← 17 Aug Saturday 18 August 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,588 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 news turned to violence in Geneva, deaths in Krusevo and protests in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). North Macedonia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorth Macedonia 73 in 100 of its 110 stories, usually 11
RegionSouth Asia 36 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Switzerland

589 of its 1,024 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Geneva accounted for 396 of Switzerland's 589 stories about harm, carried by 502 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (497 stories). HIV was named in 43 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tsunami. Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

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

North Macedonia

80 of its 110 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Krusevo accounted for 77 of North Macedonia's 80 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 9 times the usual rate (80 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

North Macedonia over 30 days → its stories → Krusevo stories →
Protests & strikes

Saudi Arabia

370 of its 696 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Mecca accounted for 260 of Saudi Arabia's 370 stories about harm, carried by 434 outlets. 141 of Mecca's 260 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (182 stories).

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Mecca stories →
Health

Rwanda

44 of its 68 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). HIV was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

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

Chile

196 of its 271 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Santiago accounted for 185 of Chile's 196 stories about harm, carried by 210 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 10 times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

348 of its 419 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (292 stories). Drownings were named in 45 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Romania

80 of its 224 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 74 of Bucharest's 74 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (72 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Vietnam

119 of its 328 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 57 of Hanoi's 67 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ghana

384 of its 996 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (250 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

674 of its 1,315 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in India (659 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); power cuts in Costa Rica (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Palestine (39 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Australia (90 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in Iraq (45 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 21 the day before
24 in 10018 in 10020 Jul27 Jul3 Aug10 Aug18 Aug20 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 10016 Aug: 21 in 10017 Aug: 21 in 10018 Aug: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 25,588 stories about harm among 112,407 counted on 18 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Switzerland stood out: 58% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 23%. A year earlier, on 18 August 2017, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 23 today. of the day's 112,407 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 20.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti89 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 39 · mostly health Iraq83 in 100 of its 419 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Myanmar80 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 58 · mostly rights & justice North Macedonia73 in 100 of its 110 stories · usually 11 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Chile72 in 100 of its 271 stories · usually 27 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel209 stories about protests or strikes, of its 422 Mecca Saudi Arabia141 stories about protests or strikes, of its 260 Washington US122 stories about protests or strikes, of its 979 Bucharest Romania74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 74 Berne Switzerland73 stories about protests or strikes, of its 119

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSudan: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPhilippines: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessPalestine: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: no storiesNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessGaza: near the world's share or lessWest Bank: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: near the world's share or lessPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: no storiesAruba: no storiesNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 29 in 100 of its 423 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Yemen: 66 in 100 of its 151 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Vietnam: 36 in 100 of its 328 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Venezuela: 47 in 100 of its 434 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Guam: 45 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)United Arab Emirates: 32 in 100 of its 130 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ukraine: 36 in 100 of its 117 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Uganda: 47 in 100 of its 118 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Türkiye: 30 in 100 of its 831 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Tunisia: 45 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Tanzania: 33 in 100 of its 73 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Syria: 58 in 100 of its 409 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Switzerland: 58 in 100 of its 1,024 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)South Sudan: 47 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Sri Lanka: 33 in 100 of its 144 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Somalia: 42 in 100 of its 69 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Sierra Leone: 48 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Saudi Arabia: 53 in 100 of its 696 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Rwanda: 65 in 100 of its 68 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Romania: 36 in 100 of its 224 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Qatar: 47 in 100 of its 91 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Papua New Guinea: 45 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Panama: 38 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Pakistan: 32 in 100 of its 1,584 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Mali: 66 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)North Macedonia: 73 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Libya: 65 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kyrgyzstan: 50 in 100 of its 14 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Italy: 51 in 100 of its 1,315 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Israel: 54 in 100 of its 1,357 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Iraq: 83 in 100 of its 419 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)India: 36 in 100 of its 6,420 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Haiti: 89 in 100 of its 121 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ghana: 39 in 100 of its 996 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Finland: 38 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ethiopia: 43 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ecuador: 65 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)DR Congo: 73 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Congo: 73 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Chile: 72 in 100 of its 271 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Myanmar: 80 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Burkina Faso: 94 in 100 of its 18 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Bosnia: 88 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Bangladesh: 46 in 100 of its 307 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Afghanistan: 57 in 100 of its 344 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ukraine: 36 in 100 of its 117 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 23 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Iraq 83 in 100 of its 419 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Haiti 89 in 100 of its 121 stories · mostly health ● Chile 72 in 100 of its 271 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● North Macedonia 73 in 100 of its 110 stories · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given ● Switzerland 58 in 100 of its 1,024 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Yemen 66 in 100 of its 151 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 7,428 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents24% 6,175 stories · more than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence17% 4,321 stories · about as usual Health17% 4,265 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,405 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 727 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 600 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 323 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 killed9,110 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,329 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,064 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,065 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced410 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and India Stories reporting refugees409 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Venezuela Stories reporting evacuations321 at about half the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting abductions128 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill38 at about half 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 much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmtha little more than 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

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.