← 30 Oct Thursday 31 October 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Nov →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,645 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 people injured in Pakistan, protests in la Paz (Bolivia) and people killed in the Netherlands. Pakistan's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostPakistan 49 in 100 of its 1,199 stories, usually 30
RegionSouth Asia 27 in 100 of its stories, usually 23
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Pakistan

589 of its 1,199 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (256 stories). Train derailment was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bolivia

24 of its 43 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 8 of la Paz's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (18 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Bolivia over 30 days → its stories → La Paz stories →
Health

Netherlands

86 of its 383 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Netherlands over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

18 of its 22 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Niger over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Cambodia

64 of its 147 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Koh Rong accounted for 34 of Cambodia's 64 stories about harm, carried by 57 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Drownings were named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

243 of its 339 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Baghdad accounted for 162 of Iraq's 243 stories about harm, carried by 334 outlets. 113 of Baghdad's 162 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

327 of its 830 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 6 times the usual rate (24 stories). Tsunami was named in 42 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with landslides.

its stories →
Health

South Sudan

38 of its 51 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Ebola was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

172 of its 247 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Kabul accounted for 51 of Afghanistan's 172 stories about harm, carried by 97 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

407 of its 577 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Idlib accounted for 167 of Syria's 407 stories about harm, carried by 568 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drownings in Cambodia (29 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); ebola in South Sudan (18 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); flooding in Somalia (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in Yemen (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); landslides in Cameroon (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 17 the day before
20 in 10016 in 1002 Oct9 Oct16 Oct23 Oct31 Oct2 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 10029 Oct: 18 in 10030 Oct: 17 in 10031 Oct: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 22,645 stories about harm among 132,416 counted on 31 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 17 in every 100 of the day's 132,416 stories, as usual. A year earlier, on 31 October 2018, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Sudan75 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Iraq72 in 100 of its 339 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Syria71 in 100 of its 577 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 247 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen69 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US117 stories about protests or strikes, of its 682 Baghdad Iraq113 stories about protests or strikes, of its 162 Santiago Chile62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 86 Chicago US55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 194 Delhi India51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 143

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: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSão 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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 lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBurundi: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKarbala, Iraq -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsShiv, India -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsPennsylvania, US -- health: 29 stories, carried by 31 outletsBasij, Iran -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsLos Muertos, Mexico -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsArizona, US -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 12 outletsBlackrock, Canada -- health: 12 stories, carried by 14 outletsEnugu, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 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

● Karbala Iraq about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Shiv India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Pennsylvania US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories ● Basij Iran about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Los Muertos Mexico about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 5,947 stories · less than usual (usually 29%) Health24% 5,348 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents20% 4,317 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Conflict & violence14% 3,042 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,134 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 1,039 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 592 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 535 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 killed5,844 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,878 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,317 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people injured1,394 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations353 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines Stories reporting refugees298 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and Türkiye Stories reporting people displaced209 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions117 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill35 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 softer 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.