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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.

How to read these numbers →

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
29 in 10020 in 10017 Jul24 Jul31 Jul7 Aug15 Aug17 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 10015 Aug: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 50,889 stories about harm among 208,339 counted on 15 Aug.

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.

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 the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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 lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: 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 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 lessQatar: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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 lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: 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 lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew 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 lessEthiopia: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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 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: 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 readChina: 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 lessBurundi: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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 lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSint 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 its own usualYemen: warmth about its own usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPortugal: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMauritius: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBenin: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualMopti, Mali -- conflict & violence: 164 stories, carried by 214 outletsDouenza, Mali -- conflict & violence: 31 stories, carried by 35 outletsShiv, India -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsOrono, US -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsFrankfort, US -- health: 49 stories, carried by 48 outletsNanjing, China -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 12 outletsKempsey, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 28 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

● Portugal warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Switzerland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual ● India warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Mopti Mali about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 164 stories ● Douenza Mali about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 31 stories ● Shiv India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories ● Orono US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 11 stories

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?

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.