← 18 Aug Saturday 19 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,239 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 gas explosion in Spain, deaths in Warsaw and a disaster in Freetown. Sierra Leone's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Spain →
Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostFinland 92 in 100 of its 881 stories, usually 25
RegionEurope 39 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
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

2,843 of its 4,159 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Barcelona accounted for 2,503 of Spain's 2,843 stories about harm, carried by 1,162 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (1,274 stories). Gas explosion was named in 555 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Spain over 30 days → its stories → Barcelona stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Poland

166 of its 229 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Warsaw accounted for 156 of Poland's 166 stories about harm, carried by 235 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (154 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories → Warsaw stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sierra Leone

280 of its 316 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 76%. Freetown accounted for 261 of Sierra Leone's 280 stories about harm, carried by 254 outlets. Malaria was named in 49 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sierra Leone over 30 days → its stories → Freetown stories →
Protests & strikes

US

12,705 of its 42,419 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 1,542 of Boston's 1,761 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (332 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 89 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with snowstorms.

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

Finland

814 of its 881 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Helsinki accounted for 380 of Finland's 814 stories about harm, carried by 476 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (164 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

476 of its 653 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Ramallah accounted for 321 of Palestine's 476 stories about harm, carried by 3 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (190 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Russia

449 of its 1,021 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (329 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Germany

439 of its 895 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. 295 of Berlin's 362 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

46 of its 92 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Wildfires were named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Algeria

51 of its 68 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Algiers accounted for 49 of Algeria's 51 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Congo (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Armenia (34 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in Brunei (26 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Fiji (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in India (474 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 27 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10021 Jul28 Jul4 Aug11 Aug19 Aug21 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 10019 Aug: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 33,239 stories about harm among 117,517 counted on 19 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

28 in every 100 of the day's 117,517 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 23. In Congo's news, mentions of landslides ran more than ten times their usual. the news turned to Spain for the third day running. People injured were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Spain.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Finland92 in 100 of its 881 stories · usually 25 · mostly conflict & violence Sierra Leone89 in 100 of its 316 stories · usually 76 · mostly disasters & accidents Mali81 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Algeria75 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 40 · mostly rights & justice Lebanon75 in 100 of its 412 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Boston US1542 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1761 Charlottesville US1093 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1608 Barcelona Spain549 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2503 Washington US497 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1369 Berlin Germany295 stories about protests or strikes, of its 362

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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 lessUnited Arab Emirates: 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 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: 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 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: too little coverage to readIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: 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: 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 lessFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: 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 lessEcuador: 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 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 readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTrinidad & Tobago: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about twice its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualDominican Republic: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualAlgiers, Algeria -- rights & justice: 49 stories, carried by 49 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 156 stories, carried by 235 outletsNashville, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsWisconsin, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsZapoapan, Mexico -- conflict & violence: 76 stories, carried by 87 outletsBamako, Mali -- conflict & violence: 54 stories, carried by 33 outletsMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 11 outletsMelbourne, Australia -- health: 71 stories, carried by 143 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

● Poland warmth about twice usual ● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual ● Algeria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mexico 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

Warmest events

● Algiers Algeria about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 49 stories ● Warsaw Poland about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 156 stories ● Nashville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Wisconsin US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Zapoapan Mexico about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 76 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 10,991 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Conflict & violence29% 9,489 stories · much more than usual (usually 20%) Health13% 4,403 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents13% 4,320 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,902 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 723 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 706 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 321 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 killed12,473 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting people injured7,270 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting arrests5,860 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting people affected3,651 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees691 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Palestine and Finland Stories reporting evacuations570 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions220 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting people displaced165 at about half the usual rate · most about Yemen and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill19 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.

● Angerabout one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.