← 17 Aug Friday 18 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
48,119 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 violence in Barcelona, a disaster in Freetown and people injured in Vietnam. Sierra Leone's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Spain and the US → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSpain 80 in 100 of its 8,775 stories, usually 23
RegionEurope 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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

7,020 of its 8,775 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Barcelona accounted for 6,279 of Spain's 7,020 stories about harm, carried by 2,526 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (3,145 stories). Gas explosion was named in 685 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with road crashes and building collapse. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Sierra Leone

703 of its 819 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Freetown accounted for 624 of Sierra Leone's 703 stories about harm, carried by 526 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Malaria was named in 51 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Vietnam

191 of its 537 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (106 stories). Dengue was named in 91 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Russia

289 of its 1,269 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. 108 of Moscow's 163 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Power cuts were named in 90 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Russia over 30 days → its stories → Moscow stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Burundi

87 of its 96 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Bujumbura accounted for 83 of Burundi's 87 stories about harm, carried by 72 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (80 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Finland

639 of its 961 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Helsinki accounted for 437 of Finland's 639 stories about harm, carried by 493 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (577 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Barbados

128 of its 187 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Tropical storm was named in 125 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with storms.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

67 of its 83 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Port-de-Paix accounted for 55 of Haiti's 67 stories about harm, carried by 71 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (57 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

81 of its 184 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (43 stories). Wildfires were named in 39 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

110 of its 266 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 29 of Lai Chi Kok's 38 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (78 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Barbados (125 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); wildfires in Armenia (39 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Chile (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Grenada (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); food poisoning in Zimbabwe (14 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 25 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10020 Jul27 Jul3 Aug10 Aug18 Aug20 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 10018 Aug: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 48,119 stories about harm among 179,559 counted on 18 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Spain stood out: 80% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 23%. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 179,559 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Spain and the US.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burundi91 in 100 of its 96 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Sierra Leone86 in 100 of its 819 stories · usually 74 · mostly disasters & accidents Haiti81 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 32 · mostly disasters & accidents Spain80 in 100 of its 8,775 stories · usually 23 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen78 in 100 of its 254 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Charlottesville US2493 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3499 Washington US1024 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2214 Barcelona Spain706 stories about protests or strikes, of its 6279 Boston US167 stories about protests or strikes, of its 629 Beijing China134 stories about protests or strikes, of its 227

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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 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 lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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 lessJapan: 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: 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 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: 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: 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 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 readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: 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: too little coverage to readCanada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readJammu & 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: 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: 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 one and a half times its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGambia: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualOakwood Christian Church, US -- health: 62 stories, carried by 54 outletsGrand Blanc, US -- health: 39 stories, carried by 38 outletsKorpfjell, Norway -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- conflict & violence: 40 stories, carried by 26 outletsCanberra, Australia -- conflict & violence: 62 stories, carried by 80 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 46 stories, carried by 35 outletsMarawi, Philippines -- conflict & violence: 34 stories, carried by 23 outletsKatha, India -- shelter & services: 12 stories, carried by 12 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

● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual ● Hong Kong warmth about one and a half times usual ● Greece warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Oakwood Christian Church US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 62 stories ● Grand Blanc US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 39 stories ● Korpfjell Norway about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories ● Beirut Lebanon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 40 stories ● Canberra Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 62 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 14,505 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence30% 14,460 stories · much more than usual (usually 20%) Health14% 6,775 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents13% 5,974 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,134 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 1,070 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 881 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 681 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 killed20,120 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Spain and the US Stories reporting people injured11,237 at about three times the usual rate · most about Spain and the US Stories reporting arrests8,191 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Spain and the US Stories reporting people affected5,190 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees866 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Spain and Canada Stories reporting evacuations387 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions332 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced275 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill90 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US

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 one and a half times 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.