← 30 Aug Saturday 31 August 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,469 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 →

Storm surge in the Bahamas, protests in Palmira (Colombia) and rights and justice in Tunis drew the news. Colombia's coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the Bahamas → Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Uganda → Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostBahamas 67 in 100 of its 292 stories, usually 24
RegionEast Asia 26 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 →
Disasters & accidents

Bahamas

197 of its 292 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Abaco accounted for 108 of the Bahamas' 197 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (31 stories). Storm surge was named in 94 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Bahamas over 30 days → its stories → Abaco stories →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

62 of its 84 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 12 of Palmira's 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Palmira stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Angola

13 of its 27 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Road crashes were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Norway

100 of its 152 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Uganda

61 of its 96 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

France

344 of its 1,031 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (178 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

595 of its 904 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Hong Kong Island accounted for 466 of Hong Kong's 595 stories about harm, carried by 554 outlets. 464 of Hong Kong Island's 466 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

89 of its 120 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. 49 of Darfur's 50 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in US (3581 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); measles in New Zealand (24 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); road crashes in Angola (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Mexico (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in UK (64 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 21 the day before
31 in 10019 in 1002 Aug9 Aug16 Aug23 Aug31 Aug2 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 10031 Aug: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 22,469 stories about harm among 92,277 counted on 31 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 24 in every 100 of the day's 92,277 stories, above the usual 22. the Bahamas' news was 67% about people being harmed, against a usual 24%. Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the Bahamas. A year earlier, on 31 August 2018, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen92 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan83 in 100 of its 622 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia80 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 22 · mostly rights & justice Sudan74 in 100 of its 120 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice Colombia74 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 38 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong464 stories about protests or strikes, of its 466 Beijing China183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 212 Jerusalem Israel127 stories about protests or strikes, of its 152 Moscow Russia124 stories about protests or strikes, of its 144 Boston US97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 215

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: 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: 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 lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: too little coverage to readLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuyana: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: 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 lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readCôte 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: 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 readCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: too little coverage to readBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualVietnam: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about its own usualSardinia, Italy -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 68 stories, carried by 69 outletsAmazonas, Brazil -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsColorado, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsSyracuse, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 80 outletsLondonderry, UK -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 126 outletsLeipzig, Germany -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- shelter & services: 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

● Italy warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Sardinia Italy about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 68 stories ● Amazonas Brazil about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 12 stories ● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Colorado US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 12 stories ● Syracuse US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 6,076 stories · much less than usual (usually 33%) Disasters & accidents27% 5,993 stories · much more than usual (usually 17%) Health19% 4,157 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence16% 3,487 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,293 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 540 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 482 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 215 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 killed6,161 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,543 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,894 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,755 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations672 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and the Bahamas Stories reporting refugees239 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced148 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions132 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Congo and Pakistan Stories reporting people falling ill90 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Uganda

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.