← 21 Aug Thursday 22 August 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,305 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 Giewont, arrests in Spain and protests in Jakarta (Indonesia). el Salvador's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 35 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPoland 47 in 100 of its 407 stories, usually 17
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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 →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Poland

191 of its 407 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Giewont accounted for 162 of Poland's 191 stories about harm, carried by 316 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (168 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories → Giewont stories →
Health

Spain

213 of its 896 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (57 stories). Outbreaks were named in 68 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with food poisoning. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Indonesia

219 of its 561 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 57 of Jakarta's 75 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (117 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Bangladesh

442 of its 671 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. 85 of Dhaka's 139 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (223 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Mexico

Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (26 stories). Storms were named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with food poisoning. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Palestine

71 of Ramallah's 87 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (84 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

61 of Yuen Long's 64 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Brazil

706 of its 1,391 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Drought was named in 137 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cook Islands

16 of its 24 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Drought was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hunger.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drought in Cook Islands (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Brazil (137 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Cuba (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in Nigeria (57 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); storms in Mexico (35 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 19 the day before
31 in 10019 in 10024 Jul31 Jul7 Aug14 Aug22 Aug24 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 1001 Aug: 20 in 1002 Aug: 21 in 1003 Aug: 25 in 1004 Aug: 31 in 1005 Aug: 24 in 1006 Aug: 22 in 1007 Aug: 23 in 1008 Aug: 22 in 1009 Aug: 22 in 10010 Aug: 26 in 10011 Aug: 26 in 10012 Aug: 22 in 10013 Aug: 21 in 10014 Aug: 20 in 10015 Aug: 21 in 10016 Aug: 21 in 10017 Aug: 24 in 10018 Aug: 25 in 10019 Aug: 20 in 10020 Aug: 20 in 10021 Aug: 19 in 10022 Aug: 19 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 33,305 stories about harm among 172,052 counted on 22 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In Poland, 47% of the news was about people being harmed, where 17% is usual. Spain's news mentioned outbreaks more than ten times as often as usual. 19 in every 100 of the day's 172,052 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. A year earlier, on 22 August 2018, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan75 in 100 of its 404 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Syria75 in 100 of its 349 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Congo72 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 85 · mostly health Bangladesh66 in 100 of its 671 stories · usually 49 · mostly displacement Somalia64 in 100 of its 144 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Hawaiian Islands US280 stories about protests or strikes, of its 287 Delhi India243 stories about protests or strikes, of its 527 Washington US235 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1567 Beijing China131 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 Dhaka Bangladesh85 stories about protests or strikes, of its 139

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 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: 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 lessSudan: 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 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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 lessRomania: 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 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 lessPalau: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: too little coverage to readWestern 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: too little coverage to readMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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: 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 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 lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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 lessChile: too little coverage to readChad: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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 lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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): 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: too little coverage to readAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPanama: warmth about its own usualLiberia: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualGreenland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualWhitesburg, US -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 53 outletsDelaware, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsLake District, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsSeoul, South Korea -- rights & justice: 42 stories, carried by 43 outletsPanama City, Panama -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsTaipei, Taiwan -- health: 17 stories, carried by 14 outletsCanberra, Australia -- rights & justice: 40 stories, carried by 42 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 57 stories, carried by 66 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

● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● South Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual ● Greenland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Whitesburg US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 13 stories ● Delaware US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Lake District UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Seoul South Korea about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 42 stories ● Panama City Panama about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice35% 11,321 stories · about as usual Health23% 7,459 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents16% 5,124 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 4,073 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,830 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 1,606 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 800 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 545 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 killed8,403 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests4,127 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,889 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Poland Stories reporting refugees538 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and the US Stories reporting abductions396 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations243 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Italy Stories reporting people displaced228 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill48 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 much 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

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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.