← 16 Aug Thursday 17 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
52,135 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 →

Violence in Barcelona, a disaster in Lisbon and protests in the New Territories (Hong Kong) drew the news. Spain's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostSpain 65 in 100 of its 5,334 stories, usually 16
RegionEurope 27 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
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 →
Conflict & violence

Spain

3,480 of its 5,334 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Barcelona accounted for 3,094 of Spain's 3,480 stories about harm, carried by 1,660 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (82 stories). Gas explosion was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

Spain over 30 days → its stories → Barcelona stories →
Disasters & accidents

Portugal

226 of its 339 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Lisbon accounted for 150 of Portugal's 226 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (109 stories). Earthquake was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heatwave. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Portugal over 30 days → its stories → Lisbon stories →
Displacement

Uganda

261 of its 405 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (58 stories). Hunger was named in 76 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Sierra Leone

689 of its 734 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Freetown accounted for 660 of Sierra Leone's 689 stories about harm, carried by 467 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Cambodia

146 of its 251 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Phnom Penh accounted for 101 of Cambodia's 146 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. HIV was named in 91 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

North Korea

572 of its 1,554 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (459 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

130 of its 277 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Brussels accounted for 120 of Belgium's 130 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Venezuela

543 of its 713 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

388 of its 854 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of refugees ran at about 9 times the usual rate (17 stories). Oil spill was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hiv in Cambodia (91 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Barbados (37 of its stories, about three times its usual); power cuts in Taiwan (29 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); rabies in Morocco (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hiv in Zambia (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 24 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10019 Jul26 Jul2 Aug9 Aug17 Aug19 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 10017 Aug: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 52,135 stories about harm among 211,634 counted on 17 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In Spain, 65% of the news was about people being harmed, where 16% is usual. Cambodia's news mentioned HIV more than ten times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 17 August 2016, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 25 today. of the day's 211,634 news stories, 25 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sierra Leone94 in 100 of its 734 stories · usually 69 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan83 in 100 of its 288 stories · usually 48 · mostly displacement Mali83 in 100 of its 299 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia81 in 100 of its 170 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Venezuela76 in 100 of its 713 stories · usually 63 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US3759 stories about protests or strikes, of its 5049 Washington US1233 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2571 Barcelona Spain770 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3094 Beijing China212 stories about protests or strikes, of its 481 Jerusalem Israel145 stories about protests or strikes, of its 372

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 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 lessGuam: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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 lessPortugal: 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 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: 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 readNetherlands: 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 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 lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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 lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: 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: 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: 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern 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 lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualParaguay: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGambia: warmth about its own usualEl Salvador: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualSwat, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsIngolstadt, Germany -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 25 stories, carried by 26 outletsDenver, US -- rights & justice: 106 stories, carried by 129 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 36 stories, carried by 34 outletsLake Superior, US -- health: 21 stories, carried by 23 outletsCairo, Egypt -- conflict & violence: 99 stories, carried by 78 outletsPrince George, Canada -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 37 stories, carried by 16 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

● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual ● Switzerland warmth about one and a half times usual ● United Arab Emirates warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Swat Pakistan about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Ingolstadt Germany about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 25 stories ● Denver US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 106 stories ● Sunshine Coast Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 36 stories ● Lake Superior US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice36% 18,419 stories · much more than usual (usually 29%) Conflict & violence24% 12,304 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Health16% 7,994 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents12% 6,147 stories · much less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 2,466 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,398 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,382 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,149 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 killed17,817 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured7,994 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting arrests6,640 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,188 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,152 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Sudan and Uganda Stories reporting abductions576 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced522 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations403 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting people falling ill39 at about half 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

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

Read the week →

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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.