← 5 Aug Friday 6 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 11 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,087 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 wildfires in Greece, people affected in Saudi Arabia and protests in Khartoum (Sudan). Saudi Arabia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 52 in 100 of its 130 stories, usually 29
RegionCentral Asia 46 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

116 of its 266 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Athens accounted for 88 of Greece's 116 stories about harm, carried by 220 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (63 stories). Wildfires were named in 70 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with storms.

Greece over 30 days → its stories → Athens stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

68 of its 130 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Russia

137 of its 434 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Chad

13 of its 25 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half 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

Afghanistan

306 of its 415 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Kabul accounted for 141 of Afghanistan's 306 stories about harm, carried by 329 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Palestine

38 of its 65 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. 15 of Beita's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

31 of its 40 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cyprus

9 of its 17 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

South Sudan

21 of its 29 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Flooding was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in South Sudan (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drought in Brazil (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); accidents in South Korea (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Ireland (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); hepatitis in Canada (16 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 24 the day before
26 in 10021 in 1008 Jul15 Jul22 Jul29 Jul6 Aug8 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 1006 Aug: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 6 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 17,087 stories about harm among 72,172 counted on 6 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Greece for the fourth day running. 24 in every 100 of the day's 72,172 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 6 August 2020, 29 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today. Greece stood out: 44% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 29%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan74 in 100 of its 415 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine58 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence Saudi Arabia52 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 29 · mostly conflict & violence Türkiye50 in 100 of its 145 stories · usually 44 · mostly disasters & accidents Iran49 in 100 of its 261 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 800 Delhi India32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 137 London UK28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 202 Phoenix US24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 75 Chicago US21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 153

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualGlastonbury, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsMississippi, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsOklahoma, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsAccra, Ghana -- rights & justice: 32 stories, carried by 12 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 23 stories, carried by 20 outletsHerat, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 43 stories, carried by 104 outletsLucknow, India -- health: 11 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

● Glastonbury UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Mississippi US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Oklahoma US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 32 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 8,968 stories · more than usual (usually 48%) Rights & justice16% 2,749 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents12% 2,059 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence8% 1,428 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 587 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 435 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 374 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 300 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 killed4,049 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,330 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,172 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured995 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations217 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced132 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting refugees112 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions68 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US 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 much 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.