← 22 Aug Friday 23 August 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,065 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 →

Illness in Giewont, deaths in Algiers and violence in Baghdad drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about twice 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 Spain →
Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostPoland 72 in 100 of its 436 stories, usually 18
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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 →
Health

Poland

314 of its 436 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Giewont accounted for 247 of Poland's 314 stories about harm, carried by 249 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (210 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories → Giewont stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Algeria

64 of its 116 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Algiers accounted for 58 of Algeria's 64 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Algeria over 30 days → its stories → Algiers stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

178 of its 254 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Baghdad accounted for 139 of Iraq's 178 stories about harm, carried by 200 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (97 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Protests & strikes

Indonesia

185 of its 418 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 41 of Jakarta's 62 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Drownings were named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Jakarta stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Palestine

440 of its 863 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Ramallah accounted for 288 of Palestine's 440 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zimbabwe

192 of its 504 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 93 of Harare's 110 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Brazil

963 of its 1,796 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (180 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sri Lanka

180 of its 363 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

705 of its 1,219 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Jerusalem accounted for 438 of Israel's 705 stories about harm, carried by 191 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (94 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kashmir

99 of its 239 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 20 of Sonawar's 33 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (26 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: malaria in Switzerland (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Taiwan (17 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); flooding in Sudan (13 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); drought in Mexico (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); measles in New Zealand (18 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 19 the day before
31 in 10019 in 10025 Jul1 Aug8 Aug15 Aug23 Aug25 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 10023 Aug: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 33,065 stories about harm among 158,850 counted on 23 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Poland stood out: 72% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 18%. 21 in every 100 of the day's 158,850 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. In Switzerland's news, mentions of the malaria ran more than ten times their usual. People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Spain. It was the second day running that the news turned to Poland.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria80 in 100 of its 330 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Poland72 in 100 of its 436 stories · usually 18 · mostly health Iraq70 in 100 of its 254 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 287 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia70 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beijing China242 stories about protests or strikes, of its 433 Shenzhen China167 stories about protests or strikes, of its 204 Jerusalem Israel163 stories about protests or strikes, of its 438 Washington US147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1069 Moscow Russia124 stories about protests or strikes, of its 304

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: 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: 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 Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: 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 lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: 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 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: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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 lessIndonesia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: 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 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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 lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readSan 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readVietnam: warmth about its own usualUK: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualLaos: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualWest Virginia, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsHumphreys County, US -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsZurich, Switzerland -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsEssex, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 150 outletsLashkar, India -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsTamil Nadu, India -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsSeoul, South Korea -- rights & justice: 105 stories, carried by 93 outletsHamburg, Germany -- health: 15 stories, carried by 14 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

● South Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sri Lanka warmth about one and a half times usual ● Czechia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● West Virginia US about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Humphreys County US about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Zurich Switzerland about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Essex UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Lashkar India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 10,177 stories · less than usual (usually 34%) Health24% 7,657 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents17% 5,435 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence13% 4,324 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 2,436 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,059 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 762 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 667 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 killed9,086 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,236 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,244 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,813 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Poland Stories reporting refugees405 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations362 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Pakistan Stories reporting abductions357 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced163 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill109 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Spain

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 →

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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.