← 27 Sep Thursday 28 September 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,970 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 a disaster in Qaraqosh, protests in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and arrests in Romania. Iraq's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostIraq 72 in 100 of its 173 stories, usually 48
RegionCentral Asia 27 in 100 of its stories, usually 14
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

Iraq

125 of its 173 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Qaraqosh accounted for 47 of Iraq's 125 stories about harm, carried by 79 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (44 stories). Poisoning was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Qaraqosh stories →
Protests & strikes

Burkina Faso

52 of its 71 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Ouagadougou accounted for 36 of Burkina Faso's 52 stories about harm, carried by 91 outlets. 27 of Ouagadougou's 36 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (40 stories).

Burkina Faso over 30 days → its stories → Ouagadougou stories →
Health

Romania

36 of its 199 stories (18%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Illness was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Romania over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Netherlands

144 of its 413 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Uzbekistan

43 of its 93 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Tashkent accounted for 39 of Uzbekistan's 43 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Armenia

123 of its 257 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Haiti

39 of its 64 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 23 of Haiti's 39 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Health

Cambodia

49 of its 119 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

62 of its 183 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Pyongyang accounted for 45 of North Korea's 62 stories about harm, carried by 110 outlets.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

13 of its 20 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Costa Rica (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); earthquake in Kenya (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in Greece (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); landslides in Vietnam (11 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); flu in South Africa (21 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 17 the day before
20 in 10017 in 10030 Aug6 Sep13 Sep20 Sep28 Sep30 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 10028 Sep: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 19,970 stories about harm among 117,071 counted on 28 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 22 March 2023. 17 in every 100 of the day's 117,071 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 18. For the second day running, the news turned to Iraq. Costa Rica's news mentioned volcanic eruption about 6 times as often as usual. On 28 September 2022, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya75 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents Burkina Faso73 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq72 in 100 of its 173 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan62 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti61 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 47 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US163 stories about protests or strikes, of its 689 Philadelphia US87 stories about protests or strikes, of its 209 Manipur India62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 92 Jerusalem Israel47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 100 Imphal India35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 40

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: 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: too little coverage to readSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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 lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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 readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUkraine: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualMunich, Germany -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsInverness, UK -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsAntalya, Türkiye -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 22 outletsOklahoma, US -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 43 outletsKogi, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 16 stories, carried by 13 outletsDursley, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 21 stories, carried by 19 outletsMontana, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 22 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

● Cambodia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Munich Germany about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Inverness UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Antalya Türkiye about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Oklahoma US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 19 stories ● Kogi Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health33% 6,381 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Rights & justice26% 5,097 stories · more than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents15% 2,885 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence11% 2,203 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 1,016 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 845 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 733 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 451 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 killed4,344 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,296 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,058 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees276 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced201 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions200 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations115 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Greece Stories reporting people falling ill15 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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.