← 11 Aug Thursday 12 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 13 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,208 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 Darfur, landslides in Türkiye and arrests in Ireland drew the news. Sudan's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 51 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostSudan 69 in 100 of its 62 stories, usually 45
RegionEast Asia 24 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
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

Sudan

43 of its 62 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Darfur accounted for 27 of Sudan's 43 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (8 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 →
Disasters & accidents

Türkiye

110 of its 211 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (26 stories). Landslides were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain and power cuts. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Türkiye over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Ireland

210 of its 850 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (29 stories). Drought was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Ireland over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Mexico

121 of its 301 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Algeria

54 of its 83 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Heatwave was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Zambia

40 of its 87 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Lusaka accounted for 31 of Zambia's 40 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Covid was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

116 of its 406 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Heatwave was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drought.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Russia

192 of its 532 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (26 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Tunisia

36 of its 62 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Tunis accounted for 25 of Tunisia's 36 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

113 of its 395 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Covid was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with outbreaks.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Zambia (23 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tropical storm in Cuba (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in New Zealand (34 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); ebola in Guinea (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heatwave in Algeria (17 of its stories, about three times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 24 the day before
26 in 10021 in 10010 Jul17 Jul24 Jul31 Jul12 Aug10 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 10011 Aug: 24 in 10012 Aug: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 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 17,208 stories about harm among 70,972 counted on 12 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Sudan for the second day running. 24 in every 100 of the day's 70,972 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Zambia's news, mentions of Covid ran about 5 times their usual. On 12 August 2020, a year earlier, the share was 28 in every 100, against 24 today. Sudan's news was 69% about people being harmed, against a usual 45%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan69 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 898 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Algeria65 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 44 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia58 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia58 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US114 stories about protests or strikes, of its 640 Delhi India37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 186 Chicago US31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 141 London UK24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 276 New York US19 stories about protests or strikes, of its 187

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: 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 lessSouth Africa: 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: 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: 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 readCuraçao: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: 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 lessKenya: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: 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: 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 readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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 readSyria: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualOmaha, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 22 outletsDelaware, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsKilmore Quay, Ireland -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsAmsterdam, Netherlands -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsKulgam, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 13 outletsCrewkerne, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 10 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsLusaka, Zambia -- health: 31 stories, carried by 53 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

● Omaha US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Delaware US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Kilmore Quay Ireland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Amsterdam Netherlands about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Kulgam Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health51% 8,675 stories · more than usual (usually 49%) Rights & justice16% 2,809 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents14% 2,316 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,330 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 577 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 502 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 491 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 345 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 killed4,006 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,460 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,191 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured966 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations152 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees147 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced142 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting abductions99 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill21 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.