← 31 Aug Thursday 1 September 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
59,056 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 protests in Mogadishu (Somalia), a disaster in Budapest and people falling ill in French Polynesia. French Polynesia's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Israel →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGabon 81 in 100 of its 1,121 stories, usually 12
RegionCentral Asia 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
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 →
Protests & strikes

Somalia

284 of its 327 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Mogadishu accounted for 196 of Somalia's 284 stories about harm, carried by 240 outlets. 150 of Mogadishu's 196 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Drought was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with hunger. 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.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Disasters & accidents

Hungary

161 of its 321 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Budapest accounted for 139 of Hungary's 161 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (138 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Hungary over 30 days → its stories → Budapest stories →
Rights & justice

Denmark

270 of its 557 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (128 stories). Heavy rain was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

Denmark over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Gabon

907 of its 1,121 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Libreville accounted for 777 of Gabon's 907 stories about harm, carried by 424 outlets. 728 of Libreville's 777 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (517 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.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Venezuela

558 of its 775 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Caracas accounted for 523 of Venezuela's 558 stories about harm, carried by 457 outlets. 460 of Caracas' 523 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (327 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Angola

41 of its 87 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. 7 of Luanda's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (23 stories). Haemorrhagic fever was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

314 of Damascus' 436 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 8 times the usual rate (395 stories). Drought was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kashmir

47 of Baramulla's 70 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (35 stories). Landslides were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Uzbekistan

166 of its 237 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Tashkent accounted for 152 of Uzbekistan's 166 stories about harm, carried by 171 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in New Zealand (416 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); haemorrhagic fever in Angola (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hypothermia in Eritrea (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hurricane in US (2937 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); malaria in Ghana (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 21 the day before
24 in 10020 in 1003 Aug10 Aug17 Aug24 Aug1 Sep3 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 10021 Aug: 24 in 10022 Aug: 22 in 10023 Aug: 22 in 10024 Aug: 23 in 10025 Aug: 22 in 10026 Aug: 22 in 10027 Aug: 24 in 10028 Aug: 23 in 10029 Aug: 23 in 10030 Aug: 22 in 10031 Aug: 21 in 1001 Sep: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 Sep. 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 59,056 stories about harm among 283,423 counted on 1 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Israel. 21 in every 100 of the day's 283,423 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. For the second day running, the news turned to Somalia. Somalia stood out: 87% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 63%. Over August, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia87 in 100 of its 327 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Gabon81 in 100 of its 1,121 stories · usually 12 · mostly conflict & violence Syria79 in 100 of its 1,391 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence South Sudan77 in 100 of its 159 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen74 in 100 of its 162 stories · usually 83 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Libreville Gabon728 stories about protests or strikes, of its 777 Caracas Venezuela460 stories about protests or strikes, of its 523 Damascus Syria314 stories about protests or strikes, of its 436 Washington US204 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1382 Albuquerque US158 stories about protests or strikes, of its 184

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: too little coverage to readSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: 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 lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: too little coverage to readMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: 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 lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: 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 lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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 lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: 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 readCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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 lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about its own usualLesotho: warmth about its own usualLaos: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualHungary: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualGabon: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBolivia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelize: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualCastelbajac, France -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 76 stories, carried by 82 outletsFranklin County, US -- health: 78 stories, carried by 78 outletsDurban, South Africa -- rights & justice: 62 stories, carried by 82 outletsDistrict of Columbia, US -- health: 26 stories, carried by 35 outletsJuba, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 114 stories, carried by 123 outletsHanoi, Vietnam -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 18 outletsBelgrade, -- conflict & violence: 48 stories, carried by 85 outletsFrankfurt, Germany -- displacement: 12 stories, carried by 10 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

● Mexico warmth about one and a half times usual ● Hungary warmth about one and a half times usual ● Switzerland warmth about one and a half times usual ● France warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Bolivia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Castelbajac France about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 76 stories ● Franklin County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 78 stories ● Durban South Africa about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 62 stories ● District of Columbia US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 26 stories ● Juba South Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 114 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 16,606 stories · about as usual Health23% 13,397 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents17% 10,086 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 9,617 stories · much less than usual (usually 23%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 3,310 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,955 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,687 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,141 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 killed15,468 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting arrests7,978 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected7,014 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,556 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Gabon Stories reporting refugees1,315 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced790 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting abductions708 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting evacuations615 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill263 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Israel

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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout two-thirds of 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.