← 10 Sep Saturday 11 September 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 12 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
15,036 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 violence in Lima, the typhoon in Taiwan and illness in the US. Peru's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about three times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 47 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostPoland 54 in 100 of its 71 stories, usually 24
RegionSoutheast Asia 52 in 100 of its stories, usually 42
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Peru

37 of its 65 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Lima accounted for 28 of Peru's 37 stories about harm, carried by 99 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Peru over 30 days → its stories → Lima stories →
Disasters & accidents

Taiwan

45 of its 80 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Taipei accounted for 25 of Taiwan's 45 stories about harm, carried by 18 outlets. Typhoon was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding.

Taiwan over 30 days → its stories → Taipei stories →
Health

US

6,324 of its 15,247 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Plane crash was named in 65 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with building collapse. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 409 of Afghanistan's 609 stories about harm, carried by 378 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (30 stories). Measles was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

144 of its 225 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Gilboa accounted for 52 of Israel's 144 stories about harm, carried by 167 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (78 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

47 of its 81 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Canada

431 of its 1,147 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Hurricane was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with power cuts and storm surge.

its stories →
Health

Philippines

157 of its 301 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Typhoon was named in 31 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with cyclone, flooding and landslides.

its stories →
Health

Kashmir

Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Covid was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Philippines (31 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); covid in Kashmir (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); landslides in Mexico (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tornadoes in Italy (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Canada (21 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

32 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 29 the day before
34 in 10021 in 1004 Aug20 Aug27 Aug3 Sep11 Sep4 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 1002 Sep: 30 in 1003 Sep: 30 in 1004 Sep: 30 in 1005 Sep: 30 in 1006 Sep: 28 in 1007 Sep: 28 in 1008 Sep: 29 in 1009 Sep: 29 in 10010 Sep: 29 in 10011 Sep: 32 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 15,036 stories about harm among 47,154 counted on 11 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about three times the usual rate. 32 in every 100 of the day's 47,154 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 28. In Taiwan's news, mentions of the typhoon ran more than ten times their usual. Peru stood out: 57% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 28%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Vietnam65 in 100 of its 145 stories · usually 48 · mostly health Israel64 in 100 of its 225 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan60 in 100 of its 1,013 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq58 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 46 · mostly conflict & violence Peru57 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 28 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 991 Kabul Afghanistan75 stories about protests or strikes, of its 409 Shanksville US52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 268 Manhattan US34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 290 Los Angeles US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 143

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: too little coverage to readUganda: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: too little coverage to readRussia: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readNew Zealand: too little coverage to readNiue: 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: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: too little coverage to readMalaysia: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina 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: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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 lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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: too little coverage to readEast 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: 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 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 readItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualRome, Italy -- health: 18 stories, carried by 130 outletsCincinnati, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 57 outletsNanning, China -- health: 16 stories, carried by 34 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsEast Suffolk, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 45 stories, carried by 50 outletsIowa, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 32 outletsSurat, India -- health: 17 stories, carried by 14 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

● Rome Italy about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Cincinnati US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Nanning China about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● East Suffolk UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health47% 6,984 stories · less than usual (usually 51%) Conflict & violence23% 3,455 stories · much more than usual (usually 10%) Rights & justice12% 1,833 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,311 stories · less than usual (usually 12%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 544 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 403 stories · less than usual (usually 5%) Shelter & services1% 205 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 182 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 killed4,429 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting people affected1,204 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests897 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured746 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations210 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting refugees135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions81 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced78 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill15 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than usual
● Fearabout one and a half times 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.