← 14 Aug Wednesday 15 August 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
42,998 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 wildfires in Armenia, the drought in Burkina Faso and volcanic eruption in Japan. Burkina Faso's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostItaly 76 in 100 of its 2,564 stories, usually 25
RegionEurope 27 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
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 →
Rights & justice

Armenia

126 of its 198 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Yerevan accounted for 122 of Armenia's 126 stories about harm, carried by 86 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (74 stories). Wildfires were named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Armenia over 30 days → its stories → Yerevan stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

77 of its 87 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Ouagadougou accounted for 69 of Burkina Faso's 77 stories about harm, carried by 77 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (69 stories). Drought was named in 69 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Japan

393 of its 1,489 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (91 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 101 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with earthquake and extreme cold. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Japan over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Denmark

179 of its 335 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Flu was named in 129 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks.

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

Venezuela

239 of its 319 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Caracas accounted for 157 of Venezuela's 239 stories about harm, carried by 144 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (146 stories). Measles was named in 47 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with diphtheria, hiv and tuberculosis.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

1,010 of its 1,177 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Kabul accounted for 542 of Afghanistan's 1,010 stories about harm, carried by 421 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (139 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

1,952 of its 2,564 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Genoa accounted for 1,003 of Italy's 1,952 stories about harm, carried by 887 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (301 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malta

229 of its 318 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Senglea accounted for 209 of Malta's 229 stories about harm, carried by 142 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (217 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Cuba

115 of its 212 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (45 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Ethiopia

90 of its 152 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (28 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in Puerto Rico (49 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in Switzerland (23 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); measles in Venezuela (47 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); wildfires in Australia (189 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); hurricane in France (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 22 the day before
24 in 10016 in 10017 Jul24 Jul31 Jul7 Aug15 Aug17 Jul: 18 in 10018 Jul: 16 in 10019 Jul: 17 in 10020 Jul: 19 in 10021 Jul: 19 in 10022 Jul: 21 in 10023 Jul: 20 in 10024 Jul: 20 in 10025 Jul: 19 in 10026 Jul: 18 in 10027 Jul: 18 in 10028 Jul: 21 in 10029 Jul: 23 in 10030 Jul: 19 in 10031 Jul: 19 in 1001 Aug: 18 in 1002 Aug: 18 in 1003 Aug: 18 in 1004 Aug: 20 in 1005 Aug: 23 in 1006 Aug: 23 in 1007 Aug: 21 in 1008 Aug: 20 in 1009 Aug: 21 in 10010 Aug: 21 in 10011 Aug: 24 in 10012 Aug: 24 in 10013 Aug: 21 in 10014 Aug: 22 in 10015 Aug: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 42,998 stories about harm among 200,383 counted on 15 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In Denmark's news, mentions of the flu ran more than ten times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 200,383 stories, above the usual 20. Armenia's news was 64% about people being harmed, against a usual 29%. A year earlier, on 15 August 2017, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burkina Faso89 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan86 in 100 of its 1,177 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen76 in 100 of its 177 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence Italy76 in 100 of its 2,564 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan75 in 100 of its 302 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US384 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2301 Springfield US171 stories about protests or strikes, of its 201 Edirne Türkiye88 stories about protests or strikes, of its 96 Ramallah Palestine75 stories about protests or strikes, of its 436 Nebraska State Penitentiary US74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 89

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: 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 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: too little coverage to readNorway: too little coverage to readNorth 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 lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 lessLatvia: 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 readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: 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 lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: 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 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 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTajikistan: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualLaos: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAmman, Jordan -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 17 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- other: 22 stories, carried by 52 outletsEdirne, Türkiye -- rights & justice: 96 stories, carried by 95 outletsOromo, Ethiopia -- rights & justice: 21 stories, carried by 22 outletsLenox, US -- health: 87 stories, carried by 95 outletsKashmir, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsAshland, US -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 15 outletsHarare, Zimbabwe -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 143 stories, carried by 110 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

● Greece warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Argentina warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Taiwan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Amman Jordan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories ● Brussels Belgium about twice as warm as the day's news · other · 22 stories ● Edirne Türkiye about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 96 stories ● Oromo Ethiopia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 21 stories ● Lenox US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 87 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 12,664 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 9,726 stories · about as usual Health18% 7,488 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 7,429 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,951 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,227 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 1,030 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 785 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 killed13,221 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,590 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,501 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,437 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations939 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees610 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced372 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Egypt Stories reporting abductions356 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill171 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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.