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What the world's news said happened to people.

Counts of coverage, not of suffering

22,631 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 Mbyo (Rwanda), heavy rain in Iran and refugees in France. Rwanda's coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →

Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostRwanda 90 in 100 of its 241 stories, usually 45

RegionSoutheast Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 26

Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →

Protests & strikes

Rwanda

218 of its 241 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Mbyo accounted for 181 of Rwanda's 218 stories about harm, carried by 258 outlets. 108 of Mbyo's 181 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (131 stories). Drownings were named in 101 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories → Mbyo stories →

Disasters & accidents

Iran

450 of its 663 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (138 stories). Heavy rain was named in 122 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories →

Rights & justice

France

485 of its 1,241 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (13 stories). Earthquake was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

France over 30 days → its stories →

Conflict & violence

Philippines

253 of its 601 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (100 stories). Drownings were named in 99 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Philippines over 30 days → its stories →

6 more places the news pointed at

Protests & strikes

Venezuela

239 of its 377 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Caracas accounted for 201 of Venezuela's 239 stories about harm, carried by 180 outlets. 166 of Caracas' 201 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (40 stories). Hunger was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with hepatitis. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Greece

176 of its 325 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Diavata accounted for 131 of Greece's 176 stories about harm, carried by 189 outlets. 127 of Diavata's 131 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (67 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Health

Bahamas

22 of its 60 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Belarus

10 of its 16 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 3 of Minsk's 5 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Saudi Arabia

163 of its 388 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 52 of Riyadh's 94 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (20 stories).

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

62 of its 67 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 75%. Managua accounted for 53 of Nicaragua's 62 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets. 52 of Managua's 53 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in South Korea (14 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); covid in Kuwait (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Venezuela (38 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); wildfires in China (36 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); food poisoning in Canada (48 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 114,396 stories, as usual. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. In Rwanda's news, mentions of drownings ran more than ten times their usual. the news turned to Rwanda for the third day running.

20 in every 100 of the day's 114,396 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 20).
Rwanda: 218 of its 241 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%.
Iran: 450 of its 663 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%.
France: 485 of its 1,241 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%.
Philippines: 253 of its 601 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%.
Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada.
Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate.
Mentions of drownings ran more than ten times their usual in Rwanda's news.
Mentions of heavy rain ran about three times their usual in Iran's news.
Across the world, the words of the day's news were much softer than usual.
It was the third day running that the news turned to Rwanda.
A year earlier, on 6 April 2018, 20 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 →

Nicaragua93 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 75 · mostly rights & justice Rwanda90 in 100 of its 241 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Mozambique84 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 88 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia80 in 100 of its 322 stories · usually 76 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Iran68 in 100 of its 663 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel206 stories about protests or strikes, of its 547 Caracas Venezuela166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 201 Washington US137 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1070 Diavata Greece127 stories about protests or strikes, of its 131 Mbyo Rwanda108 stories about protests or strikes, of its 181

Stories, not people.

Where it happened

feelings in full →

Feelings Events Harm Warmth

Biggest events

● Garuda Indonesia deaths, cause not given · 81 stories, 337 outlets ● Tripoli Libya attacks & violence · 202 stories, 226 outlets ● Diavata Greece protests & strikes · 131 stories, 189 outlets ● Mbyo Rwanda protests & strikes · 181 stories, 258 outlets ● Caracas Venezuela protests & strikes · 201 stories, 180 outlets ● Ahvaz Iran accidents & disasters · 111 stories, 170 outlets ● Fayetteville US attacks & violence · 103 stories, 111 outlets ● New York US attacks & violence · 235 stories, 295 outlets

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 7,250 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Health21% 4,693 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 4,053 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,922 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 1,519 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 861 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 489 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 456 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 killed6,049 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,141 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,255 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,555 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees314 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions265 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations248 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill131 at about 5 times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting people displaced115 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Panama

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 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?

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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.