← 14 Aug Friday 20 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,437 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 →

Illness in Colombo, the heatwave in Guinea and the earthquake in Haiti drew the news. Burkina Faso's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and the US → Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and the US → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 46 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostMexico 41 in 100 of its 326 stories, usually 27
RegionSouth Asia 45 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Sri Lanka

55 of its 107 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Colombo accounted for 32 of Sri Lanka's 55 stories about harm, carried by 31 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (37 stories). Outbreaks were named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Shelter & services

Guinea

24 of its 31 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Heatwave was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Guinea over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

130 of its 172 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. les Cayes accounted for 66 of Haiti's 130 stories about harm, carried by 132 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (62 stories). Earthquake was named in 128 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain, storms and drought.

Haiti over 30 days → its stories → Les Cayes stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

22 of its 27 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of people injured 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.

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

Mali

12 of its 14 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

55 of its 101 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Pulwama accounted for 30 of Kashmir's 55 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

161 of its 333 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 1,714 of Afghanistan's 2,211 stories about harm, carried by 1,352 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (502 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

133 of its 326 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Hurricane was named in 59 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storms, storm surge and heavy rain.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Guinea-Bissau

9 of its 9 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in New Zealand (105 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hurricane in Mexico (59 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Russia (57 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); wildfires in France (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Japan (12 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 27 the day before
27 in 10021 in 10013 Jul20 Jul27 Jul3 Aug20 Aug13 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 10013 Aug: 25 in 10014 Aug: 27 in 10020 Aug: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 19,437 stories about harm among 77,443 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and the US. Stories about people being harmed made up 25 in every 100 of the day's 77,443 stories, above the usual 24. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. On 20 August 2020, a year earlier, the share was 27 in every 100, against 25 today. Sri Lanka stood out: 51% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 33%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti76 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan62 in 100 of its 3,579 stories · usually 64 · mostly displacement Syria59 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir54 in 100 of its 101 stories · usually 42 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka51 in 100 of its 107 stories · usually 33 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kabul Afghanistan335 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1714 Washington US142 stories about protests or strikes, of its 704 Sydney Australia28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 215 Moscow Russia27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 111 London UK25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 205

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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 readTunisia: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: 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: 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: too little coverage to readFiji: 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 lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualLesotho: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMorecambe Bay, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 110 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsGreenville, US -- displacement: 14 stories, carried by 124 outletsPulwama, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 21 outletsArizona, US -- rights & justice: 21 stories, carried by 34 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 15 stories, carried by 23 outletsEssex, UK -- displacement: 12 stories, carried by 66 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 10 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

● Morecambe Bay UK about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Greenville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 14 stories ● Pulwama Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 30 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health46% 8,779 stories · less than usual (usually 49%) Rights & justice15% 2,821 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents13% 2,408 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence11% 2,167 stories · more than usual (usually 8%) Displacement9% 1,715 stories · much more than usual (usually 2%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 611 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 452 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 293 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 killed4,627 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,028 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting arrests1,319 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,081 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations797 at about 4 times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting refugees323 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting abductions155 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced141 at about the usual rate 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 about as 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.