← 18 Sep Thursday 19 September 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
35,567 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to protests in Tunis (Tunisia), violence in Kabul and a disaster in Monrovia. Afghanistan's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBermuda 81 in 100 of its 224 stories, usually 28
RegionSoutheast Asia 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

164 of its 242 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Tunis accounted for 125 of Tunisia's 164 stories about harm, carried by 103 outlets. 108 of Tunis' 125 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (124 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

621 of its 765 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 73%. Kabul accounted for 286 of Afghanistan's 621 stories about harm, carried by 210 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (35 stories). Train derailment was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Disasters & accidents

Liberia

95 of its 165 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Monrovia accounted for 90 of Liberia's 95 stories about harm, carried by 66 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (83 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Liberia over 30 days → its stories → Monrovia stories →
Displacement

Tonga

61 of its 84 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Tonga over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Iran

503 of its 1,127 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Tehran accounted for 392 of Iran's 503 stories about harm, carried by 549 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

34 of its 54 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Algiers accounted for 34 of Algeria's 34 stories about harm, carried by 28 outlets. 34 of Algiers' 34 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (18 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Japan

394 of its 1,804 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Tsunami was named in 231 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with flu. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

89 of its 133 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. 51 of Khartoum's 56 stories were about protests or strikes. Cholera was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bermuda

182 of its 224 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (77 stories). Cyclone was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with power cuts.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Canada

1,891 of its 6,003 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Meningitis was named in 58 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Japan (231 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hurricane in Mexico (321 of its stories, about three times its usual); polio in Philippines (121 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Malaysia (32 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); ebola in Tanzania (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
27 in 10019 in 10021 Aug28 Aug4 Sep11 Sep19 Sep21 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 10015 Sep: 22 in 10016 Sep: 20 in 10017 Sep: 19 in 10018 Sep: 20 in 10019 Sep: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 35,567 stories about harm among 171,862 counted on 19 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of volunteers, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. 21 in every 100 of the day's 171,862 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Japan's news, mentions of the tsunami ran about 7 times their usual. Tunisia stood out: 68% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 38%. On 19 September 2018, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Bermuda81 in 100 of its 224 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan81 in 100 of its 765 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Tonga73 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 16 · mostly displacement Syria72 in 100 of its 334 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia68 in 100 of its 242 stories · usually 38 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US181 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1362 Los Angeles US168 stories about protests or strikes, of its 467 Tunis Tunisia108 stories about protests or strikes, of its 125 American Museum of Natural History US100 stories about protests or strikes, of its 335 Moscow Russia95 stories about protests or strikes, of its 153

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: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: 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 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 lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: 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 lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRussia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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 lessNorth Korea: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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 lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: 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: 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 lessGermany: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: 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: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: 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 lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readTonga: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualCentral African Republic: warmth about its own usualBurundi: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBahamas: warmth about its own usualArmenia: 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 usualTsukuba, Japan -- health: 13 stories, carried by 19 outletsJuba, South Sudan -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsKigali, Rwanda -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsChampaign, US -- health: 125 stories, carried by 176 outletsKokomo, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 15 stories, carried by 41 outletsOuagadougou, Burkina Faso -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsAnkara, Türkiye -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 17 outletsSao Paulo, Brazil -- health: 18 stories, carried by 34 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 ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Hong Kong warmth about one and a half times usual ● Tonga warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Tsukuba Japan about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Juba South Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Kigali Rwanda about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Champaign US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 125 stories ● Kokomo US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 10,126 stories · about as usual Health23% 7,931 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents18% 6,392 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Conflict & violence15% 5,131 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,998 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 1,789 stories · more than usual (usually 3%) Displacement3% 944 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 750 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 killed9,494 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,828 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,670 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,086 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees449 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations435 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting abductions308 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced207 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill108 at about the usual rate

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 about as 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?

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.