← 17 Feb Sunday 18 February 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,352 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 protests in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), helicopter crash in Mexico and abductions in Russia. Burkina Faso's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeConflict & violence 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostBurkina Faso 90 in 100 of its 167 stories, usually 41
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 42
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 →
Protests & strikes

Burkina Faso

151 of its 167 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Ouagadougou accounted for 151 of Burkina Faso's 151 stories about harm, carried by 177 outlets. 108 of Ouagadougou's 151 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (129 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

Burkina Faso over 30 days → its stories → Ouagadougou stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

326 of its 610 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (187 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 66 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with power cuts. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Russia

1,209 of its 3,720 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (30 stories). Train derailment was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Ghana

122 of its 390 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (69 stories). Road crashes were named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Ghana over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Iran

1,539 of its 2,479 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Tehran accounted for 793 of Iran's 1,539 stories about harm, carried by 713 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (1,214 stories). Plane crash was named in 314 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with snowstorms.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

224 of its 361 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (90 stories). Heavy rain was named in 64 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Afrin accounted for 222 of Syria's 353 stories about harm, carried by 320 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (84 stories). Poisoning was named in 40 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Displacement

Cyprus

28 of its 40 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 6%. Kofinou accounted for 28 of Cyprus' 28 stories about harm, carried by 28 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

935 of its 1,487 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Jerusalem accounted for 469 of Israel's 935 stories about harm, carried by 214 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (23 stories).

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Denmark

36 of its 100 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in New Zealand (49 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); avalanche in Switzerland (24 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Türkiye (64 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in France (49 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Iran (314 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 23 the day before
25 in 10019 in 10020 Jan27 Jan3 Feb10 Feb18 Feb20 Jan: 25 in 10021 Jan: 25 in 10022 Jan: 21 in 10023 Jan: 21 in 10024 Jan: 20 in 10025 Jan: 20 in 10026 Jan: 20 in 10027 Jan: 23 in 10028 Jan: 24 in 10029 Jan: 20 in 10030 Jan: 19 in 10031 Jan: 20 in 1001 Feb: 19 in 1002 Feb: 20 in 1003 Feb: 22 in 1004 Feb: 22 in 1005 Feb: 19 in 1006 Feb: 20 in 1007 Feb: 19 in 1008 Feb: 19 in 1009 Feb: 19 in 10010 Feb: 22 in 10011 Feb: 23 in 10012 Feb: 21 in 10013 Feb: 20 in 10014 Feb: 19 in 10015 Feb: 22 in 10016 Feb: 20 in 10017 Feb: 23 in 10018 Feb: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 Feb. 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 26,352 stories about harm among 109,052 counted on 18 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Burkina Faso's news was 90% about people being harmed, against a usual 41%. of the day's 109,052 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 21. New Zealand's news mentioned the cyclone about 4 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 18 February 2017, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today. This week the news turned most often to Denmark, on 3 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burkina Faso90 in 100 of its 167 stories · usually 41 · mostly conflict & violence Maldives84 in 100 of its 111 stories · usually 71 · mostly rights & justice Yemen72 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Bolivia72 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 50 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Israel63 in 100 of its 1,487 stories · usually 39 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Fort Lauderdale US877 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1725 London UK252 stories about protests or strikes, of its 562 Washington US230 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1086 Sacramento US190 stories about protests or strikes, of its 210 Denver US184 stories about protests or strikes, of its 223

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 lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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 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: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra 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 lessSão 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: 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 lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: 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: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: too little coverage to readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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 lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUK: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBolivia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBermuda: warmth about its own usualMunich, Germany -- conflict & violence: 39 stories, carried by 43 outletsNobbys, Australia -- health: 43 stories, carried by 42 outletsZurmi, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 28 stories, carried by 19 outletsMissouri, US -- health: 23 stories, carried by 22 outletsGeorgia, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsLa Paz, Bolivia -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 20 stories, carried by 21 outletsChabahar, Iran -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 20 outletsOruro, Bolivia -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 18 stories, carried by 113 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

● Bolivia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Munich Germany about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 39 stories ● Nobbys Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 43 stories ● Zurmi Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 28 stories ● Missouri US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories ● Georgia US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence26% 6,720 stories · much more than usual (usually 19%) Rights & justice25% 6,601 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Health17% 4,512 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents15% 3,984 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given10% 2,601 stories · more than usual (usually 6%) Shelter & services3% 753 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 492 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 313 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 killed11,560 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting people injured3,540 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting arrests3,129 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,492 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees315 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and Cyprus Stories reporting abductions273 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced197 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations172 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about a third of 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 as 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.