← 3 Oct Friday 4 October 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,564 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 protests in Baghdad (Iraq), violence in Tongo Tongo and arrests in Israel. Iraq's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostIraq 77 in 100 of its 471 stories, usually 53
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

365 of its 471 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Baghdad accounted for 292 of Iraq's 365 stories about harm, carried by 651 outlets. 275 of Baghdad's 292 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (329 stories). Train derailment was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

20 of its 30 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Tongo Tongo accounted for 13 of Niger's 20 stories about harm, carried by 17 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Niger over 30 days → its stories → Tongo Tongo stories →
Rights & justice

Israel

136 of its 415 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Hong Kong

Causeway Bay accounted for 90 of Hong Kong's 210 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. 86 of Causeway Bay's 90 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Outbreaks were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Ecuador

59 of its 117 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Quito accounted for 46 of Ecuador's 59 stories about harm, carried by 164 outlets. 43 of Quito's 46 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Myanmar

25 of its 44 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Mandalay accounted for 20 of Myanmar's 25 stories about harm, carried by 73 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

China

132 of Beijing's 184 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Poisoning was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Haiti

8 of Port-au-Prince's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 40 of Afghanistan's 75 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Ireland (61 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Latvia (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Kenya (12 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Hong Kong (20 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); poisoning in China (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 17 the day before
24 in 10016 in 1005 Sep12 Sep19 Sep26 Sep4 Oct5 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 10030 Sep: 17 in 1001 Oct: 17 in 1002 Oct: 17 in 1003 Oct: 17 in 1004 Oct: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Oct. 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 20,564 stories about harm among 121,833 counted on 4 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Iraq for the third day running. 17 in every 100 of the day's 121,833 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. A year earlier, on 4 October 2018, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 today. Iraq stood out: 77% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 53%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq77 in 100 of its 471 stories · usually 53 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan58 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Syria57 in 100 of its 96 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Ecuador50 in 100 of its 117 stories · usually 22 · mostly rights & justice Yemen48 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Baghdad Iraq275 stories about protests or strikes, of its 292 Beijing China132 stories about protests or strikes, of its 184 Washington US90 stories about protests or strikes, of its 532 Causeway Bay Hong Kong86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 90 Paris France68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 187

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 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 lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: 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 lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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 lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: too little coverage to readIran: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: 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: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: 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): 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 lessEast Jerusalem: 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: too little coverage to readChagos 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: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: 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 readSyria: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLesotho: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 40 stories, carried by 98 outletsSan Bernardino, US -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 291 outletsOregon, US -- health: 22 stories, carried by 22 outletsLima, Peru -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 37 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 66 stories, carried by 35 outletsCape Breton, Canada -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsMontreal, Canada -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 33 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

● Stockholm Sweden about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 40 stories ● San Bernardino US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 25 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Lima Peru about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 6,302 stories · more than usual (usually 28%) Health27% 5,475 stories · more than usual (usually 24%) Disasters & accidents14% 2,824 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence12% 2,497 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,161 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 836 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 542 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 472 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 killed5,253 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting arrests2,497 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,200 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,286 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees250 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions231 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced144 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations91 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill66 at about two-thirds 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as 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

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.