← 3 Sep Tuesday 4 September 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
39,414 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 protests in Juba (South Sudan), violence in Algiers and people killed in Botswana. Algeria's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBotswana 50 in 100 of its 493 stories, usually 14
RegionEast Asia 22 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
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 →
Protests & strikes

South Sudan

226 of its 235 stories (96%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Juba accounted for 134 of South Sudan's 226 stories about harm, carried by 127 outlets. 108 of Juba's 134 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (188 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

South Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Juba stories →
Conflict & violence

Algeria

81 of its 106 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Algiers accounted for 79 of Algeria's 81 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (77 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

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

Botswana

248 of its 493 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (239 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Botswana over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Japan

1,046 of its 2,481 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (402 stories). Landslides were named in 409 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with power cuts, heatwave and tornadoes.

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

Syria

1,024 of its 1,220 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Idlib accounted for 872 of Syria's 1,024 stories about harm, carried by 847 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Myanmar

257 of its 304 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Yangon accounted for 218 of Myanmar's 257 stories about harm, carried by 285 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (175 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

197 of its 301 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (85 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Greece

251 of its 708 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (169 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

20 of Managua's 21 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Wildfires were named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

Tripoli accounted for 243 of Libya's 266 stories about harm, carried by 196 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Puerto Rico (53 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Portugal (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Finland (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Nicaragua (21 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); ebola in Zambia (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
24 in 10019 in 1006 Aug13 Aug20 Aug27 Aug4 Sep6 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 1001 Sep: 22 in 1002 Sep: 22 in 1003 Sep: 21 in 1004 Sep: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Sep. 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 39,414 stories about harm among 193,609 counted on 4 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of wildfires ran more than ten times their usual in Puerto Rico's news. of the day's 193,609 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 4 September 2017, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 20 today. South Sudan's news was 96% about people being harmed, against a usual 57%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Sudan96 in 100 of its 235 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Myanmar85 in 100 of its 304 stories · usually 72 · mostly rights & justice Syria84 in 100 of its 1,220 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Algeria76 in 100 of its 106 stories · usually 33 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan74 in 100 of its 985 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US330 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1275 Jerusalem Israel315 stories about protests or strikes, of its 495 San Francisco US189 stories about protests or strikes, of its 280 Idlib Syria186 stories about protests or strikes, of its 872 Grant Town US179 stories about protests or strikes, of its 197

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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: 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 lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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 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 lessRwanda: 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 lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: 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 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: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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 lessHonduras: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: 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 readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: 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 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 lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 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: 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 lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualNicaragua: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualHungary: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualKhartoum, Sudan -- displacement: 16 stories, carried by 15 outletsBamako, Mali -- conflict & violence: 116 stories, carried by 115 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 68 stories, carried by 181 outletsGrand Rapids, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 23 outletsCrookwell, Australia -- shelter & services: 12 stories, carried by 16 outletsBusan, South Korea -- shelter & services: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsKigali, Rwanda -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 17 outletsKentucky, US -- health: 92 stories, carried by 86 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

● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Portugal warmth about one and a half times usual ● Iraq warmth about one and a half times usual ● Bulgaria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual ● France warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Khartoum Sudan about three times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 16 stories ● Bamako Mali about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 116 stories ● Sussex UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 68 stories ● Grand Rapids US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Crookwell Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 10,909 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 8,942 stories · more than usual (usually 21%) Health18% 7,140 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence15% 5,769 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,137 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,685 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,361 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 848 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 killed10,040 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected5,140 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,453 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,128 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations1,112 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Japan and the US Stories reporting refugees990 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Palestine and Germany Stories reporting people displaced555 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions205 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill95 at about the usual rate

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
● Griefa little less 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.