← 21 Aug Sunday 22 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
10,847 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 people displaced in Kabul, a disaster in les Cayes and violence in Jerusalem. Israel's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was about as usual.

Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and the US → Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 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 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostHaiti 81 in 100 of its 75 stories, usually 61
RegionSouth Asia 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Displacement

Afghanistan

1,572 of its 2,251 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Kabul accounted for 1,297 of Afghanistan's 1,572 stories about harm, carried by 1,213 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (517 stories). Polio was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

61 of its 75 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. les Cayes accounted for 37 of Haiti's 61 stories about harm, carried by 199 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Israel

159 of its 307 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Jerusalem accounted for 82 of Israel's 159 stories about harm, carried by 125 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (69 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Health

New Zealand

91 of its 293 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Outbreaks were named in 57 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

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

Mexico

54 of its 125 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Landslides were named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding, storms and power cuts. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

US

3,576 of its 9,992 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (124 stories). Flooding was named in 705 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with power cuts, storm surge and heavy rain.

its stories →
Health

Australia

277 of its 875 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (13 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 30 of Vietnam's 57 stories about harm, carried by 62 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bolivia

10 of its 11 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

22 of its 28 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Mexico (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in US (705 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in Iran (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 28 the day before
29 in 10021 in 10015 Jul22 Jul29 Jul5 Aug22 Aug15 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 10021 Aug: 28 in 10022 Aug: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 10,847 stories about harm among 37,343 counted on 22 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 17 January 2021. of the day's 37,343 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 24. Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. People affected were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and the US.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti81 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 61 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 2,251 stories · usually 64 · mostly displacement Iran55 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 50 · mostly health Israel52 in 100 of its 307 stories · usually 40 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine46 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kabul Afghanistan127 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1297 Sydney Australia43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 103 Washington US43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 294 Jerusalem Israel38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 82 Chicago US25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 125

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: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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: 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: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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: too little coverage to readSweden: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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 readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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: 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: 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 readSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualOklahoma, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsArizona, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsNorthern Ireland, UK -- health: 55 stories, carried by 176 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 76 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 26 stories, carried by 13 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

● Oklahoma US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Northern Ireland UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 55 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 26 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health36% 3,923 stories · much less than usual (usually 49%) Disasters & accidents18% 1,889 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Rights & justice13% 1,446 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Displacement13% 1,426 stories · much more than usual (usually 2%) Conflict & violence12% 1,250 stories · more than usual (usually 8%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 386 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 313 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 139 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 killed3,038 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting people affected1,503 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting evacuations750 at about 6 times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting arrests691 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured598 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees179 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting abductions92 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced58 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill8 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 →

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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.