← 27 Oct Monday 28 October 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,871 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), livelihoods in Buenos Aires and people affected in Vietnam. Syria's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and New Zealand →
Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostArgentina 30 in 100 of its 320 stories, usually 15
RegionCentral Asia 19 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
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

Iraq

344 of its 445 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Baghdad accounted for 235 of Iraq's 344 stories about harm, carried by 385 outlets. 125 of Baghdad's 235 stories were about protests or strikes. 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.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Vietnam

84 of its 290 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

658 of its 960 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Idlib accounted for 297 of Syria's 658 stories about harm, carried by 619 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Chile

89 of its 179 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Santiago accounted for 76 of Chile's 89 stories about harm, carried by 146 outlets. 70 of Santiago's 76 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Latvia

11 of its 35 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 8 of Riga's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Power cuts were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iran

92 of its 219 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Tehran accounted for 54 of Iran's 92 stories about harm, carried by 115 outlets. 32 of Tehran's 54 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

85 of its 172 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (52 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tanzania

7 of Dar es Salaam's 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

24 of Tsim Sha Tsui's 28 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in Latvia (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in El Salvador (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Cambodia (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Malaysia (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 20 the day before
20 in 10016 in 10029 Sep6 Oct13 Oct20 Oct28 Oct29 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 1006 Oct: 19 in 1007 Oct: 18 in 1008 Oct: 17 in 1009 Oct: 17 in 10010 Oct: 18 in 10011 Oct: 18 in 10012 Oct: 20 in 10013 Oct: 19 in 10014 Oct: 18 in 10015 Oct: 17 in 10016 Oct: 17 in 10017 Oct: 17 in 10018 Oct: 17 in 10019 Oct: 18 in 10020 Oct: 18 in 10021 Oct: 17 in 10022 Oct: 16 in 10023 Oct: 17 in 10024 Oct: 16 in 10025 Oct: 17 in 10026 Oct: 19 in 10027 Oct: 20 in 10028 Oct: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 19,871 stories about harm among 109,990 counted on 28 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Latvia's news mentioned power cuts more than ten times as often as usual. 18 in every 100 of the day's 109,990 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and New Zealand. the news turned to Iraq for the second day running. A year earlier, on 28 October 2018, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq77 in 100 of its 445 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Syria69 in 100 of its 960 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia54 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan51 in 100 of its 197 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Chile50 in 100 of its 179 stories · usually 39 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US129 stories about protests or strikes, of its 839 Baghdad Iraq125 stories about protests or strikes, of its 235 Chicago US79 stories about protests or strikes, of its 220 Santiago Chile70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 76 Beijing China36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 80

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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 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: 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 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: 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 lessSaudi 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: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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 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: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualMaine, US -- shelter & services: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsShiv, India -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsNorth Carolina, US -- health: 29 stories, carried by 49 outletsShanghai, China -- health: 25 stories, carried by 44 outletsDurban, South Africa -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 29 stories, carried by 33 outletsBerlin, Germany -- conflict & violence: 39 stories, carried by 77 outletsOttawa, Canada -- health: 33 stories, carried by 105 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

● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 14 stories ● Shiv India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● North Carolina US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories ● Shanghai China about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Durban South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 4,958 stories · less than usual (usually 29%) Health23% 4,544 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 3,454 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Disasters & accidents16% 3,130 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,240 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 889 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 636 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 542 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 killed5,232 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,288 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,161 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,320 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations516 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and New Zealand Stories reporting refugees205 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people displaced167 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill31 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
● Griefa little more 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.