← 30 Aug Friday 31 August 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
38,933 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 deaths in Sofia, violence in Tripoli and protests in San Salvador (El Salvador). Libya's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Egypt →
Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNetherlands 60 in 100 of its 773 stories, usually 20
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 46 in 100 of its stories, usually 40
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 →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Bulgaria

144 of its 233 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Sofia accounted for 116 of Bulgaria's 144 stories about harm, carried by 201 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (113 stories). Outbreaks were named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Bulgaria over 30 days → its stories → Sofia stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

187 of its 214 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Tripoli accounted for 166 of Libya's 187 stories about harm, carried by 155 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Disasters & accidents

Greece

265 of its 589 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (46 stories). Earthquake was named in 110 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Greece over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Displacement

Netherlands

460 of its 773 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Amsterdam accounted for 357 of the Netherlands' 460 stories about harm, carried by 371 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (287 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Cambodia

481 of its 607 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (364 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

United Arab Emirates

98 of its 223 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

302 of its 664 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (134 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

177 of its 302 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (85 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Thailand

140 of its 422 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: poisoning in Taiwan (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Bahamas (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drought in Argentina (22 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); food poisoning in North Korea (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); helicopter crash in Ethiopia (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
24 in 10018 in 1002 Aug9 Aug16 Aug23 Aug31 Aug2 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 10023 Aug: 19 in 10024 Aug: 21 in 10025 Aug: 23 in 10026 Aug: 24 in 10027 Aug: 20 in 10028 Aug: 19 in 10029 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 20 in 10031 Aug: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 38,933 stories about harm among 194,424 counted on 31 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Greece's news mentioned the earthquake more than ten times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 194,424 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Egypt. Bulgaria stood out: 62% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 28%. On 31 August 2017, a year earlier, the share was 26 in every 100, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo88 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 71 · mostly health Libya87 in 100 of its 214 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Cambodia79 in 100 of its 607 stories · usually 49 · mostly rights & justice Yemen77 in 100 of its 190 stories · usually 83 · mostly conflict & violence Nicaragua77 in 100 of its 259 stories · usually 76 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Unrwa Palestine294 stories about protests or strikes, of its 501 Washington US225 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1827 Managua Nicaragua153 stories about protests or strikes, of its 159 Pune India147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 166 Idlib Syria122 stories about protests or strikes, of its 454

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: feelings about like the world'sMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPuerto Rico: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sUS: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sUkraine: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sThailand: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sTanzania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTaiwan: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sSyria: coverage about 4 times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sSudan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSenegal: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSt Vincent: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRwanda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sQatar: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPoland: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPhilippines: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPanama: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNiger: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNicaragua: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNepal: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sLibya: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLaos: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIraq: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIran: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sHungary: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sFrance: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFinland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sFiji: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCuba: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCongo: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChile: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCambodia: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBulgaria: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBosnia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Syria about 4 times as angry as the world's · 536 stories about harm ● Nicaragua about three times as fearful as the world's · 200 stories about harm ● Ukraine about three times as angry as the world's · 302 stories about harm ● Taiwan about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 56 stories about harm ● Nepal about three times as fearful as the world's · 95 stories about harm ● Thailand about three times as fearful as the world's · 140 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 11,947 stories · about as usual Health21% 7,989 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence15% 5,805 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 5,172 stories · much less than usual (usually 21%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given9% 3,264 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Shelter & services4% 1,651 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,545 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,019 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 killed12,032 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,357 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,603 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,766 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,047 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Palestine and Israel Stories reporting abductions468 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations464 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Libya Stories reporting people displaced416 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill216 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Egypt

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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.