← 28 Sep Sunday 29 September 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 30 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,396 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 day's news pointed at train derailment in Mexico, protests in Taipei (Taiwan) and violence in Ramallah. Indonesia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostChile 56 in 100 of its 71 stories, usually 17
RegionSoutheast Asia 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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 →
Health

Mexico

149 of its 284 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Mexico City accounted for 71 of Mexico's 149 stories about harm, carried by 227 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (43 stories). Train derailment was named in 31 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories → Mexico City stories →
Protests & strikes

Taiwan

36 of its 99 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Taipei accounted for 29 of Taiwan's 36 stories about harm, carried by 16 outlets. 18 of Taipei's 29 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (10 stories). Heavy rain was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with typhoon.

Taiwan over 30 days → its stories → Taipei stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

46 of its 70 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Ramallah accounted for 28 of Palestine's 46 stories about harm, carried by 18 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Ramallah stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

94 of its 173 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Landslides were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Greece

65 of its 169 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 19 of Lesbos' 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

213 of its 510 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (106 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Egypt

77 of its 192 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 38 of Cairo's 45 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

72 of its 155 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

Causeway Bay accounted for 51 of Hong Kong's 80 stories about harm, carried by 216 outlets. 51 of Causeway Bay's 51 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 99 of Afghanistan's 162 stories about harm, carried by 214 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in UK (93 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hiv in South Africa (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Bangladesh (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in Ireland (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 19 the day before
27 in 10016 in 10031 Aug7 Sep14 Sep21 Sep29 Sep31 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 10027 Sep: 17 in 10028 Sep: 19 in 10029 Sep: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 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 11,396 stories about harm among 58,487 counted on 29 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of heavy rain ran more than ten times their usual in Taiwan's news. A year earlier, on 29 September 2018, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today. Mexico stood out: 52% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 34%. 19 in every 100 of the day's 58,487 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. This week the news turned most often to Indonesia, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ethiopia71 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 45 · mostly health Yemen67 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine66 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 44 · mostly conflict & violence Syria61 in 100 of its 112 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan60 in 100 of its 268 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beijing China102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 143 Causeway Bay Hong Kong51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 51 Washington US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 204 Moscow Russia39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 52 Cairo Egypt38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 45

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: 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 lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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 lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: 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 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: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualVienna, Austria -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 80 outletsOttawa, Canada -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 19 outletsVirginia, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsIowa, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 27 outletsEl Triste, Mexico -- health: 22 stories, carried by 194 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 24 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 99 stories, carried by 214 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Vienna Austria about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Ottawa Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 16 stories ● Virginia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Iowa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Baghdad Iraq about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 3,028 stories · about as usual Health24% 2,673 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 2,120 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Conflict & violence16% 1,739 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 715 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 450 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 280 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 173 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 killed2,943 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,215 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,152 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured953 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees171 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions112 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced88 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations67 at about a third of the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill15 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and India

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.