← 27 Aug Saturday 28 August 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
15,207 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 Kabul, people killed in Japan and landslides in Mexico drew the news. Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three 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 one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 51 in 100 of its 220 stories, usually 31
RegionSoutheast Asia 55 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
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

2,016 of its 2,568 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Kabul accounted for 1,758 of Afghanistan's 2,016 stories about harm, carried by 1,410 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (1,198 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.

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

Japan

117 of its 508 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 8%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (60 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Japan over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

68 of its 156 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Landslides were named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories →
Displacement

Kazakhstan

12 of its 17 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Israel

98 of its 170 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Philippines

177 of its 316 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Manila accounted for 67 of the Philippines' 177 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

95 of its 157 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Dhaka accounted for 48 of Bangladesh's 95 stories about harm, carried by 192 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

US

4,822 of its 12,645 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (42 stories). Hurricane was named in 687 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with tropical storm and storm surge.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cuba

49 of its 78 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Hurricane was named in 28 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with tropical storm.

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

52 of its 89 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Colombo accounted for 30 of Sri Lanka's 52 stories about harm, carried by 8 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Cuba (28 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); illness in Greece (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); hurricane in US (687 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

33 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 29 the day before
33 in 10021 in 10021 Jul28 Jul4 Aug20 Aug28 Aug21 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 10028 Aug: 33 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 15,207 stories about harm among 45,749 counted on 28 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 5 July 2020. of the day's 45,749 news stories, 33 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 25. the news turned to Afghanistan for the third day running. Evacuations were reported at about three times 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 →

Afghanistan79 in 100 of its 2,568 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Vietnam63 in 100 of its 116 stories · usually 40 · mostly health Cuba63 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 52 · mostly disasters & accidents Bangladesh61 in 100 of its 157 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents Sri Lanka58 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 36 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kabul Afghanistan149 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1758 Washington US93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 460 Chicago US26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 144 Karnal India23 stories about protests or strikes, of its 26 Tweed Heads Australia14 stories about protests or strikes, of its 18

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTurkey: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sJammu & Kashmir: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: feelings about like the world'sSiachen Glacier: feelings about like the world'sCrimea: feelings about like the world'sAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: 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 readLiechtenstein: 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 readYemen: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSlovenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJapan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHungary: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFiji: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sDominica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCongo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBolivia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBarbados: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAngola: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMaldives: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 2,016 stories about harm ● Iraq about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 56 stories about harm ● Pakistan about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 267 stories about harm ● Japan about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's · 117 stories about harm ● Kazakhstan few stories about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's · 12 stories about harm ● Iran few stories about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 45 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 7,390 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 2,130 stories · much more than usual (usually 9%) Disasters & accidents12% 1,806 stories · about as usual Rights & justice12% 1,785 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Displacement8% 1,205 stories · more than usual (usually 4%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 405 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 228 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 162 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 killed4,317 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting people affected1,517 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting people injured990 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting arrests874 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations761 at about three times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting refugees239 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting abductions136 at about twice the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced69 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill10 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
● Griefa little more 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.