← 5 Aug Saturday 6 August 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 7 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
32,268 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 →

A disaster in Rouen, violence in Brussels and building collapse in Morocco drew the news. Belgium's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and India →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostKuwait 80 in 100 of its 113 stories, usually 22
RegionEast Asia 23 in 100 of its stories, usually 17
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

France

1,191 of its 2,176 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Rouen accounted for 862 of France's 1,191 stories about harm, carried by 905 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (742 stories). Gas explosion was named in 89 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with poisoning. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

France over 30 days → its stories → Rouen stories →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

459 of its 758 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Brussels accounted for 325 of Belgium's 459 stories about harm, carried by 348 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (278 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Belgium over 30 days → its stories → Brussels stories →
Rights & justice

Morocco

76 of its 112 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Building collapse was named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Morocco over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Uganda

107 of its 172 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Kampala accounted for 79 of Uganda's 107 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. 62 of Kampala's 79 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (65 stories).

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

Iran

422 of its 729 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (99 stories). Road crashes were named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice 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

Ukraine

200 of its 420 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Luhansk accounted for 166 of Ukraine's 200 stories about harm, carried by 210 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (106 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

889 of its 1,052 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 77%. Aleppo accounted for 582 of Syria's 889 stories about harm, carried by 411 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kuwait

90 of its 113 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Ethiopia

84 of its 123 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. 31 of Amhara's 31 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (30 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Japan

515 of its 1,394 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (369 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Mexico (161 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Taiwan (27 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Sweden (23 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in Myanmar (19 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); wildfires in Spain (72 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 21 the day before
27 in 10020 in 1008 Jul15 Jul22 Jul29 Jul6 Aug8 Jul: 25 in 1009 Jul: 27 in 10010 Jul: 26 in 10011 Jul: 23 in 10012 Jul: 22 in 10013 Jul: 20 in 10014 Jul: 20 in 10015 Jul: 25 in 10016 Jul: 26 in 10017 Jul: 27 in 10018 Jul: 23 in 10019 Jul: 23 in 10020 Jul: 22 in 10021 Jul: 21 in 10022 Jul: 21 in 10023 Jul: 24 in 10024 Jul: 24 in 10025 Jul: 22 in 10026 Jul: 21 in 10027 Jul: 20 in 10028 Jul: 20 in 10029 Jul: 21 in 10030 Jul: 25 in 10031 Jul: 24 in 1001 Aug: 22 in 1002 Aug: 21 in 1003 Aug: 21 in 1004 Aug: 21 in 1005 Aug: 21 in 1006 Aug: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 6 Aug. 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 32,268 stories about harm among 146,447 counted on 6 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and India. of the day's 146,447 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. France stood out: 55% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 45%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria85 in 100 of its 1,052 stories · usually 77 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen83 in 100 of its 346 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Kuwait80 in 100 of its 113 stories · usually 22 · mostly conflict & violence Greenland74 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 40 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 375 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Chicago US166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 300 Milwaukee US154 stories about protests or strikes, of its 170 Aleppo Syria145 stories about protests or strikes, of its 582 Washington US104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1073 Fengrui China84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 86

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 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 lessUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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 lessPoland: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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 lessLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: 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 lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 readChina: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia 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 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: 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 readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualNicaragua: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about one and a half times its own usualColombia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBelize: warmth about its own usualHavana, Cuba -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 32 outletsFrench Riviera, France -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsMasaya, Nicaragua -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsSpringfield, US -- conflict & violence: 33 stories, carried by 31 outletsGreat Wall, China -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsWhite Sulphur Springs, US -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 13 outletsDinka, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 15 outletsCanberra, Australia -- health: 17 stories, carried by 13 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

● Cuba warmth about one and a half times usual ● Colombia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual ● Nicaragua warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Havana Cuba about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 36 stories ● French Riviera France about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Masaya Nicaragua about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Springfield US about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 33 stories ● Great Wall China about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 8,595 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Conflict & violence24% 7,530 stories · less than usual (usually 26%) Health18% 5,766 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 5,192 stories · more than usual (usually 13%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 2,295 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 950 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 943 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 572 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 killed10,466 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,509 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,276 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,275 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions693 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees504 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations400 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced360 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Ukraine and Yemen Stories reporting people falling ill182 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and India

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.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Fearabout as 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.