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What the world's news said happened to people.

Counts of coverage, not of suffering

50,889 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.

The news turned to a disaster in Freetown, deaths in Funchal and violence in Mopti. Sierra Leone's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 37 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostPortugal 87 in 100 of its 779 stories, usually 33

RegionSub-Saharan Africa 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 30

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 →

Disasters & accidents

Sierra Leone

1,084 of its 1,143 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Freetown accounted for 1,016 of Sierra Leone's 1,084 stories about harm, carried by 1,027 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (567 stories). Cholera was named in 387 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with earthquake. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Sierra Leone over 30 days → its stories → Freetown stories →

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Portugal

677 of its 779 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Funchal accounted for 476 of Portugal's 677 stories about harm, carried by 432 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (561 stories). 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.

Portugal over 30 days → its stories → Funchal stories →

Conflict & violence

Mali

287 of its 307 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Mopti accounted for 164 of Mali's 287 stories about harm, carried by 214 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (148 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Mali over 30 days → its stories → Mopti stories →

Protests & strikes

US

21,172 of its 73,709 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 4,293 of Charlottesville's 6,073 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (4,457 stories). Avalanche was named in 134 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

US over 30 days → its stories → Charlottesville stories →

6 more places the news pointed at

Disasters & accidents

Greece

200 of its 461 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (135 stories). Wildfires were named in 146 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with drought. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

228 of its 267 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Ouagadougou accounted for 210 of Burkina Faso's 228 stories about harm, carried by 194 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Rights & justice

North Macedonia

58 of its 74 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Struga accounted for 52 of North Macedonia's 58 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (48 stories).

its stories →

Conflict & violence

Bangladesh

264 of its 464 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (46 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

France

588 of its 1,511 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (402 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Conflict & violence

Japan

555 of its 2,052 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (378 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Greece (146 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in Bermuda (47 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Antarctica (36 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Malaysia (42 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); poisoning in Zimbabwe (24 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 26 the day before

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Sierra Leone for the second day running. Sierra Leone's news was 95% about people being harmed, against a usual 46%. of the day's 208,339 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. On 15 August 2016, a year earlier, the share was 23 in every 100, against 24 today.

24 in every 100 of the day's 208,339 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 22).
Sierra Leone: 1,084 of its 1,143 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%.
Portugal: 677 of its 779 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%.
Mali: 287 of its 307 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%.
US: 21,172 of its 73,709 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%.
Mentions of wildfires ran about 5 times their usual in Greece's news.
Mentions of storms ran about 5 times their usual in Bermuda's news.
Across the world, the words of the day's news were harsher than usual.
It was the second day running that the news turned to Sierra Leone.
A year earlier, on 15 August 2016, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sierra Leone95 in 100 of its 1,143 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Mali93 in 100 of its 307 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Portugal87 in 100 of its 779 stories · usually 33 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Burkina Faso85 in 100 of its 267 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence South Sudan80 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US4293 stories about protests or strikes, of its 6073 Washington US1069 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2251 Trump Tower US442 stories about protests or strikes, of its 671 Freetown Sierra Leone255 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1016 Boston US167 stories about protests or strikes, of its 575

Stories, not people.

Where it happened

feelings in full →

Feelings Events Harm Warmth

Biggest events

● Charlottesville US protests & strikes · 6,073 stories, 2,590 outlets ● Freetown Sierra Leone accidents & disasters · 1,016 stories, 1,027 outlets ● Funchal Portugal deaths, cause not given · 476 stories, 432 outlets ● Trump Tower US protests & strikes · 671 stories, 526 outlets ● Paris France attacks & violence · 479 stories, 509 outlets ● Vancouver Canada deaths, cause not given · 479 stories, 529 outlets ● Pyongyang North Korea attacks & violence · 287 stories, 379 outlets ● Mopti Mali attacks & violence · 164 stories, 214 outlets

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice37% 18,806 stories · much more than usual (usually 28%) Conflict & violence19% 9,577 stories · about as usual Health16% 7,883 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents15% 7,285 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,564 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,307 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 979 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 784 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 killed16,588 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured7,745 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Portugal Stories reporting arrests5,830 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,489 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced941 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting refugees602 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations534 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions351 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting people falling ill43 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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

● 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?

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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.