← 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.

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: 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: 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 lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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 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 lessNorth Korea: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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: too little coverage to readIsrael: too little coverage to readIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: 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 readCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUS: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTogo: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualMadison County, US -- health: 62 stories, carried by 61 outletsGandhinagar, India -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 14 stories, carried by 15 outletsMichigan, US -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 14 outletsOuagadougou, Burkina Faso -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsMalabu, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsZapoapan, Mexico -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsBamako, Mali -- conflict & violence: 13 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

● France warmth about one and a half times usual ● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual ● United Arab Emirates warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Madison County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 62 stories ● Gandhinagar India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Warsaw Poland about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 14 stories ● Michigan US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 16 stories ● Ouagadougou Burkina Faso about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories

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 · 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.