← 1 Sep Saturday 2 September 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 3 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,305 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 →

Protests in the Naf River (Bangladesh), volcanic eruption in Iceland and people displaced in Tripoli drew the news. Bangladesh's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Bangladesh → Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about three times the usual rate →
Part of lifeDisasters & accidents 39 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostCuba 72 in 100 of its 275 stories, usually 28
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Bangladesh

532 of its 652 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. the Naf River accounted for 291 of Bangladesh's 532 stories about harm, carried by 268 outlets. 168 of the Naf River's 291 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (91 stories). Outbreaks were named in 99 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Naf River stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

120 of its 163 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Katla accounted for 117 of Iceland's 120 stories about harm, carried by 137 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (79 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 115 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with earthquake and wildfires.

Iceland over 30 days → its stories → Katla stories →
Displacement

Libya

100 of its 115 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Tripoli accounted for 87 of Libya's 100 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (84 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Health

Cuba

199 of its 275 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Havana accounted for 184 of Cuba's 199 stories about harm, carried by 310 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 10 times the usual rate (150 stories).

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Venezuela

347 of its 414 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Caracas accounted for 296 of Venezuela's 347 stories about harm, carried by 305 outlets. 282 of Caracas' 296 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Argentina

57 of its 157 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 46 of Buenos Aires' 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (20 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

141 of its 285 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (110 stories). Heatstroke was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

334 of its 659 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (51 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

350 of its 418 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. 37 of Deirezzor's 66 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

292 of its 380 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (196 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heavy rain in Mexico (110 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tuberculosis in North Korea (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Australia (68 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heatstroke in Saudi Arabia (12 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); house fires in Ireland (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 25 the day before
30 in 10020 in 1004 Aug11 Aug18 Aug25 Aug2 Sep4 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 10021 Aug: 23 in 10022 Aug: 23 in 10023 Aug: 22 in 10024 Aug: 22 in 10025 Aug: 24 in 10026 Aug: 29 in 10027 Aug: 30 in 10028 Aug: 28 in 10029 Aug: 26 in 10030 Aug: 25 in 10031 Aug: 26 in 1001 Sep: 25 in 1002 Sep: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 Sep. 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 30,305 stories about harm among 116,921 counted on 2 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Bangladesh. 26 in every 100 of the day's 116,921 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 24. On the side of help, reports of volunteers ran at about three times the usual rate. Iceland's news mentioned volcanic eruption about 8 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 2 September 2016, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 26 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya87 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 48 · mostly displacement Venezuela84 in 100 of its 414 stories · usually 56 · mostly rights & justice Syria84 in 100 of its 418 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh82 in 100 of its 652 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Myanmar78 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Caracas Venezuela282 stories about protests or strikes, of its 296 Naf River Bangladesh168 stories about protests or strikes, of its 291 Charlottesville US150 stories about protests or strikes, of its 231 Washington US121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 884 Houston US104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 5596

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 lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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 lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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 lessSri Lanka: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi 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 lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: too little coverage to readPoland: 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 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 lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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 lessGermany: 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: 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: 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 lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: 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: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: too little coverage to readCentral 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 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: 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: 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 readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBamako, Mali -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 20 outletsMaine, US -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 22 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 27 outletsMelbourne, Australia -- health: 85 stories, carried by 119 outletsOrlando, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 108 stories, carried by 97 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 26 stories, carried by 18 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

● Iraq warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kashmir warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bamako Mali about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories ● Maine US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 11 stories ● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories ● Sunshine Coast Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Melbourne Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 85 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Disasters & accidents39% 11,631 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Rights & justice20% 5,925 stories · much less than usual (usually 29%) Conflict & violence16% 4,655 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Health13% 3,964 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,168 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,167 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,048 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 419 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 killed9,020 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,662 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting arrests2,897 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations2,480 at about 4 times the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting people injured1,680 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting people displaced654 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees524 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions293 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill22 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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

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.