← 13 Sep Saturday 14 September 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 15 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,678 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 the hunger in Saudi Arabia, protests in Islamabad (Pakistan) and a disaster in Lampedusa. Saudi Arabia's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 66 in 100 of its 1,398 stories, usually 23
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 36
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

921 of its 1,398 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (482 stories). Hunger was named in 409 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Pakistan

720 of its 1,352 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. 133 of Islamabad's 206 stories were about protests or strikes. Hurricane was named in 26 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories → Islamabad stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

359 of its 712 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Lampedusa accounted for 283 of Italy's 359 stories about harm, carried by 416 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (297 stories).

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Lampedusa stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

66 of its 151 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Egypt

137 of its 311 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 74 of Cairo's 86 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

69 of its 71 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Ouagadougou accounted for 63 of Burkina Faso's 69 stories about harm, carried by 55 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

China

406 of its 1,413 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 211 of Beijing's 268 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories). Outbreaks were named in 32 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with storms and tsunami.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Jordan

30 of its 116 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (22 stories). Heatstroke was named in 16 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.

its stories →
Health

Sudan

55 of its 66 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Khartoum accounted for 34 of Sudan's 55 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Cholera was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

205 of its 602 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (178 stories). Heavy rain was named in 53 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with drownings.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Bahamas (736 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); wildfires in Indonesia (67 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cholera in Sudan (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Spain (53 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); heatstroke in Jordan (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
27 in 10019 in 10016 Aug23 Aug30 Aug6 Sep14 Sep16 Aug: 21 in 10017 Aug: 24 in 10018 Aug: 25 in 10019 Aug: 20 in 10020 Aug: 20 in 10021 Aug: 19 in 10022 Aug: 19 in 10023 Aug: 21 in 10024 Aug: 21 in 10025 Aug: 21 in 10026 Aug: 21 in 10027 Aug: 20 in 10028 Aug: 20 in 10029 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 21 in 10031 Aug: 24 in 1001 Sep: 27 in 1002 Sep: 25 in 1003 Sep: 24 in 1004 Sep: 23 in 1005 Sep: 22 in 1006 Sep: 22 in 1007 Sep: 24 in 1008 Sep: 24 in 1009 Sep: 21 in 10010 Sep: 20 in 10011 Sep: 21 in 10012 Sep: 20 in 10013 Sep: 20 in 10014 Sep: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 14 Sep. 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 20,678 stories about harm among 91,889 counted on 14 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Saudi Arabia's news was 66% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. of the day's 91,889 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. On 14 September 2018, a year earlier, the share was 24 in every 100, against 23 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo98 in 100 of its 132 stories · usually 73 · mostly health Burkina Faso97 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Bahamas86 in 100 of its 1,024 stories · usually 73 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen85 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan83 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 57 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beijing China211 stories about protests or strikes, of its 268 Sacramento US199 stories about protests or strikes, of its 238 Islamabad Pakistan133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 Washington US132 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1065 Seneca Falls US121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 126

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 lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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 Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: 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: too little coverage to readSierra 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: too little coverage to readSt 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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 lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: too little coverage to readMadagascar: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: 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 lessIreland: 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: too little coverage to readIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: too little coverage to readHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: too little coverage to readGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-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 lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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 readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte 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: too little coverage to readHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: too little coverage to readCentral 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 readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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: too little coverage to readJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualUK: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualChad: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 20 outletsSkopje, North Macedonia -- rights & justice: 25 stories, carried by 26 outletsAccra, Ghana -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 11 outletsPolokwane, South Africa -- disasters & accidents: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsColorado, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 30 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 109 stories, carried by 84 outletsEl-Arish, Egypt -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsQuebec, Canada -- rights & justice: 31 stories, carried by 26 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

● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● North Macedonia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Armenia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bogota Colombia about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Skopje North Macedonia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 25 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Polokwane South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 14 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 5,754 stories · about as usual Health21% 4,222 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence21% 4,209 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Disasters & accidents18% 3,693 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 992 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 794 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 370 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 358 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 killed6,312 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,324 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,090 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,026 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees189 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Türkiye Stories reporting evacuations179 at about half the usual rate · most about Spain and the Bahamas Stories reporting people displaced135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions88 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill18 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and China

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than 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?

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.