← 17 Aug Friday 18 August 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,742 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 earthquake in Colombia, protests in Stockholm (Sweden) and violence in Darfur drew the news. Sweden's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 37 in 100 of its 414 stories, usually 16
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Colombia

44 of its 85 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Bogota accounted for 35 of Colombia's 44 stories about harm, carried by 131 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (24 stories). Earthquake was named in 38 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Bogota stories →
Protests & strikes

Sweden

98 of its 226 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Stockholm accounted for 53 of Sweden's 98 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. 28 of Stockholm's 53 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Sweden over 30 days → its stories → Stockholm stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

69 of its 87 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Darfur accounted for 26 of Sudan's 69 stories about harm, carried by 43 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Malaysia

154 of its 414 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (87 stories). Plane crash was named in 46 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

DR Congo

16 of its 19 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (9 stories). Cholera was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

126 of its 542 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (40 stories). Wildfires were named in 57 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with volcanic eruption.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Haiti

Port-au-Prince accounted for 27 of Haiti's 43 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Pakistan

52 of Jaranwala's 93 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (104 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Hurricane was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Mexico (107 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Spain (57 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Denmark (18 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); plane crash in Malaysia (46 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Ireland (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
21 in 10018 in 10020 Jul27 Jul3 Aug10 Aug18 Aug20 Jul: 19 in 10021 Jul: 18 in 10022 Jul: 20 in 10023 Jul: 21 in 10024 Jul: 19 in 10025 Jul: 19 in 10026 Jul: 18 in 10027 Jul: 18 in 10028 Jul: 19 in 10029 Jul: 19 in 10030 Jul: 19 in 10031 Jul: 18 in 1001 Aug: 19 in 1002 Aug: 18 in 1003 Aug: 18 in 1004 Aug: 18 in 1005 Aug: 19 in 1006 Aug: 20 in 1007 Aug: 19 in 1008 Aug: 19 in 1009 Aug: 18 in 10010 Aug: 19 in 10011 Aug: 19 in 10012 Aug: 20 in 10013 Aug: 20 in 10014 Aug: 19 in 10015 Aug: 19 in 10016 Aug: 18 in 10017 Aug: 19 in 10018 Aug: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 20,742 stories about harm among 106,982 counted on 18 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Colombia's news was 52% about people being harmed, against a usual 25%. of the day's 106,982 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 18 August 2022, 21 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 →

Sudan79 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine61 in 100 of its 92 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Syria58 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Iran54 in 100 of its 184 stories · usually 43 · mostly rights & justice North Korea53 in 100 of its 132 stories · usually 30 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US201 stories about protests or strikes, of its 672 Jaranwala Pakistan52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 93 Los Angeles US36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 264 London UK30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 256 Moscow Russia28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 135

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: too little coverage to readYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: 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: 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: 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 lessTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: 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 lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: too little coverage to readSouth 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: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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 readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: 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 lessJersey: 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: 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: 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualLisbon, Portugal -- health: 12 stories, carried by 31 outletsChibok, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsGaza, Palestine -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 32 outletsWest Virginia, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsNew Hampshire, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 18 outletsHarare, Zimbabwe -- rights & justice: 26 stories, carried by 28 outletsCarrigaline, Ireland -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsInverness, UK -- health: 12 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Lisbon Portugal about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Chibok Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Gaza Palestine about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● West Virginia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● New Hampshire US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health28% 5,734 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents24% 4,807 stories · more than usual (usually 21%) Rights & justice23% 4,596 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,912 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 969 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 846 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 770 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 699 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 killed5,057 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,346 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,167 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured978 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations598 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Canada and the US Stories reporting people displaced225 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees176 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions174 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill18 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 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.