← 25 Sep Thursday 26 September 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 27 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,415 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 tsunami in Indonesia, protests in Chichiri (Malawi) and people killed in Chad. Chad's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostMalawi 44 in 100 of its 114 stories, usually 25
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

242 of its 442 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (59 stories). Tsunami was named in 105 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Chad

23 of its 57 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Chad over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Finland

23 of its 107 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Botswana

30 of its 107 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. 5 of Kasane's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. HIV was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with road crashes.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Angola

19 of its 58 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 8 of Huambo's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Malaysia

144 of its 637 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (44 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sweden

8 of Stockholm's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Zimbabwe

Harare accounted for 72 of Zimbabwe's 128 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Egypt

Cairo accounted for 56 of Egypt's 87 stories about harm, carried by 123 outlets. 43 of Cairo's 56 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hiv in Botswana (17 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flooding in Jamaica (14 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in Sri Lanka (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in South Africa (19 of its stories, about three times its usual); measles in Philippines (15 of its stories, about three times its usual).

16 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 17 the day before
27 in 10016 in 10028 Aug4 Sep11 Sep18 Sep26 Sep28 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 10020 Sep: 21 in 10021 Sep: 22 in 10022 Sep: 20 in 10023 Sep: 18 in 10024 Sep: 18 in 10025 Sep: 17 in 10026 Sep: 16 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 26 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 21,415 stories about harm among 130,740 counted on 26 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 7 November 2018. of the day's 130,740 news stories, 16 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. Indonesia's news mentioned the tsunami about 10 times as often as usual. On 26 September 2018, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 16 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico66 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 74 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria64 in 100 of its 152 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Libya60 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan55 in 100 of its 211 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia55 in 100 of its 113 stories · usually 39 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US94 stories about protests or strikes, of its 598 Cairo Egypt43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 56 New York US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 298 Sydney Australia38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 97 Beijing China38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 102

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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 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 lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: 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 lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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 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 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 lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: 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 readKazakhstan: 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 lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: too little coverage to readGuinea-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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUganda: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLiberia: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBahamas: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: 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 usualHaji Muhammad, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 13 outletsSussex, South Africa -- rights & justice: 24 stories, carried by 48 outletsTexas Department of Public Safety, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 15 stories, carried by 28 outletsPort Talbot, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 49 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsFort Sill, US -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 38 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 31 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 11 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

● Morocco warmth about one and a half times usual ● Armenia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kashmir warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Haji Muhammad Pakistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Sussex South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 24 stories ● Texas Department of Public Safety US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 15 stories ● Port Talbot UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Stockholm Sweden about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health29% 6,025 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Rights & justice28% 5,873 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 3,450 stories · much less than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence12% 2,562 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,121 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 920 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 502 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 460 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 killed5,177 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests2,522 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,360 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people injured1,017 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Pakistan Stories reporting refugees293 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions210 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced150 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations126 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill120 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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.