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What the world's news said happened to people.

Counts of coverage, not of suffering

58,100 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.

Most of the day's attention went to violence in Brussels, protests in Havana (Cuba) and people killed in Argentina. Belgium's coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Belgium and the US →

Part of lifeConflict & violence 38 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostBelgium 83 in 100 of its 15,112 stories, usually 45

RegionEurope 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 18

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 →

Conflict & violence

Belgium

12,609 of its 15,112 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Brussels accounted for 12,486 of Belgium's 12,609 stories about harm, carried by 3,590 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (378 stories). Earthquake was named in 210 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami and gas explosion. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Belgium over 30 days → its stories → Brussels stories →

Protests & strikes

Cuba

1,352 of its 3,941 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 596 of Havana's 1,034 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Ebola was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with cholera.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →

Rights & justice

Argentina

101 of its 303 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (80 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Argentina over 30 days → its stories →

Disasters & accidents

Mexico

206 of its 796 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hurricane.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories →

6 more places the news pointed at

Conflict & violence

Mali

301 of its 338 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Bamako accounted for 277 of Mali's 301 stories about harm, carried by 276 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (136 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

Senegal

65 of its 108 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Dakar accounted for 62 of Senegal's 65 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about 4 times its own usual.

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Burundi

74 of its 84 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Bujumbura accounted for 58 of Burundi's 74 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets. 36 of Bujumbura's 58 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Protests & strikes

Poland

89 of its 268 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 30 of Warsaw's 39 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

France

930 of its 2,595 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (273 stories). Heatwave was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

Bangladesh

243 of its 581 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Dengue was named in 41 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Papua New Guinea (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); helicopter crash in Indonesia (80 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); dengue in Bangladesh (41 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hepatitis in China (59 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in India (116 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 18 the day before

Read the day's briefing

In Papua New Guinea's news, mentions of storms ran more than ten times their usual. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Belgium and the US. 23 in every 100 of the day's 252,173 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 20. In Belgium, 83% of the news was about people being harmed, where 45% is usual.

23 in every 100 of the day's 252,173 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 20).
Belgium: 12,609 of its 15,112 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%.
Cuba: 1,352 of its 3,941 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%.
Argentina: 101 of its 303 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%.
Mexico: 206 of its 796 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%.
Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Belgium and the US.
Mentions of storms ran more than ten times their usual in Papua New Guinea's news.
Mentions of helicopter crash ran more than ten times their usual in Indonesia's news.
Across the world, the words of the day's news were much harsher than usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mali89 in 100 of its 338 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Burundi88 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 69 · mostly rights & justice Central African Republic87 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Guinea84 in 100 of its 152 stories · usually 63 · mostly health Belgium83 in 100 of its 15,112 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Havana Cuba596 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1034 Washington US444 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2005 Brussels Belgium358 stories about protests or strikes, of its 12486 Jerusalem Israel165 stories about protests or strikes, of its 505 Jakarta Indonesia125 stories about protests or strikes, of its 175

Stories, not people.

Where it happened

feelings in full →

Feelings Events Harm Warmth

Biggest events

● Brussels Belgium attacks & violence · 12,486 stories, 3,590 outlets ● San Bernardino US attacks & violence · 885 stories, 723 outlets ● Paris France attacks & violence · 693 stories, 597 outlets ● Washington US attacks & violence · 2,005 stories, 1,233 outlets ● Moscow Russia attacks & violence · 438 stories, 403 outlets ● Havana Cuba protests & strikes · 1,034 stories, 709 outlets ● Bamako Mali attacks & violence · 277 stories, 276 outlets ● Istanbul Türkiye attacks & violence · 263 stories, 254 outlets

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence38% 21,897 stories · much more than usual (usually 25%) Rights & justice27% 15,741 stories · much less than usual (usually 35%) Disasters & accidents9% 5,276 stories · less than usual (usually 13%) Health9% 4,995 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,848 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 2,340 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 2,127 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,031 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 killed25,055 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Belgium and the US Stories reporting people injured9,314 at about twice the usual rate · most about Belgium and the US Stories reporting arrests5,769 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,211 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,315 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Greece and China Stories reporting evacuations580 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Belgium and the US Stories reporting people displaced486 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions408 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Australia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill76 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Pakistan

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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual

● Warmthabout as usual

● Griefabout as 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?

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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.