← 26 Aug Friday 27 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 28 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,098 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to violence in Kabul, evacuations in Kazakhstan and rights and justice in Kampala. Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times 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 mostKazakhstan 74 in 100 of its 69 stories, usually 36
RegionCentral Asia 59 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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 →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

3,338 of its 4,243 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Kabul accounted for 2,947 of Afghanistan's 3,338 stories about harm, carried by 1,830 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (852 stories). Tornadoes were named in 62 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with train derailment and snowstorms. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Displacement

Kazakhstan

51 of its 69 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Kazakhstan over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

53 of its 106 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees 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.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Bangladesh

63 of its 114 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Dhaka accounted for 27 of Bangladesh's 63 stories about harm, carried by 22 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

US

7,903 of its 22,668 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (182 stories). Storm surge was named in 259 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with volcanic eruption.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

Tigray accounted for 32 of Ethiopia's 46 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Jamaica

70 of its 162 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Tropical storm was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with flooding.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Montenegro

8 of its 10 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Israel

152 of its 307 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Canada (215 of its stories, about three times its usual); hurricane in Cuba (32 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); tropical storm in Jamaica (26 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); storm surge in US (259 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 26 the day before
29 in 10021 in 10020 Jul27 Jul3 Aug14 Aug27 Aug20 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 10023 Aug: 26 in 10024 Aug: 25 in 10025 Aug: 25 in 10026 Aug: 26 in 10027 Aug: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 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 23,098 stories about harm among 80,498 counted on 27 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and the US. of the day's 80,498 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 24. the news turned to Afghanistan for the second day running.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan79 in 100 of its 4,243 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti74 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 65 · mostly disasters & accidents Kazakhstan74 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 36 · mostly displacement Ethiopia59 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Uganda58 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 39 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 928 Kabul Afghanistan133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2947 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 272 Boston US35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 139 Chicago US26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 258

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessYemen: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: no storiesU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTurkey: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: no storiesSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSudan: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIraq: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: no storiesGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: no storiesCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessJammu & Kashmir: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessSiachen Glacier: near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: near the world's share or lessSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: no storiesTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: near the world's share or lessSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesVietnam: 46 in 100 of its 176 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Venezuela: 45 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Uganda: 58 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Tunisia: 47 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Trinidad & Tobago: 43 in 100 of its 69 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Thailand: 41 in 100 of its 140 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Syria: 48 in 100 of its 58 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Sri Lanka: 50 in 100 of its 106 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Rwanda: 56 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Philippines: 41 in 100 of its 477 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Nigeria: 37 in 100 of its 1,161 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Niger: 76 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Nepal: 45 in 100 of its 42 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Montenegro: 80 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kazakhstan: 74 in 100 of its 69 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Jamaica: 43 in 100 of its 162 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Israel: 50 in 100 of its 307 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 53 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Iran: 46 in 100 of its 123 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Haiti: 74 in 100 of its 89 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Ethiopia: 59 in 100 of its 78 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Cuba: 52 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Myanmar: 58 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Barbados: 43 in 100 of its 54 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Bangladesh: 55 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Afghanistan: 79 in 100 of its 4,243 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 53 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 53 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 53 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 29 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Afghanistan 79 in 100 of its 4,243 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Haiti 74 in 100 of its 89 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Kazakhstan 74 in 100 of its 69 stories · mostly displacement ● Bangladesh 55 in 100 of its 114 stories · mostly health ● Ethiopia 59 in 100 of its 78 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Israel 50 in 100 of its 307 stories · mostly health

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health46% 10,598 stories · less than usual (usually 49%) Conflict & violence14% 3,294 stories · much more than usual (usually 9%) Rights & justice13% 2,914 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents11% 2,430 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Displacement9% 2,144 stories · much more than usual (usually 4%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 652 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 445 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 409 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 killed6,758 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting people affected2,296 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting people injured1,998 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting arrests1,269 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations1,158 at about three times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting refugees323 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting abductions170 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced117 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill24 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.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than usual
● Feara little more than 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.