← 4 Aug Thursday 5 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,654 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 day's news pointed at wildfires in Greece, protests in Darfur (Sudan) and people killed in Chad. Bangladesh's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGreece 48 in 100 of its 239 stories, usually 28
RegionCentral Asia 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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

Greece

114 of its 239 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Athens accounted for 72 of Greece's 114 stories about harm, carried by 197 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (38 stories). Wildfires were named in 50 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with storms and flooding.

Greece over 30 days → its stories → Athens stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

25 of its 41 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. 4 of Darfur's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Darfur stories →
Conflict & violence

Chad

19 of its 33 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Chad over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Natural hazards were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten 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.

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

Afghanistan

188 of its 265 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Kabul accounted for 65 of Afghanistan's 188 stories about harm, carried by 73 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

118 of its 215 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Beirut accounted for 92 of Lebanon's 118 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Czechia

23 of its 57 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

60 of its 140 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 12 of Hong Kong's 21 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Health

Fiji

31 of its 66 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Qatar

21 of its 80 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flu in Ireland (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); natural hazards in India (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 21 the day before
26 in 10021 in 1007 Jul14 Jul21 Jul28 Jul5 Aug7 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 1005 Aug: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 18,654 stories about harm among 78,758 counted on 5 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

For the third day running, the news turned to Greece. Stories about people being harmed made up 24 in every 100 of the day's 78,758 stories, as usual. On 5 August 2020, a year earlier, the share was 29 in every 100, against 24 today. In Greece, 48% of the news was about people being harmed, where 28% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan71 in 100 of its 265 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon55 in 100 of its 215 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh53 in 100 of its 154 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Türkiye53 in 100 of its 209 stories · usually 43 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria50 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US156 stories about protests or strikes, of its 880 Delhi India88 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 Phoenix US43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 121 Beirut Lebanon40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 92 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 250

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 lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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: too little coverage to readHong 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: 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 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: 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: too little coverage to readGaza: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: 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 usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEritrea: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualMapulane, South Africa -- shelter & services: 11 stories, carried by 14 outletsArizona, US -- rights & justice: 36 stories, carried by 25 outletsAnambra, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 26 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 36 stories, carried by 16 outletsOklahoma, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 35 outletsHerat, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 45 outletsFulani, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsHong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong -- rights & justice: 21 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

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

Warmest events

● Mapulane South Africa about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 11 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 36 stories ● Anambra Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 36 stories ● Oklahoma US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health54% 10,047 stories · much more than usual (usually 48%) Rights & justice17% 3,071 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents11% 2,053 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence7% 1,279 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 716 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 516 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 433 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 327 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 killed4,298 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,448 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,315 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,125 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations216 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees138 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced117 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions90 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill22 at about one and a half times 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

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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.