← 26 Sep Wednesday 27 September 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 28 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,164 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 →

A disaster in Baghdad, people displaced in Yerevan and rights and justice in Pyongyang drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostIraq 84 in 100 of its 405 stories, usually 41
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Iraq

341 of its 405 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Baghdad accounted for 126 of Iraq's 341 stories about harm, carried by 495 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (286 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Displacement

Armenia

162 of its 252 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Yerevan accounted for 63 of Armenia's 162 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (83 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Armenia over 30 days → its stories → Yerevan stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Portugal

56 of its 163 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (32 stories). Wildfires were named in 40 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with heatwave.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ireland

356 of its 1,373 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (61 stories). Power cuts were named in 56 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

South Korea

129 of its 500 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Seoul accounted for 92 of South Korea's 129 stories about harm, carried by 286 outlets.

its stories →
Rights & justice

U.S. Virgin Islands

18 of its 34 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Norway

24 of its 112 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Pakistan

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Outbreaks were named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Portugal (40 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); power cuts in Ireland (56 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in France (23 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); covid in Saudi Arabia (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in Afghanistan (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 17 the day before
20 in 10017 in 10029 Aug5 Sep12 Sep19 Sep27 Sep29 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 19 in 10031 Aug: 20 in 1001 Sep: 18 in 1002 Sep: 19 in 1003 Sep: 19 in 1004 Sep: 18 in 1005 Sep: 18 in 1006 Sep: 18 in 1007 Sep: 17 in 1008 Sep: 17 in 1009 Sep: 19 in 10010 Sep: 19 in 10011 Sep: 19 in 10012 Sep: 18 in 10013 Sep: 18 in 10014 Sep: 18 in 10015 Sep: 18 in 10016 Sep: 19 in 10017 Sep: 18 in 10018 Sep: 18 in 10019 Sep: 18 in 10020 Sep: 18 in 10021 Sep: 18 in 10022 Sep: 17 in 10023 Sep: 18 in 10024 Sep: 18 in 10025 Sep: 18 in 10026 Sep: 17 in 10027 Sep: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 Sep. 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 20,164 stories about harm among 116,548 counted on 27 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

In Portugal's news, mentions of wildfires ran about 8 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 17 in every 100 of the day's 116,548 stories, as usual. Iraq's news was 84% about people being harmed, against a usual 41%. On 27 September 2022, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq84 in 100 of its 405 stories · usually 41 · mostly disasters & accidents Armenia64 in 100 of its 252 stories · usually 32 · mostly displacement Libya63 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 79 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria54 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan51 in 100 of its 136 stories · usually 47 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US154 stories about protests or strikes, of its 608 Philadelphia US110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 268 Manipur India64 stories about protests or strikes, of its 106 Hollywood US63 stories about protests or strikes, of its 211 Jerusalem Israel41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 104

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTunisia: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: too little coverage to readHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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 lessCrimea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualAnambra, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 17 outletsArkansas, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsOklahoma, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 20 outletsLake Conjola, Australia -- health: 10 stories, carried by 81 outletsPeshawar, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsMilan, Italy -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 18 outletsGusau, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 16 outletsNablus, Palestine -- rights & justice: 12 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

● Anambra Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Arkansas US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Oklahoma US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Lake Conjola Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Peshawar Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health32% 6,405 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Rights & justice26% 5,096 stories · more than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents15% 3,034 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence11% 2,104 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 897 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 893 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 865 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 484 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 killed4,535 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,250 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,195 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,370 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees280 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions189 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced173 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations118 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Armenia 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
● 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

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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.