 30 days → its stories → Taipei stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Costa Rica

105 of its 159 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Naranjito accounted for 97 of Costa Rica's 105 stories about harm, carried by 113 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (100 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.

Costa Rica over 30 days → its stories → Naranjito stories →
Conflict & violence

Sri Lanka

88 of its 221 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (57 stories). Train derailment was named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Congo

384 of its 395 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 76%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (223 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

Spain

344 of its 761 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (139 stories). Dengue was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with ebola. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

China

375 of its 1,866 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories). Earthquake was named in 63 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with drought. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

113 of its 198 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Kiev accounted for 101 of Ukraine's 113 stories about harm, carried by 143 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (98 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

787 of its 918 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Kabul accounted for 565 of Afghanistan's 787 stories about harm, carried by 570 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

1,336 of its 2,529 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (870 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

297 of its 409 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (94 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Malaysia (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in China (63 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); cyclone in Yemen (11 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); outbreaks in Nigeria (40 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in Germany (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 22 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10022 Sep29 Sep6 Oct13 Oct21 Oct22 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 10021 Oct: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 21,772 stories about harm among 103,208 counted on 21 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Taiwan stood out: 88% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 18%. 21 in every 100 of the day's 103,208 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Taiwan's news, mentions of train derailment ran more than ten times their usual. People injured were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Taiwan. A year earlier, on 21 October 2017, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo97 in 100 of its 395 stories · usually 76 · mostly health Taiwan88 in 100 of its 741 stories · usually 18 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria88 in 100 of its 372 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan86 in 100 of its 918 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir73 in 100 of its 409 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Ciudad Hidalgo Mexico243 stories about protests or strikes, of its 540 Riyadh Saudi Arabia206 stories about protests or strikes, of its 700 Jerusalem Israel121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 237 Amritsar India90 stories about protests or strikes, of its 244 Washington US63 stories about protests or strikes, of its 325

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIsrael: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: 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 readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMicronesia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUganda: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTaiwan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSyria: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSingapore: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSenegal: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sRussia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorway: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNicaragua: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMali: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLibya: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJordan: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIreland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGambia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sCosta Rica: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sComoros: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChad: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCambodia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sBhutan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAngola: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sMaldives: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMacao: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Syria about three times as angry as the world's · 326 stories about harm ● Congo about three times as angry as the world's · 384 stories about harm ● Egypt about one and a half times as warm as the world's · 128 stories about harm ● Ethiopia few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 32 stories about harm ● Kashmir about twice as fearful as the world's · 297 stories about harm ● Iran about twice as fearful as the world's · 69 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 5,749 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Health22% 4,802 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents19% 4,187 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 3,739 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given8% 1,616 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 740 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 379 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 295 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 killed7,405 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,384 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Saudi Arabia Stories reporting people injured3,361 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Taiwan Stories reporting people affected2,098 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees609 at about twice the usual rate · most about Mexico and Greece Stories reporting abductions465 at about twice the usual rate · most about Congo and Syria Stories reporting evacuations130 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the UK and the US Stories reporting people displaced126 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout one and a half times 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.