← 17 Feb Saturday 18 February 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
37,516 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 →

Protests in Pyongyang (North Korea), train derailment in Belgium and rights and justice in Kuala Lumpur drew the news. Malaysia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Belgium →
Part of lifeRights & justice 34 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 64 in 100 of its 647 stories, usually 23
RegionSoutheast Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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 →
Protests & strikes

North Korea

414 of its 647 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Pyongyang accounted for 325 of North Korea's 414 stories about harm, carried by 265 outlets. 164 of Pyongyang's 325 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (321 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories → Pyongyang stories →
Disasters & accidents

Belgium

288 of its 474 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Leuven accounted for 276 of Belgium's 288 stories about harm, carried by 238 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (59 stories). Train derailment was named in 197 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Malaysia

1,264 of its 1,962 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 1,154 of Malaysia's 1,264 stories about harm, carried by 785 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (1,016 stories). Poisoning was named in 592 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Malaysia over 30 days → its stories → Kuala Lumpur stories →
Conflict & violence

South Sudan

198 of its 224 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Dinka accounted for 183 of South Sudan's 198 stories about harm, carried by 165 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (123 stories). Drought was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

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

Venezuela

143 of its 219 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Caracas accounted for 113 of Venezuela's 143 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. 108 of Caracas' 113 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (68 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

634 of its 775 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (194 stories). Extreme cold was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Germany

935 of its 3,221 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Outbreaks were named in 59 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Cambodia

289 of its 405 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (261 stories). Hunger was named in 227 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Netherlands

237 of its 512 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 101 of Spijkenisse's 163 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

626 of its 827 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hunger in Cambodia (227 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); hiv in Tanzania (35 of its stories, about three times its usual); road crashes in Palestine (66 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Israel (76 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Kazakhstan (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 21 the day before
28 in 10019 in 10020 Jan27 Jan3 Feb10 Feb18 Feb20 Jan: 20 in 10021 Jan: 24 in 10022 Jan: 23 in 10023 Jan: 21 in 10024 Jan: 19 in 10025 Jan: 20 in 10026 Jan: 20 in 10027 Jan: 19 in 10028 Jan: 24 in 10029 Jan: 28 in 10030 Jan: 24 in 10031 Jan: 21 in 1001 Feb: 20 in 1002 Feb: 22 in 1003 Feb: 22 in 1004 Feb: 23 in 1005 Feb: 23 in 1006 Feb: 20 in 1007 Feb: 21 in 1008 Feb: 22 in 1009 Feb: 22 in 10010 Feb: 21 in 10011 Feb: 23 in 10012 Feb: 22 in 10013 Feb: 22 in 10014 Feb: 21 in 10015 Feb: 20 in 10016 Feb: 21 in 10017 Feb: 21 in 10018 Feb: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 Feb. 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 37,516 stories about harm among 161,024 counted on 18 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Belgium. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 161,024 stories, above the usual 22. North Korea's news was 64% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. For the second day running, the news turned to North Korea. Cambodia's news mentioned the hunger about 6 times as often as usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Sudan88 in 100 of its 224 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq82 in 100 of its 775 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan80 in 100 of its 437 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen76 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 78 · mostly conflict & violence Türkiye76 in 100 of its 827 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US355 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1355 Dallas US332 stories about protests or strikes, of its 425 Barcelona Spain229 stories about protests or strikes, of its 241 Pyongyang North Korea164 stories about protests or strikes, of its 325 Miami US147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 189

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 lessYemen: 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: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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 lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: 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 readOman: 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 lessNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: too little coverage to readNiue: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: too little coverage to readJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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 lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: 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 readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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 readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSweden: warmth about its own usualEswatini: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGermany: warmth about twice its own usualGambia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualAlbania: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDubuque County, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsBanjul, Gambia -- shelter & services: 110 stories, carried by 94 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsMunich, Germany -- conflict & violence: 648 stories, carried by 406 outletsSpijkenisse, Netherlands -- rights & justice: 163 stories, carried by 171 outletsTirana, Albania -- rights & justice: 54 stories, carried by 35 outletsOrange County, US -- conflict & violence: 115 stories, carried by 17 outletsGreat Barrier Reef, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 98 stories, carried by 103 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

● Germany warmth about twice usual ● Albania warmth about one and a half times usual ● Netherlands warmth about one and a half times usual ● Gambia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Italy warmth about one and a half times usual ● Cambodia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Dubuque County US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 12 stories ● Banjul Gambia about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 110 stories ● Stockholm Sweden about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Munich Germany about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 648 stories ● Spijkenisse Netherlands about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 163 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice34% 12,465 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence21% 7,911 stories · about as usual Health17% 6,320 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 5,717 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,691 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,329 stories · less than usual (usually 6%) Shelter & services4% 1,303 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 376 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 killed10,924 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,584 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Malaysia Stories reporting people affected4,577 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,020 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations1,443 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Belgium Stories reporting refugees1,161 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Spain and the US Stories reporting abductions421 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced240 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill10 at about a third of 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than 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

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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.