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What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,436 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 →

Violence in Idlib, the avalanche in Austria and the cyclone in Madagascar drew the news. Syria's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 51 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostAustria 56 in 100 of its 114 stories, usually 33
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 32
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 →
Conflict & violence

Syria

185 of its 218 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Idlib accounted for 90 of Syria's 185 stories about harm, carried by 152 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Idlib stories →
Health

Austria

64 of its 114 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Avalanche was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Austria over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Madagascar

28 of its 32 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Cyclone was named in 28 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Madagascar over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Nigeria

412 of its 1,122 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (15 stories). Oil spill was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Nigeria over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 82 of Afghanistan's 125 stories about harm, carried by 243 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (21 stories). Illness was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Displacement

DR Congo

12 of its 15 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Ituri accounted for 10 of the DR Congo's 12 stories about harm, carried by 9 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

48 of its 78 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Malawi

44 of its 87 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Illness was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

64 of its 149 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Colombo accounted for 44 of Sri Lanka's 64 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Nepal

25 of its 46 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Kathmandu accounted for 16 of Nepal's 25 stories about harm, carried by 9 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Tonga (24 of its stories, about three times its usual); hiv in Netherlands (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in Ethiopia (20 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Malawi (18 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Afghanistan (26 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 25 the day before
30 in 10024 in 1006 Jan13 Jan20 Jan27 Jan4 Feb6 Jan: 29 in 1007 Jan: 29 in 1008 Jan: 30 in 1009 Jan: 30 in 10010 Jan: 28 in 10011 Jan: 28 in 10012 Jan: 27 in 10013 Jan: 27 in 10014 Jan: 27 in 10015 Jan: 28 in 10016 Jan: 29 in 10017 Jan: 27 in 10018 Jan: 26 in 10019 Jan: 27 in 10020 Jan: 26 in 10021 Jan: 26 in 10022 Jan: 27 in 10023 Jan: 26 in 10024 Jan: 25 in 10025 Jan: 25 in 10026 Jan: 25 in 10027 Jan: 24 in 10028 Jan: 25 in 10029 Jan: 26 in 10030 Jan: 27 in 10031 Jan: 25 in 1001 Feb: 24 in 1002 Feb: 24 in 1003 Feb: 25 in 1004 Feb: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Feb. 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 20,436 stories about harm among 84,785 counted on 4 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Syria. Madagascar's news mentioned the cyclone about 4 times as often as usual. 24 in every 100 of the day's 84,785 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 27. In Syria, 85% of the news was about people being harmed, where 69% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria85 in 100 of its 218 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen70 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq62 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 46 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan58 in 100 of its 215 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Austria56 in 100 of its 114 stories · usually 33 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Ottawa Canada139 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182 Washington US131 stories about protests or strikes, of its 751 Chicago US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 177 London UK37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 286 Delhi India28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 250

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: no storiesU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: no storiesTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: no storiesAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: near the world's share or lessYemen: 70 in 100 of its 56 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Vietnam: 34 in 100 of its 152 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Uganda: 40 in 100 of its 65 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Türkiye: 34 in 100 of its 176 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Tunisia: 44 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Tonga: 75 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Thailand: 35 in 100 of its 160 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Tanzania: 43 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Syria: 85 in 100 of its 218 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)South Sudan: 60 in 100 of its 20 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Sudan: 59 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Sri Lanka: 43 in 100 of its 149 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)South Africa: 33 in 100 of its 742 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Somalia: 54 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Seychelles: 58 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Philippines: 43 in 100 of its 667 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Pakistan: 34 in 100 of its 496 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Nigeria: 37 in 100 of its 1,122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Nicaragua: 65 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)New Zealand: 39 in 100 of its 457 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Nepal: 54 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Mozambique: 64 in 100 of its 33 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Malta: 39 in 100 of its 56 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Mali: 45 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Malawi: 51 in 100 of its 87 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Madagascar: 88 in 100 of its 32 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kyrgyzstan: 52 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kenya: 32 in 100 of its 187 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Israel: 36 in 100 of its 379 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 41 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Iraq: 62 in 100 of its 78 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Iran: 34 in 100 of its 112 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Indonesia: 41 in 100 of its 162 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Haiti: 62 in 100 of its 13 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Guinea: 41 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Ethiopia: 52 in 100 of its 63 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Ecuador: 52 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Denmark: 35 in 100 of its 116 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)DR Congo: 80 in 100 of its 15 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Hong Kong: 35 in 100 of its 92 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Canada: 33 in 100 of its 2,062 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Myanmar: 70 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Burundi: 75 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Burkina Faso: 48 in 100 of its 23 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Brunei: 58 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Botswana: 53 in 100 of its 15 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Bangladesh: 45 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Austria: 56 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Argentina: 40 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Afghanistan: 58 in 100 of its 215 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 81 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 41 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 41 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 81 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 81 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 41 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 81 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)St Kitts & Nevis: 75 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 24 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Syria 85 in 100 of its 218 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Afghanistan 58 in 100 of its 215 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Yemen 70 in 100 of its 56 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Iraq 62 in 100 of its 78 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Austria 56 in 100 of its 114 stories · mostly health ● Philippines 43 in 100 of its 667 stories · mostly health

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health51% 10,348 stories · much less than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice18% 3,692 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Disasters & accidents13% 2,611 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,503 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 819 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 518 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 498 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 260 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 killed4,376 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,507 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,463 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured843 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees134 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations128 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people displaced122 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions116 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill32 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Argentina

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

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.