← 16 Oct Tuesday 17 October 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,441 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 →

Flooding in Ghana, violence in Gaza and storms in Vietnam drew the news. Palestine's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read 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 twice 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 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostGhana 33 in 100 of its 476 stories, usually 21
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 57 in 100 of its stories, usually 50
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Ghana

155 of its 476 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Akosombo accounted for 70 of Ghana's 155 stories about harm, carried by 18 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (8 stories). Flooding was named in 41 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Conflict & violence

Palestine

592 of its 912 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Gaza accounted for 522 of Palestine's 592 stories about harm, carried by 703 outlets. Cholera was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Health

Vietnam

211 of its 740 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (45 stories). Storms were named in 22 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with wildfires.

6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Uganda

41 of its 106 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Brazil

67 of its 264 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Storms were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Conflict & violence

France

209 of its 965 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Israel

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (287 stories). Cholera was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 62 of Iran's 130 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Chad

15 of its 34 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 3 of Ndjamena's 3 stories were about protests or strikes.

Also named far more than usual: covid in Romania (13 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); heavy rain in Ireland (34 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in Brazil (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Iran (12 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); road crashes in Canada (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10018 Sep25 Sep2 Oct9 Oct17 Oct18 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 10017 Oct: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 21,441 stories about harm among 112,068 counted on 17 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 112,068 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US. It was the second day running that the news turned to Ghana. In Ghana, 33% of the news was about people being harmed, where 21% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessYemen: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPhilippines: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: near the world's share or lessNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: no storiesMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIraq: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: no storiesEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessComoros: near the world's share or lessColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBangladesh: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): no storiesWestern Sahara (Free Zone): no storiesVatican City: no storiesMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: near the world's share or lessSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesVietnam: 29 in 100 of its 740 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Ukraine: 25 in 100 of its 594 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Uganda: 39 in 100 of its 106 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Türkiye: 25 in 100 of its 204 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Tonga: 55 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Thailand: 30 in 100 of its 213 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Syria: 46 in 100 of its 54 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Sweden: 26 in 100 of its 264 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)South Sudan: 83 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Sudan: 69 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Somalia: 67 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Sierra Leone: 39 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Papua New Guinea: 35 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)North Korea: 36 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Mali: 50 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Libya: 37 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Liberia: 30 in 100 of its 86 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Lebanon: 42 in 100 of its 103 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Israel: 71 in 100 of its 5,496 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 912 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Iran: 50 in 100 of its 262 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Haiti: 33 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Guatemala: 44 in 100 of its 25 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Ghana: 33 in 100 of its 476 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Ecuador: 31 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Dominican Republic: 68 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Cyprus: 28 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Congo: 50 in 100 of its 18 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Chad: 44 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Cambodia: 30 in 100 of its 100 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Myanmar: 57 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Brunei: 50 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Brazil: 25 in 100 of its 264 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Armenia: 28 in 100 of its 115 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Albania: 38 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Afghanistan: 52 in 100 of its 147 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 136 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 912 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 912 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 136 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 136 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Ukraine: 25 in 100 of its 594 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 912 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 136 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 19)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 19 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

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

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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.