← 26 Jul Tuesday 27 July 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 28 Jul →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,646 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 →

Protests in Tehran (Iran), drownings in Libya and violence in Kabul drew the news. Bangladesh's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 50 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostLibya 64 in 100 of its 78 stories, usually 39
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Protests & strikes

Iran

89 of its 148 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Tehran accounted for 47 of Iran's 89 stories about harm, carried by 96 outlets. 24 of Tehran's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

50 of its 78 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Drownings were named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 77 of Afghanistan's 192 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (15 stories). Landslides were named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding and heavy rain. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Hong Kong

11 of Hong Kong Island's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 69 of Iraq's 126 stories about harm, carried by 146 outlets. Illness was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

Tunis accounted for 72 of Tunisia's 100 stories about harm, carried by 177 outlets. 42 of Tunis' 72 stories were about protests or strikes. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Tanzania

27 of its 60 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Côte d’Ivoire

12 of its 20 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Italy

92 of its 369 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Iraq (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in South Korea (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Japan (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Germany (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Pakistan (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 24 the day before
26 in 10022 in 10028 Jun5 Jul12 Jul19 Jul27 Jul28 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 10018 Jul: 25 in 10019 Jul: 23 in 10020 Jul: 23 in 10021 Jul: 23 in 10022 Jul: 23 in 10023 Jul: 24 in 10024 Jul: 25 in 10025 Jul: 25 in 10026 Jul: 24 in 10027 Jul: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 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 19,646 stories about harm among 84,879 counted on 27 Jul.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Iran. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 84,879 stories, as usual. Mentions of drownings ran about 5 times their usual in Libya's news. On 27 July 2020, a year earlier, the share was 29 in every 100, against 23 today. Iran stood out: 60% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 45%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya64 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan63 in 100 of its 305 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Iran60 in 100 of its 148 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia60 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti57 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 62 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US273 stories about protests or strikes, of its 993 Sydney Australia42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182 Beijing China42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 144 Tunis Tunisia42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 72 Delhi India38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 224

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 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: 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 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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: too little coverage to readEswatini: 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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 readMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: 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: 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 lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readTunisia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualMongolia: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualPerth, Australia -- health: 15 stories, carried by 21 outletsColorado, US -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 24 outletsRockingham County, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsYeovil, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsSussex, UK -- rights & justice: 26 stories, carried by 34 outletsAmman, Jordan -- health: 10 stories, carried by 24 outletsPort-au-Prince, Haiti -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 26 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

● Tunisia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 20 stories ● Rockingham County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Yeovil UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 26 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health50% 9,754 stories · more than usual (usually 45%) Rights & justice19% 3,643 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,467 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Conflict & violence9% 1,668 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 718 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 539 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 386 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 273 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 killed4,681 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,588 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,570 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,179 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations176 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees157 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting abductions147 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced115 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill5 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Japan

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
● 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.