← 19 Aug Saturday 20 August 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,304 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 →

The news turned to violence in Putumayo, protests in Islamabad (Pakistan) and people displaced in Juba. Pakistan's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Haiti and the US → Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostColombia 75 in 100 of its 310 stories, usually 29
RegionEast Asia 20 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Colombia

234 of its 310 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Putumayo accounted for 149 of Colombia's 234 stories about harm, carried by 137 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (135 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Protests & strikes

Pakistan

1,371 of its 2,215 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. 676 of Islamabad's 864 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (663 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Displacement

South Sudan

144 of its 177 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Juba accounted for 130 of South Sudan's 144 stories about harm, carried by 140 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (109 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Uganda

17 of Kivu's 26 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (34 stories). Plague was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

179 of its 374 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Norway

62 of its 157 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Sudan

51 of its 73 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Philippines

660 of its 1,848 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Drownings were named in 31 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Yemen

Sanaa accounted for 143 of Yemen's 199 stories about harm, carried by 132 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Japan (148 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); heavy rain in India (489 of its stories, about three times its usual); plague in Uganda (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Vietnam (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cholera in Ethiopia (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10022 Jul29 Jul5 Aug12 Aug20 Aug22 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 1007 Aug: 22 in 1008 Aug: 20 in 1009 Aug: 20 in 10010 Aug: 20 in 10011 Aug: 20 in 10012 Aug: 20 in 10013 Aug: 22 in 10014 Aug: 24 in 10015 Aug: 23 in 10016 Aug: 22 in 10017 Aug: 22 in 10018 Aug: 21 in 10019 Aug: 20 in 10020 Aug: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 33,304 stories about harm among 152,889 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of peace efforts, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. 22 in every 100 of the day's 152,889 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Colombia, 75% of the news was about people being harmed, where 29% is usual. People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Haiti and the US. Mentions of the tsunami ran about 7 times their usual in Japan's news.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: 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 lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: near the world's share or lessCayman 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 lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: no storiesTanzania: 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 lessSweden: 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 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 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 lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMauritius: 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 lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: 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 lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: no storiesGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: 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: no storiesNew 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 lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: no storiesEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: 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: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: 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 lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: 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 lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: 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 lessBahrain: 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 storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall 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: no storiesBermuda: 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: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: near the world's share or lessZimbabwe: 32 in 100 of its 334 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Yemen: 71 in 100 of its 279 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Puerto Rico: 47 in 100 of its 72 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Uganda: 38 in 100 of its 125 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Türkiye: 66 in 100 of its 1,439 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Tunisia: 70 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Thailand: 37 in 100 of its 346 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Syria: 62 in 100 of its 1,528 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)South Sudan: 81 in 100 of its 177 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Sudan: 70 in 100 of its 73 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Somalia: 62 in 100 of its 203 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Sierra Leone: 43 in 100 of its 37 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Saudi Arabia: 48 in 100 of its 374 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Rwanda: 32 in 100 of its 188 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Philippines: 36 in 100 of its 1,848 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Peru: 38 in 100 of its 205 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Pakistan: 62 in 100 of its 2,215 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Norway: 39 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)North Korea: 57 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Nigeria: 30 in 100 of its 1,849 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Nicaragua: 60 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Netherlands: 37 in 100 of its 278 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Mozambique: 55 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Mexico: 29 in 100 of its 708 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Mauritania: 76 in 100 of its 25 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Mali: 50 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)North Macedonia: 42 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Libya: 82 in 100 of its 133 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Lebanon: 44 in 100 of its 105 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Israel: 44 in 100 of its 481 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 52 in 100 of its 355 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Iraq: 63 in 100 of its 286 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Iran: 47 in 100 of its 559 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Indonesia: 32 in 100 of its 367 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Honduras: 61 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Haiti: 79 in 100 of its 329 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Guyana: 33 in 100 of its 92 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Guinea: 75 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Guatemala: 69 in 100 of its 87 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Ethiopia: 38 in 100 of its 176 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)El Salvador: 56 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Egypt: 35 in 100 of its 287 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Congo: 61 in 100 of its 138 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Colombia: 75 in 100 of its 310 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Burundi: 55 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Bangladesh: 40 in 100 of its 488 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Bahamas: 38 in 100 of its 68 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Angola: 35 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Afghanistan: 75 in 100 of its 626 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 310 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 52 in 100 of its 355 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 52 in 100 of its 355 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 310 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 310 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 52 in 100 of its 355 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 46 in 100 of its 310 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Nauru: 75 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)
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 22 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 much softer 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

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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.