← 15 Oct Monday 16 October 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,549 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 illness in Helsinki, rights and justice in Quito and flooding in Ghana. Finland's coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US → Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Israel and Palestine → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostFinland 52 in 100 of its 130 stories, usually 15
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 57 in 100 of its stories, usually 49
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Finland

67 of its 130 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Helsinki accounted for 34 of Finland's 67 stories about harm, carried by 115 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Finland over 30 days → its stories → Helsinki stories →
Conflict & violence

Ecuador

93 of its 158 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Quito accounted for 67 of Ecuador's 93 stories about harm, carried by 421 outlets. Covid was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Ecuador over 30 days → its stories → Quito stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ghana

140 of its 446 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (22 stories). Flooding was named in 40 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

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

France

199 of its 916 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 24 of Sudan's 50 stories about harm, carried by 48 outlets. Cholera was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 67 of Iran's 126 stories about harm, carried by 70 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Dominican Republic

22 of its 44 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Albania

10 of its 23 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. 5 of Tirana's 9 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Malta

25 of its 85 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cholera in Sudan (23 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in Brazil (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); earthquake in Pakistan (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drownings in Australia (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); hiv in UK (24 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 22 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10017 Sep24 Sep1 Oct8 Oct16 Oct17 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 1009 Oct: 22 in 10010 Oct: 21 in 10011 Oct: 21 in 10012 Oct: 20 in 10013 Oct: 20 in 10014 Oct: 21 in 10015 Oct: 22 in 10016 Oct: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 20,549 stories about harm among 101,426 counted on 16 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Finland stood out: 52% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 15%. 20 in every 100 of the day's 101,426 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US. Mentions of the cholera ran about three times their usual in Sudan's news.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan75 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Israel71 in 100 of its 5,412 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine59 in 100 of its 802 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Ecuador59 in 100 of its 158 stories · usually 39 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan52 in 100 of its 243 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 486 Tel Aviv Israel96 stories about protests or strikes, of its 469 Jerusalem Israel88 stories about protests or strikes, of its 525 Gaza Palestine58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 384 London UK54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 321

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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 lessUkraine: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: 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 lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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 lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLiberia: 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: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: 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 lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: 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 lessIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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 readFiji: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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 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 lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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 lessEast Jerusalem: 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: too little coverage to readAmerican 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readUruguay: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEcuador: warmth about its own usualAntigua & Barbuda: warmth about its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualHelsinki, Finland -- health: 34 stories, carried by 115 outletsColorado, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsMissouri, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 76 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- displacement: 28 stories, carried by 44 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 26 stories, carried by 16 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- disasters & accidents: 36 stories, carried by 23 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 24 outletsZurich, Switzerland -- health: 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

● Finland warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Helsinki Finland about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Missouri US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Warsaw Poland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 28 stories ● Calgary Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 26 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health27% 5,412 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence24% 4,933 stories · much more than usual (usually 18%) Rights & justice20% 4,006 stories · less than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents12% 2,425 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Displacement5% 1,005 stories · more than usual (usually 3%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 882 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 806 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 790 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 killed6,222 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,525 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,724 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,680 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions1,145 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting evacuations627 at about three times the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced389 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting refugees297 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill20 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than usual
● Feara little more than 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.