What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
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The news turned to protests in Lima (Peru), evacuations in Russia and people killed in Kenya. Ethiopia's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.
Protests & strikes
21 of its 34 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 5 of Lima's 7 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories). Oil spill was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Disasters & accidents
200 of its 496 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (76 stories). Accidents were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Health
43 of its 130 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Conflict & violence
Tigray accounted for 22 of Ethiopia's 32 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes
Tehran accounted for 53 of Iran's 88 stories about harm, carried by 93 outlets. 41 of Tehran's 53 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Protests & strikes
26 of its 98 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 19 of Schiphol's 20 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories).
Health
Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (23 stories). Diphtheria was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Disasters & accidents
50 of its 230 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (22 stories).
Conflict & violence
Mogadishu accounted for 14 of Somalia's 23 stories about harm, carried by 16 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Health
Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (5 stories). Poisoning was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Also named far more than usual:
storms in Canada (22 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); illness in Ukraine (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); poisoning in China (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Nigeria (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tornadoes in US (133 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).
Read the day's briefing
Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Russia and the US. 20 in every 100 of the day's 42,515 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Peru, 62% of the news was about people being harmed, where 27% is usual. On 5 November 2021, a year earlier, the share was 24 in every 100, against 20 today.
- 20 in every 100 of the day's 42,515 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 20).
- Peru: 21 of its 34 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%.
- Russia: 200 of its 496 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%.
- Kenya: 43 of its 130 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%.
- Ethiopia: Tigray accounted for 22 of Ethiopia's 32 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets.
- Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Russia and the US.
- Mentions of oil spill ran more than ten times their usual in Peru's news.
- Mentions of storms ran about 6 times their usual in Canada's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were harsher than usual.
- A year earlier, on 5 November 2021, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
The day in three measures
harshwarm
The words in the day's stories were 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
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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.