← 21 Aug Wednesday 22 August 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
39,859 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 power cuts in Venezuela, rights and justice in Kampala and violence in Tripoli. Libya's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGabon 88 in 100 of its 58 stories, usually 24
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Venezuela

711 of its 975 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Caracas accounted for 549 of Venezuela's 711 stories about harm, carried by 642 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (184 stories). Power cuts were named in 244 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Rights & justice

Uganda

372 of its 491 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Kampala accounted for 241 of Uganda's 372 stories about harm, carried by 258 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (233 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Uganda over 30 days → its stories → Kampala stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

85 of its 110 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Tripoli accounted for 80 of Libya's 85 stories about harm, carried by 100 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (77 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Iceland

45 of its 86 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 9 times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

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

Iraq

173 of its 272 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (58 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Gabon

51 of its 58 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Libreville accounted for 47 of Gabon's 51 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (38 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

182 of its 349 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (52 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Morocco

49 of its 114 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 32 of Casablanca's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (42 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

113 of its 134 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Kismayo accounted for 94 of Somalia's 113 stories about harm, carried by 116 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zimbabwe

465 of its 843 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 352 of Harare's 382 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cholera in Yemen (107 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); landslides in Colombia (31 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Laos (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); typhoon in South Korea (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Greenland (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
24 in 10018 in 10024 Jul31 Jul7 Aug14 Aug22 Aug24 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 10019 Aug: 23 in 10020 Aug: 21 in 10021 Aug: 20 in 10022 Aug: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 39,859 stories about harm among 201,208 counted on 22 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Yemen's news mentioned the cholera about 6 times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 201,208 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 22 August 2017, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today. Venezuela stood out: 73% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 58%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Gabon88 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 24 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia84 in 100 of its 134 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen83 in 100 of its 155 stories · usually 79 · mostly health Syria78 in 100 of its 479 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Libya77 in 100 of its 110 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Harare Zimbabwe352 stories about protests or strikes, of its 382 Washington US235 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1116 Raleigh US121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 197 Idlib Syria115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 230 Hollywood US99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 358

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: 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: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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 lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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 lessTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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 lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: 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 readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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 lessLuxembourg: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: 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 lessIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: too little coverage to readAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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 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 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 readGuernsey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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 readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTajikistan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSenegal: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIceland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualKigali, Rwanda -- food & livelihood: 17 stories, carried by 16 outletsLahore, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 12 outletsIdaho, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsDover, US -- rights & justice: 37 stories, carried by 29 outletsIslamabad, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 37 stories, carried by 29 outletsTakur Ghar, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 51 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 171 stories, carried by 138 outletsHarare, Zimbabwe -- rights & justice: 382 stories, carried by 275 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

● Iceland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Uganda warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Armenia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kigali Rwanda about twice as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 17 stories ● Lahore Pakistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Idaho US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Dover US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 37 stories ● Islamabad Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 37 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 12,011 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 9,141 stories · about as usual Health21% 8,202 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 4,798 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,952 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,358 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,046 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 697 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 killed10,509 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests5,078 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,140 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured2,123 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees675 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions441 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations376 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people displaced363 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about India and Uganda Stories reporting people falling ill68 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about China and the US

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.

● 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.