← 19 Aug Sunday 20 August 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,488 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 protests in Vancouver (Canada), violence in Damascus and a disaster in Freetown. Sierra Leone's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was about as usual.

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Spain and Palestine → Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostFinland 88 in 100 of its 302 stories, usually 35
RegionEast Asia 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 16
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 →
Protests & strikes

Canada

554 of its 1,942 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 43 of Vancouver's 79 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (67 stories). Storms were named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with tuberculosis. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Canada over 30 days → its stories → Vancouver stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

505 of its 644 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Damascus accounted for 408 of Syria's 505 stories about harm, carried by 319 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (238 stories). Outbreaks were named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Damascus stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sierra Leone

310 of its 348 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 77%. Freetown accounted for 297 of Sierra Leone's 310 stories about harm, carried by 269 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sierra Leone over 30 days → its stories → Freetown stories →
Rights & justice

Togo

24 of its 26 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (20 stories).

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

Finland

267 of its 302 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Helsinki accounted for 160 of Finland's 267 stories about harm, carried by 270 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (62 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Japan

565 of its 1,093 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (88 stories). Accidents were named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Spain

2,049 of its 3,145 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Barcelona accounted for 1,855 of Spain's 2,049 stories about harm, carried by 997 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (183 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

36 of its 49 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. 34 of Algiers' 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Türkiye

249 of its 395 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. 68 of Ankara's 123 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (60 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

US

9,707 of its 32,850 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 1,214 of Boston's 1,481 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (169 stories). Plane crash was named in 136 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with building collapse.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: train derailment in India (516 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Portugal (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Belize (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); heavy rain in Mexico (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); bird flu in Philippines (80 of its stories, about three times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 28 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10022 Jul29 Jul5 Aug12 Aug20 Aug22 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 10020 Aug: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 27,488 stories about harm among 97,192 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 97,192 news stories, 28 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 23. Reports of volunteers, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Refugees were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Spain and Palestine. A year earlier, on 20 August 2016, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today. This week the news turned most often to Sierra Leone, on 6 of 7 days; help rose on 2 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sierra Leone89 in 100 of its 348 stories · usually 77 · mostly disasters & accidents Finland88 in 100 of its 302 stories · usually 35 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen80 in 100 of its 162 stories · usually 79 · mostly conflict & violence Syria78 in 100 of its 644 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon74 in 100 of its 228 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Boston US1214 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1481 Charlottesville US624 stories about protests or strikes, of its 950 Washington US506 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1058 Chicago US350 stories about protests or strikes, of its 558 Berlin Germany119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 247

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUkraine: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRomania: too little coverage to readPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIsrael: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: feelings about like the world'sSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUS: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTogo: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSpain: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSouth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSingapore: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSierra Leone: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sQatar: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPortugal: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPoland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPhilippines: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMorocco: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMali: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLuxembourg: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLebanon: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKenya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJapan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sItaly: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sFinland: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCuba: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCosta Rica: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sColombia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChad: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBurundi: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAustria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Philippines about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 591 stories about harm ● Spain about twice as fearful as the world's · 2,049 stories about harm ● Finland about twice as fearful as the world's · 267 stories about harm ● Sierra Leone about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 310 stories about harm ● Yemen about twice as angry as the world's · 130 stories about harm ● Lebanon about twice as angry as the world's · 169 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice32% 8,762 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Conflict & violence28% 7,734 stories · much more than usual (usually 21%) Disasters & accidents15% 4,078 stories · about as usual Health14% 3,748 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,409 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 542 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 540 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 362 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 killed11,052 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting people injured5,213 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting arrests4,556 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting people affected3,373 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting refugees764 at about twice the usual rate · most about Spain and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced470 at about twice the usual rate · most about Iraq and Yemen Stories reporting evacuations392 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions249 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill18 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 about as 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.