← 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.

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 lessVenezuela: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: 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 lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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 lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: too little coverage to readIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: 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 readGhana: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: 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: too little coverage to readCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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 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: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readVietnam: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCole County, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 13 outletsTennessee, US -- disasters & accidents: 61 stories, carried by 227 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 32 stories, carried by 22 outletsSussex, UK -- rights & justice: 117 stories, carried by 213 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 33 stories, carried by 14 outletsSudbury, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 36 stories, carried by 17 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

● Ukraine warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Cole County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Tennessee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 61 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 32 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 117 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 33 stories

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 · 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.