← 4 Oct Saturday 5 October 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,361 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 Baghdad (Iraq), drownings in Thailand and violence in Anantnag. Kashmir's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostIraq 89 in 100 of its 378 stories, usually 55
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 39 in 100 of its stories, usually 32
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

336 of its 378 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Baghdad accounted for 288 of Iraq's 336 stories about harm, carried by 495 outlets. 273 of Baghdad's 288 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (54 stories). Hunger was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Disasters & accidents

Thailand

87 of its 227 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (56 stories). Drownings were named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

91 of its 187 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Anantnag accounted for 40 of Kashmir's 91 stories about harm, carried by 39 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Anantnag stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Romania

16 of its 47 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 6%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Ecuador

34 of its 50 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Quito accounted for 22 of Ecuador's 34 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. 21 of Quito's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

India

1,023 of its 4,122 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 164 of Mumbai's 239 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (315 stories). Avalanche was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

Causeway Bay accounted for 104 of Hong Kong's 159 stories about harm, carried by 183 outlets. 100 of Causeway Bay's 104 stories were about protests or strikes. Outbreaks were named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

France

152 of its 592 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 64 of Iran's 79 stories about harm, carried by 118 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Power cuts were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Cameroon

38 of its 49 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (30 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: road crashes in Italy (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Hong Kong (21 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); power cuts in Iran (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in Ireland (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); road crashes in UK (34 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 17 the day before
24 in 10016 in 1006 Sep13 Sep20 Sep27 Sep5 Oct6 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 1005 Oct: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 12,361 stories about harm among 66,797 counted on 5 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

It was the fourth day running that the news turned to Iraq. of the day's 66,797 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. Thailand's news mentioned drownings more than ten times as often as usual. Iraq's news was 89% about people being harmed, against a usual 55%. On 5 October 2018, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq89 in 100 of its 378 stories · usually 55 · mostly rights & justice Ecuador68 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 26 · mostly rights & justice Syria55 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan50 in 100 of its 159 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir49 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 38 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Baghdad Iraq273 stories about protests or strikes, of its 288 Mumbai India164 stories about protests or strikes, of its 239 Causeway Bay Hong Kong100 stories about protests or strikes, of its 104 Washington US61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 324 Beijing China52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 82

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: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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: too little coverage to readTrinidad & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: too little coverage to readBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: 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 usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualYaounde, Cameroon -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 39 outletsAbaco, Bahamas -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 20 outletsMontana, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsColorado, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 39 stories, carried by 36 outletsFeni River, Bangladesh -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 35 stories, carried by 21 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 12 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

● Yaounde Cameroon about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories ● Abaco Bahamas about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 17 stories ● Montana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 39 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice32% 3,880 stories · more than usual (usually 28%) Health25% 3,020 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 1,715 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 1,653 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 745 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 533 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 281 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 258 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 killed3,254 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,753 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,430 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured931 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees190 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions171 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced88 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations64 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Singapore Stories reporting people falling ill44 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 much harsher than 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

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.