← 13 Aug Monday 14 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 15 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
45,686 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 day's news pointed at a disaster in Freetown, violence in Ouagadougou and deaths in Kalkfeld. Sierra Leone's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Burkina Faso →
Part of lifeRights & justice 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostBurkina Faso 95 in 100 of its 1,229 stories, usually 23
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Sierra Leone

610 of its 647 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Freetown accounted for 543 of Sierra Leone's 610 stories about harm, carried by 467 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (589 stories). Cholera was named in 59 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sierra Leone over 30 days → its stories → Freetown stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

1,164 of its 1,229 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Ouagadougou accounted for 1,127 of Burkina Faso's 1,164 stories about harm, carried by 876 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (882 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Burkina Faso over 30 days → its stories → Ouagadougou stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Namibia

115 of its 219 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Kalkfeld accounted for 92 of Namibia's 115 stories about harm, carried by 119 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Namibia over 30 days → its stories → Kalkfeld stories →
Rights & justice

Argentina

128 of its 317 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Buenos Aires accounted for 125 of Argentina's 128 stories about harm, carried by 121 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (86 stories). Avalanche was named in 84 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Argentina over 30 days → its stories → Buenos Aires stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

France

594 of its 1,420 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Paris accounted for 504 of France's 594 stories about harm, carried by 549 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (439 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Portugal

106 of its 204 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 61 of Lisbon's 73 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories). Drought was named in 65 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heatwave.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

US

18,879 of its 58,896 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 4,834 of Charlottesville's 6,518 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5,457 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 951 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

268 of its 789 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (83 stories). Hunger was named in 47 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

263 of its 286 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (93 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zambia

101 of its 167 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 41 of Lusaka's 59 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (40 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Greece (171 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); poisoning in Zimbabwe (86 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Antarctica (46 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); drought in Portugal (65 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hurricane in Bermuda (34 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 29 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10016 Jul23 Jul30 Jul6 Aug14 Aug16 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 10013 Aug: 29 in 10014 Aug: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 14 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 45,686 stories about harm among 177,080 counted on 14 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In Sierra Leone, 94% of the news was about people being harmed, where 22% is usual. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Burkina Faso. 26 in every 100 of the day's 177,080 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. A year earlier, on 14 August 2016, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 26 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burkina Faso95 in 100 of its 1,229 stories · usually 23 · mostly conflict & violence Sierra Leone94 in 100 of its 647 stories · usually 22 · mostly disasters & accidents Mali92 in 100 of its 286 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Nepal85 in 100 of its 373 stories · usually 35 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen79 in 100 of its 434 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US4834 stories about protests or strikes, of its 6518 Washington US1013 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2330 Nairobi Kenya327 stories about protests or strikes, of its 427 Jerusalem Israel133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 448 Boston US94 stories about protests or strikes, of its 284

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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 lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: 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: 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 lessUkraine: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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 lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: too little coverage to readNiger: 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 readCuraçao: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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: 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 lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: warmth about one and a half times its own usualVenezuela: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUganda: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about one and a half times its own usualOman: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMopti, Mali -- conflict & violence: 105 stories, carried by 94 outletsKidal, Mali -- conflict & violence: 41 stories, carried by 26 outletsBharuch, India -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsKatha, India -- shelter & services: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsHarare, Zimbabwe -- health: 88 stories, carried by 70 outletsBrooklyn, US -- health: 78 stories, carried by 135 outletsWest Virginia, US -- health: 55 stories, carried by 51 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 20 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

● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Italy warmth about one and a half times usual ● Zimbabwe warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kashmir warmth about one and a half times usual ● Taiwan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Mopti Mali about 4 times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 105 stories ● Kidal Mali about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 41 stories ● Bharuch India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Katha India about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 15 stories ● Harare Zimbabwe about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 88 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice36% 16,068 stories · much more than usual (usually 28%) Conflict & violence22% 9,768 stories · about as usual Health15% 6,657 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents15% 6,608 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,659 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,284 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,038 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 944 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 killed17,764 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured8,836 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Burkina Faso Stories reporting arrests5,104 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,896 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced768 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees609 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations602 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions359 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill49 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China

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 one and a half times 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.