← 29 Aug Friday 30 August 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 31 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,535 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 people falling ill in Uganda, protests in Wan Chai (Hong Kong) and people killed in Fiji. Uganda's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Uganda and the US → Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostBahamas 57 in 100 of its 238 stories, usually 21
RegionEast Asia 22 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
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 →
Health

Uganda

282 of its 392 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (48 stories). Ebola was named in 236 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with meningitis. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Uganda over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

620 of its 825 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Wan Chai accounted for 235 of Hong Kong's 620 stories about harm, carried by 192 outlets. 230 of Wan Chai's 235 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Hong Kong over 30 days → its stories → Wan Chai stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Fiji

46 of its 100 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (40 stories). Accidents were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Fiji over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Venezuela

60 of its 122 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (42 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Colombia

141 of its 235 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. 35 of Bogota's 66 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Mexico

323 of its 766 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 119 of Coatzacoalcos' 146 stories were about protests or strikes. Drought was named in 24 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Hungary

28 of its 132 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 7%. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (26 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

164 of its 369 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Beirut accounted for 127 of Lebanon's 164 stories about harm, carried by 91 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sri Lanka

133 of its 311 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

106 of its 269 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Egypt (51 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); measles in New Zealand (54 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); haemorrhagic fever in Rwanda (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Timor-Leste (15 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); drought in Botswana (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
31 in 10019 in 1001 Aug8 Aug15 Aug22 Aug30 Aug1 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 10024 Aug: 21 in 10025 Aug: 21 in 10026 Aug: 21 in 10027 Aug: 20 in 10028 Aug: 20 in 10029 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 33,535 stories about harm among 159,540 counted on 30 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about Uganda and the US. of the day's 159,540 news stories, 21 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. Reports of aid and relief, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. Uganda's news was 72% about people being harmed, against a usual 39%. On 30 August 2018, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo91 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 80 · mostly health Yemen81 in 100 of its 227 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Syria77 in 100 of its 271 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Libya76 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 69 · mostly displacement Hong Kong75 in 100 of its 825 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beijing China294 stories about protests or strikes, of its 462 Wan Chai Hong Kong230 stories about protests or strikes, of its 235 Jerusalem Israel159 stories about protests or strikes, of its 204 Washington US145 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1498 Coatzacoalcos Mexico119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 146

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 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: 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 lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPapua 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: 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 lessKenya: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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 readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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 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 readChina: 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 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: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern 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: too little coverage to readAzad 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLebanon: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualWatson Lake, Canada -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 33 outletsOlympia, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 17 stories, carried by 19 outletsMaine, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 23 stories, carried by 25 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 66 stories, carried by 77 outletsKebbi, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsGuruvayur, India -- disasters & accidents: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsTripoli, Libya -- displacement: 27 stories, carried by 35 outletsSan Vicente del Caguan, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 10 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

● Colombia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Lebanon warmth about one and a half times usual ● Libya warmth about one and a half times usual ● Italy warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Watson Lake Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Olympia US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 17 stories ● Maine US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 23 stories ● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 66 stories ● Kebbi Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 10,032 stories · less than usual (usually 33%) Disasters & accidents22% 7,326 stories · much more than usual (usually 17%) Health21% 6,970 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence13% 4,303 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,981 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 885 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 860 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 690 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 killed9,395 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,977 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,207 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,469 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations343 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting refugees261 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Canada and the US Stories reporting people displaced235 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions217 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about China and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill171 at about three times the usual rate · most about Uganda and the US

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.

● Angera little less than 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.