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What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
13,053 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to the earthquake in Afghanistan, abductions in Israel and protests in Tehran (Iran). Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US → Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Israel and Afghanistan → Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate, most often about Israel and Nigeria → Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Israel and Afghanistan → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about 7 times the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 38 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostIsrael 81 in 100 of its 4,578 stories, usually 43
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 68 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Afghanistan

428 of its 510 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Herat accounted for 360 of Afghanistan's 428 stories about harm, carried by 690 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (290 stories). Earthquake was named in 336 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Israel

3,723 of its 4,578 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (674 stories). Train derailment was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Protests & strikes

Iran

130 of its 197 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Tehran accounted for 50 of Iran's 130 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. 26 of Tehran's 50 stories were about protests or strikes. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Egypt

91 of its 192 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Alexandria accounted for 59 of Egypt's 91 stories about harm, carried by 170 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Ghana

64 of its 241 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 16 of Accra's 27 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (32 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 115 of Palestine's 194 stories about harm, carried by 139 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Flooding was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Disasters & accidents

Hong Kong

55 of its 105 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Cheung Chau accounted for 30 of Hong Kong's 55 stories about harm, carried by 111 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories).

Conflict & violence

Ecuador

24 of its 30 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Vietnam

247 of its 777 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (162 stories). Landslides were named in 50 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with wildfires.

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Indonesia (16 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); tropical storm in Guam (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Vietnam (50 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in Mexico (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Ukraine (20 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 22 the day before
23 in 10017 in 1009 Sep16 Sep23 Sep30 Sep8 Oct9 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 10029 Sep: 18 in 10030 Sep: 18 in 1001 Oct: 18 in 1002 Oct: 18 in 1003 Oct: 18 in 1004 Oct: 18 in 1005 Oct: 18 in 1006 Oct: 18 in 1007 Oct: 22 in 1008 Oct: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 13,053 stories about harm among 55,907 counted on 8 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 25 December 2022. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about 7 times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 55,907 stories, above the usual 18. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US. This week the news turned most often to Thailand, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 3 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where it happened

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Guwahati, India -- accidents & disasters: 13 stories, carried by 40 outlets; harsh wording in 85 in 100Tehran, Iran -- protests & strikes: 50 stories, carried by 68 outlets; harsh wording in 68 in 100Berlin, Germany -- attacks & violence: 29 stories, carried by 48 outlets; harsh wording in 90 in 100Canberra, Australia -- accidents & disasters: 16 stories, carried by 84 outlets; harsh wording in 69 in 100Moscow, Russia -- attacks & violence: 27 stories, carried by 46 outlets; harsh wording in 93 in 100Hindu Kush, Afghanistan -- accidents & disasters: 11 stories, carried by 28 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- accidents & disasters: 40 stories, carried by 65 outlets; harsh wording in 80 in 100Manaus, Brazil -- accidents & disasters: 9 stories, carried by 32 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Guangdong, China -- accidents & disasters: 12 stories, carried by 39 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Chebaa, Lebanon -- attacks & violence: 5 stories, carried by 36 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Chungthang, India -- accidents & disasters: 52 stories, carried by 47 outlets; harsh wording in 88 in 100Glasgow, UK -- accidents & disasters: 24 stories, carried by 169 outlets; harsh wording in 79 in 100Pancho Villa, Mexico -- attacks & violence: 7 stories, carried by 60 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Cheung Chau, Hong Kong -- accidents & disasters: 30 stories, carried by 111 outlets; harsh wording in 77 in 100Kyiv, Ukraine -- attacks & violence: 31 stories, carried by 92 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Washington, US -- attacks & violence: 237 stories, carried by 371 outlets; harsh wording in 88 in 100Gaza, Palestine -- attacks & violence: 115 stories, carried by 139 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Inverness, UK -- accidents & disasters: 21 stories, carried by 156 outlets; harsh wording in 90 in 100Alexandria, Egypt -- attacks & violence: 59 stories, carried by 170 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Shishapangma, China -- accidents & disasters: 22 stories, carried by 121 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Kapalua, US -- accidents & disasters: 26 stories, carried by 213 outlets; harsh wording in 92 in 100Tel Aviv, Israel -- attacks & violence: 605 stories, carried by 720 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Herat, Afghanistan -- accidents & disasters: 360 stories, carried by 690 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Jerusalem, Israel -- attacks & violence: 783 stories, carried by 1,270 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersPeople displacedDeaths, cause not givenProtests & strikesDisease & outbreaks

The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its stories.

The day in three measures

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout one and a half times usual
● Fearabout one and a half times 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.