← 15 Aug Wednesday 16 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
48,230 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 rights and justice in Lusaka, a disaster in Freetown and deaths in Funchal. Sierra Leone's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 40 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGuatemala 88 in 100 of its 192 stories, usually 37
RegionSoutheast Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Rights & justice

Zambia

175 of its 325 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Lusaka accounted for 146 of Zambia's 175 stories about harm, carried by 118 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (52 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Zambia over 30 days → its stories → Lusaka stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sierra Leone

710 of its 810 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Freetown accounted for 676 of Sierra Leone's 710 stories about harm, carried by 651 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (505 stories). Its coverage was about 4 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

183 of its 310 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Funchal accounted for 139 of Portugal's 183 stories about harm, carried by 157 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Portugal over 30 days → its stories → Funchal stories →
Protests & strikes

Burkina Faso

106 of its 121 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 76%. Ouagadougou accounted for 103 of Burkina Faso's 106 stories about harm, carried by 96 outlets. 60 of Ouagadougou's 103 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Burkina Faso over 30 days → its stories → Ouagadougou stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Philippines

805 of its 1,901 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (306 stories). Bird flu was named in 118 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with outbreaks and ebola. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

South Africa

587 of its 2,057 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 147 of Marikana's 203 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (179 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Guatemala

169 of its 192 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (155 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Ecuador

47 of its 77 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Quito accounted for 44 of Ecuador's 47 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (46 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Colombia

111 of its 198 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Shelter & services

Taiwan

195 of its 485 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (154 stories). Earthquake was named in 55 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with power cuts.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Greece (146 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in Poland (43 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Albania (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); earthquake in Taiwan (55 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); landslides in Latvia (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 24 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10018 Jul25 Jul1 Aug8 Aug16 Aug18 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 10016 Aug: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 48,230 stories about harm among 204,234 counted on 16 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Zambia's news was 54% about people being harmed, against a usual 22%. of the day's 204,234 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. On 16 August 2016, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Guatemala88 in 100 of its 192 stories · usually 37 · mostly conflict & violence Sierra Leone88 in 100 of its 810 stories · usually 64 · mostly disasters & accidents Burkina Faso88 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen78 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 79 · mostly health Mali74 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US4350 stories about protests or strikes, of its 5753 Washington US1144 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2415 Berkeley US249 stories about protests or strikes, of its 512 Nairobi Kenya246 stories about protests or strikes, of its 353 Trump Tower US186 stories about protests or strikes, of its 437

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: 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: 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: 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 lessUnited Arab Emirates: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: too little coverage to readUganda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: 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: 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 lessSpain: 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 lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: too little coverage to readSão 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 lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: 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 readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: 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: 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: 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 readIraq: 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 lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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 readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: 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: 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 readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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 lessCambodia: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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): 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: too little coverage to readEast 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readZambia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualYemen: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualHungary: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualEl Salvador: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualLake Superior, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 16 outletsOuagadougou, Burkina Faso -- conflict & violence: 103 stories, carried by 96 outletsWillacoochee, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsYorkshire, UK -- conflict & violence: 26 stories, carried by 68 outletsByron Bay, Australia -- health: 26 stories, carried by 22 outletsBuderim, Australia -- health: 14 stories, carried by 28 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 131 stories, carried by 119 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

● Burkina Faso warmth about one and a half times usual ● Switzerland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Egypt warmth about one and a half times usual ● Thailand warmth about one and a half times usual ● Zambia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Lake Superior US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Bogota Colombia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories ● Ouagadougou Burkina Faso about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 103 stories ● Willacoochee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 26 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice40% 18,793 stories · much more than usual (usually 29%) Conflict & violence19% 8,790 stories · about as usual Health17% 7,880 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents12% 5,649 stories · much less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,714 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,285 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,098 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 902 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 killed14,799 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,007 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured5,853 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,680 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees678 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced610 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions366 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations325 at about half the usual rate · most about India and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill24 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and India

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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

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