← 11 Aug Saturday 12 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 13 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
28,207 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to protests in Nairobi (Kenya), the heatwave in Poland and drownings in Nepal. Poland's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken 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 Bahrain →
Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostPoland 65 in 100 of its 270 stories, usually 18
RegionSouth Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
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 →
Protests & strikes

Kenya

1,019 of its 1,489 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Nairobi accounted for 523 of Kenya's 1,019 stories about harm, carried by 511 outlets. 447 of Nairobi's 523 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (442 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Kenya over 30 days → its stories → Nairobi stories →
Rights & justice

Poland

175 of its 270 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (68 stories). Heatwave was named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with power cuts. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

161 of its 242 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (36 stories). Drownings were named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

396 of its 464 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Sarmin accounted for 154 of Syria's 396 stories about harm, carried by 211 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (93 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Sarmin stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Libya

80 of its 112 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (45 stories). Drownings were named in 47 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Cuba

227 of its 377 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Havana accounted for 221 of Cuba's 227 stories about harm, carried by 214 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Portugal

118 of its 167 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (48 stories). Wildfires were named in 109 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Denmark

255 of its 475 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Copenhagen accounted for 250 of Denmark's 255 stories about harm, carried by 179 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (218 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Guam

150 of its 389 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Typhoon was named in 117 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with tsunami and hurricane. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kuwait

105 of its 195 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Portugal (109 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); typhoon in Guam (117 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); train derailment in Egypt (147 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Libya (47 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); helicopter crash in Yemen (71 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
26 in 10020 in 10014 Jul21 Jul28 Jul4 Aug12 Aug14 Jul: 22 in 10015 Jul: 26 in 10016 Jul: 25 in 10017 Jul: 22 in 10018 Jul: 21 in 10019 Jul: 21 in 10020 Jul: 21 in 10021 Jul: 22 in 10022 Jul: 24 in 10023 Jul: 25 in 10024 Jul: 23 in 10025 Jul: 21 in 10026 Jul: 21 in 10027 Jul: 20 in 10028 Jul: 21 in 10029 Jul: 22 in 10030 Jul: 24 in 10031 Jul: 21 in 1001 Aug: 20 in 1002 Aug: 21 in 1003 Aug: 21 in 1004 Aug: 21 in 1005 Aug: 22 in 1006 Aug: 24 in 1007 Aug: 21 in 1008 Aug: 21 in 1009 Aug: 21 in 10010 Aug: 20 in 10011 Aug: 20 in 10012 Aug: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 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 28,207 stories about harm among 113,345 counted on 12 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Bahrain. It was the second day running that the news turned to Kenya. of the day's 113,345 news stories, 25 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. A year earlier, on 12 August 2016, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria85 in 100 of its 464 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen82 in 100 of its 250 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence Libya71 in 100 of its 112 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Portugal71 in 100 of its 167 stories · usually 27 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 299 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US2202 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2389 Nairobi Kenya447 stories about protests or strikes, of its 523 Kisumu Kenya340 stories about protests or strikes, of its 367 Washington US311 stories about protests or strikes, of its 787 Caracas Venezuela209 stories about protests or strikes, of its 470

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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 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 lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: 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: too little coverage to readPapua 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: 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 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: too little coverage to readGuyana: 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: 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: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew 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 lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDR 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: too little coverage to readHong 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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: 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 lessAksai Chin: too little coverage to readWestern 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 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: too little coverage to readAmerican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readGuam: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualWausau, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 49 stories, carried by 58 outletsOhio, US -- health: 45 stories, carried by 45 outletsKatha, India -- shelter & services: 46 stories, carried by 32 outletsSalmo River, Canada -- displacement: 17 stories, carried by 19 outletsGaza, Palestine -- conflict & violence: 92 stories, carried by 14 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- disasters & accidents: 24 stories, carried by 19 outletsYorkshire, UK -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsDoha, Qatar -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 11 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

● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Guam warmth about one and a half times usual ● Switzerland warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Wausau US about 4 times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 49 stories ● Ohio US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 45 stories ● Katha India about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 46 stories ● Salmo River Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 17 stories ● Gaza Palestine about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 92 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 9,045 stories · much more than usual (usually 27%) Conflict & violence20% 5,553 stories · about as usual Health19% 5,176 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 4,456 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,393 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 868 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 622 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 587 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 killed9,326 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,643 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,512 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Kenya Stories reporting people affected3,411 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced423 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Yemen Stories reporting abductions412 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees344 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations281 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill139 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Bahrain

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.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Feara little less than 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.