← 3 Aug Wednesday 4 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,266 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 →

Violence in Beirut, deaths in Domazlice and wildfires in Greece drew the news. the Czechia's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostCzechia 71 in 100 of its 97 stories, usually 15
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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 →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

277 of its 423 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Beirut accounted for 261 of Lebanon's 277 stories about harm, carried by 518 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (24 stories). Earthquake was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Czechia

69 of its 97 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Domazlice accounted for 31 of the Czechia's 69 stories about harm, carried by 91 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Czechia over 30 days → its stories → Domazlice stories →
Disasters & accidents

Greece

126 of its 295 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Athens accounted for 92 of Greece's 126 stories about harm, carried by 207 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories). Wildfires were named in 60 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heatwave, storms and flooding.

Greece over 30 days → its stories → Athens stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

301 of its 393 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Kabul accounted for 168 of Afghanistan's 301 stories about harm, carried by 223 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (128 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

87 of its 146 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (21 stories). Heavy rain was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

51 of its 83 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Türkiye

124 of its 217 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Heatwave was named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iran

Tehran accounted for 93 of Iran's 173 stories about harm, carried by 132 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). House fires were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heatwave in Türkiye (30 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); heavy rain in Bangladesh (19 of its stories, about three times its usual); house fires in UK (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 23 the day before
26 in 10021 in 1006 Jul13 Jul20 Jul27 Jul4 Aug6 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 10028 Jul: 23 in 10029 Jul: 23 in 10030 Jul: 24 in 10031 Jul: 25 in 1001 Aug: 25 in 1002 Aug: 24 in 1003 Aug: 23 in 1004 Aug: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 19,266 stories about harm among 93,315 counted on 4 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 21 February 2020. For the second day running, the news turned to Lebanon. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 93,315 stories, below the usual 24. On 4 August 2020, a year earlier, the share was 29 in every 100, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan77 in 100 of its 393 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Czechia71 in 100 of its 97 stories · usually 15 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Lebanon65 in 100 of its 423 stories · usually 42 · mostly conflict & violence Syria61 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh60 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 50 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US205 stories about protests or strikes, of its 940 Beirut Lebanon79 stories about protests or strikes, of its 261 Delhi India55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 187 Kabul Afghanistan33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 168 Jerusalem Israel24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 85

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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: 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: 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: 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 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCanada: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readIraq: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualLake District, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsHerat, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 23 stories, carried by 40 outletsPigeon Forge, US -- disasters & accidents: 24 stories, carried by 128 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 21 outletsMichigan, US -- health: 44 stories, carried by 58 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 16 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 15 outletsToronto, Canada -- health: 94 stories, carried by 71 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

● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Lake District UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Herat Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 23 stories ● Pigeon Forge US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 24 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 22 stories ● Michigan US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 44 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health54% 10,390 stories · much more than usual (usually 48%) Rights & justice16% 3,038 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents13% 2,399 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence7% 1,378 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 725 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 477 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 388 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 277 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 killed4,648 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,491 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,284 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,264 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees140 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations133 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions125 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill12 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and China

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

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.