← 30 Jul Wednesday 31 July 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
35,045 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 day's news pointed at protests in Hong Kong Island (Hong Kong), illness in Dhaka and people killed in the Seychelles. Afghanistan's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada →
Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostEl Salvador 73 in 100 of its 224 stories, usually 38
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
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 →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

304 of its 461 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Hong Kong Island accounted for 184 of Hong Kong's 304 stories about harm, carried by 230 outlets. 172 of Hong Kong Island's 184 stories were about protests or strikes. Cyclone was named in 46 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tropical storm. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Hong Kong over 30 days → its stories → Hong Kong Island stories →
Health

Bangladesh

232 of its 448 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Dhaka accounted for 149 of Bangladesh's 232 stories about harm, carried by 134 outlets. Dengue was named in 125 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Dhaka stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Seychelles

23 of its 39 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Seychelles over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Brazil

292 of its 599 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 97 of Maraba's 97 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (161 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kenya

181 of its 583 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 70 of Nairobi's 115 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Congo

190 of its 208 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 82%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Malaria was named in 77 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Finland

36 of its 116 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. 5 of Helsinki's 7 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Health

Rwanda

100 of its 142 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Kivu accounted for 54 of Rwanda's 100 stories about harm, carried by 64 outlets. Haemorrhagic fever was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sri Lanka

169 of its 349 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (138 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: malaria in Congo (77 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in Yemen (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Russia (118 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Greenland (17 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tsunami in Vanuatu (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
27 in 10019 in 1002 Jul9 Jul16 Jul23 Jul31 Jul2 Jul: 20 in 1003 Jul: 21 in 1004 Jul: 20 in 1005 Jul: 21 in 1006 Jul: 21 in 1007 Jul: 23 in 1008 Jul: 20 in 1009 Jul: 20 in 10010 Jul: 20 in 10011 Jul: 21 in 10012 Jul: 21 in 10013 Jul: 24 in 10014 Jul: 27 in 10015 Jul: 23 in 10016 Jul: 21 in 10017 Jul: 22 in 10018 Jul: 22 in 10019 Jul: 21 in 10020 Jul: 21 in 10021 Jul: 21 in 10022 Jul: 21 in 10023 Jul: 20 in 10024 Jul: 19 in 10025 Jul: 19 in 10026 Jul: 19 in 10027 Jul: 22 in 10028 Jul: 23 in 10029 Jul: 22 in 10030 Jul: 21 in 10031 Jul: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 Jul. 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 35,045 stories about harm among 173,768 counted on 31 Jul.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. of the day's 173,768 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. Hong Kong stood out: 66% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 49%. A year earlier, on 31 July 2018, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo91 in 100 of its 208 stories · usually 82 · mostly health Afghanistan79 in 100 of its 672 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen78 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 68 · mostly disasters & accidents El Salvador73 in 100 of its 224 stories · usually 38 · mostly health Sudan72 in 100 of its 221 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US498 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2161 Moscow Russia183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 294 Beijing China177 stories about protests or strikes, of its 217 Hong Kong Island Hong Kong172 stories about protests or strikes, of its 184 Jerusalem Israel138 stories about protests or strikes, of its 304

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: too little coverage to readYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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 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: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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 lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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 lessPortugal: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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 lessMali: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 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 lessItaly: 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 lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: too little coverage to readGermany: 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 readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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 readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBelarus: 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 lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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): 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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 readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualIceland: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualCosta Rica: warmth about its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualMaputo, Mozambique -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsMonash, Australia -- health: 10 stories, carried by 17 outletsEast Cape Girardeau, US -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsChongqing, China -- shelter & services: 33 stories, carried by 61 outletsColorado, US -- disasters & accidents: 154 stories, carried by 153 outletsAnkara, Türkiye -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsHavelock North, New Zealand -- shelter & services: 25 stories, carried by 11 outletsAnambra, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 11 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

● Mozambique warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sri Lanka warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Maputo Mozambique about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Monash Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● East Cape Girardeau US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Chongqing China about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 33 stories ● Colorado US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 154 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 11,443 stories · about as usual Health22% 7,544 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents15% 5,139 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence14% 4,930 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,906 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 1,489 stories · more than usual (usually 2%) Shelter & services3% 1,182 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 569 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 killed9,305 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,895 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,417 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,093 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees348 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Italy Stories reporting abductions297 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations258 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Kenya Stories reporting people displaced226 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill84 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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

Read the week →

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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.