← 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.

Ghana over 30 days → its stories → Akosombo stories →
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.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Gaza stories →
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.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →

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 all →

Israel71 in 100 of its 5,496 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan69 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 68 · mostly health Palestine65 in 100 of its 912 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan52 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents Iran50 in 100 of its 262 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tel Aviv Israel113 stories about protests or strikes, of its 665 Washington US110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 483 Jerusalem Israel106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 446 London UK103 stories about protests or strikes, of its 346 Gaza Palestine78 stories about protests or strikes, of its 522

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: too little coverage to readVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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 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: too little coverage to readNiger: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: 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 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 readArgentina: 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: 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 lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: 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: 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualMankato, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsRockland, US -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 18 outletsAthens, Greece -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 23 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- disasters & accidents: 22 stories, carried by 17 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 23 stories, carried by 14 outletsAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 39 stories, carried by 14 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

● Mankato US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Rockland US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Athens Greece about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 22 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health26% 5,465 stories · less than usual (usually 29%) Conflict & violence25% 5,314 stories · much more than usual (usually 18%) Rights & justice21% 4,409 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 2,372 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Displacement5% 999 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 931 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 835 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 759 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 killed6,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,628 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,988 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,577 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions1,256 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting evacuations537 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced488 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting refugees344 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.