← 16 Jul Saturday 17 July 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Jul →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,025 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 news turned to landslides in Germany, violence in Baghdad and the drought in Iran. Germany's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Germany and the US → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 45 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGermany 69 in 100 of its 497 stories, usually 25
RegionEurope 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Germany

342 of its 497 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Ahrweiler accounted for 206 of Germany's 342 stories about harm, carried by 471 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (109 stories). Landslides were named in 60 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with power cuts and tsunami. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Germany over 30 days → its stories → Ahrweiler stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

44 of its 62 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Baghdad accounted for 26 of Iraq's 44 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

62 of its 115 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Drought was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Belgium

66 of its 88 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

46 of its 72 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Landslides were named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 89 of Afghanistan's 214 stories about harm, carried by 102 outlets. Drought was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Thailand

66 of its 123 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Bangkok accounted for 47 of Thailand's 66 stories about harm, carried by 166 outlets.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

80 of its 226 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Netherlands

38 of its 105 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Saudi Arabia (22 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); landslides in Syria (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Ghana (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cholera in Nigeria (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 24 the day before
26 in 10021 in 10018 Jun25 Jun2 Jul9 Jul17 Jul18 Jun: 22 in 10019 Jun: 24 in 10020 Jun: 25 in 10021 Jun: 22 in 10022 Jun: 21 in 10023 Jun: 21 in 10024 Jun: 22 in 10025 Jun: 23 in 10026 Jun: 25 in 10027 Jun: 25 in 10028 Jun: 23 in 10029 Jun: 22 in 10030 Jun: 22 in 1001 Jul: 22 in 1002 Jul: 23 in 1003 Jul: 25 in 1004 Jul: 25 in 1005 Jul: 24 in 1006 Jul: 23 in 1007 Jul: 22 in 1008 Jul: 22 in 1009 Jul: 23 in 10010 Jul: 25 in 10011 Jul: 25 in 10012 Jul: 23 in 10013 Jul: 23 in 10014 Jul: 22 in 10015 Jul: 23 in 10016 Jul: 24 in 10017 Jul: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 Jul. 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 12,025 stories about harm among 46,265 counted on 17 Jul.

Read the day's briefing

It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 30 May 2021. of the day's 46,265 news stories, 26 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 23. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Germany and the US. It was the third day running that the news turned to Germany. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Belgium75 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq71 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Germany69 in 100 of its 497 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria64 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan60 in 100 of its 356 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US114 stories about protests or strikes, of its 627 Havana Cuba42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 51 Portland US38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 71 Paris France27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 62 Kwazulu South Africa26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 67

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: 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: 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 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 readOman: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: too little coverage to readMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 lessLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: 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 lessItaly: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 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: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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 lessBrazil: 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 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: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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 readJammu & 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: 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: 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: 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 readPakistan: warmth about its own usualCroatia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualFrench Riviera, France -- health: 10 stories, carried by 24 outletsBrooklyn, US -- disasters & accidents: 25 stories, carried by 28 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 89 stories, carried by 102 outletsDasu, China -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 16 outletsPort Arthur, Australia -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 14 outletsWirral, UK -- health: 26 stories, carried by 14 outletsPerth, Australia -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 74 outletsSwindon, UK -- health: 16 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

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

Warmest events

● French Riviera France about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Brooklyn US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 25 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 89 stories ● Dasu China about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Port Arthur Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health45% 5,310 stories · about as usual Rights & justice19% 2,264 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents17% 2,002 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence8% 997 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 499 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 338 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 254 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 213 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 killed3,434 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting people affected1,198 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting arrests900 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured634 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations276 at about three times the usual rate · most about Germany and the US Stories reporting abductions110 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees71 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced69 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill15 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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.