← 31 Aug Wednesday 1 September 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,692 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 Lima, the drought in Ethiopia and protests in Maputo (Mozambique) drew the news. Ethiopia's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 57 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostColombia 73 in 100 of its 117 stories, usually 30
RegionOceania 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
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 →
Health

Peru

44 of its 93 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Lima accounted for 34 of Peru's 44 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Peru over 30 days → its stories → Lima stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

49 of its 75 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Tigray accounted for 25 of Ethiopia's 49 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. Drought was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding, storms and heatwave. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories → Tigray stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Switzerland

69 of its 199 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

70 of its 139 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Colombo accounted for 39 of Sri Lanka's 70 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Canada

777 of its 2,254 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Overdoses were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with poisoning.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Dhaka accounted for 63 of Bangladesh's 108 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 1,279 of Afghanistan's 1,784 stories about harm, carried by 1,078 outlets. Snowstorms were named in 38 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Colombia

85 of its 117 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Germany (22 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); heatwave in Egypt (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in Afghanistan (38 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); overdoses in Canada (15 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); tornadoes in UK (15 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

30 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 31 the day before
34 in 10021 in 10025 Jul1 Aug12 Aug24 Aug1 Sep25 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 10029 Aug: 34 in 10030 Aug: 32 in 10031 Aug: 31 in 1001 Sep: 30 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 Sep. 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 26,692 stories about harm among 89,999 counted on 1 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 89,999 news stories, 30 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. Ethiopia's news mentioned the drought about 4 times as often as usual. Peru's news was 47% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%. On 1 September 2020, a year earlier, the share was 27 in every 100, against 30 today. Over August, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 in August 2020.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Colombia73 in 100 of its 117 stories · usually 30 · mostly health Afghanistan68 in 100 of its 2,642 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia65 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti62 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 70 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria58 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kabul Afghanistan122 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1279 Washington US120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 976 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 310 Delhi India37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 309 Jerusalem Israel30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 80

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: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTurkey: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSão 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'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'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: 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: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: 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'sLebanon: 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'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: 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'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt 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 readEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPuerto Rico: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUganda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTonga: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTanzania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLesotho: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJordan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFiji: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDominica: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCuba: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCôte d’Ivoire: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sColombia: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sChad: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sCameroon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBosnia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBenin: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAruba: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as 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

● Yemen few stories about three times as angry as the world's · 18 stories about harm ● Colombia about twice as fearful as the world's · 85 stories about harm ● Sweden few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 23 stories about harm ● Syria few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 40 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 1,784 stories about harm ● Chad few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 8 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health57% 15,034 stories · much more than usual (usually 49%) Rights & justice12% 3,173 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Disasters & accidents12% 3,065 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 2,376 stories · about as usual Displacement5% 1,285 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 647 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 521 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 380 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 killed5,458 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,216 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,388 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,147 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations723 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees276 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced133 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill26 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 much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than 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 · 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.