← 19 Sep Monday 20 September 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,921 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 Kigali, volcanic eruption in Spain and protests in Kyiv (Ukraine). Rwanda's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 59 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostRwanda 80 in 100 of its 141 stories, usually 44
RegionCentral Asia 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Conflict & violence

Rwanda

113 of its 141 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Kigali accounted for 70 of Rwanda's 113 stories about harm, carried by 88 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (69 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories → Kigali stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

258 of its 571 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (113 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 166 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with earthquake and landslides.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Belarus

25 of its 65 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Russia

420 of its 890 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Moscow accounted for 259 of Russia's 420 stories about harm, carried by 559 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (145 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Tunisia

30 of its 51 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Tunis accounted for 24 of Tunisia's 30 stories about harm, carried by 9 outlets. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Pakistan

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Polio was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

Port-au-Prince accounted for 41 of Haiti's 77 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 10 times the usual rate (10 stories). Covid was named in 40 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Laos

21 of its 25 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Vientiane accounted for 17 of Laos' 21 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Romania

53 of its 141 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (34 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Haiti (40 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Saudi Arabia (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); polio in Pakistan (14 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); drownings in India (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); wildfires in UK (27 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 28 the day before
34 in 10025 in 10022 Aug29 Aug5 Sep12 Sep20 Sep22 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 10012 Sep: 29 in 10013 Sep: 28 in 10014 Sep: 28 in 10015 Sep: 27 in 10016 Sep: 27 in 10017 Sep: 27 in 10018 Sep: 28 in 10019 Sep: 28 in 10020 Sep: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 20,921 stories about harm among 75,670 counted on 20 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 28 in every 100 of the day's 75,670 stories, below the usual 29. A year earlier, on 20 September 2020, 28 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda80 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 44 · mostly conflict & violence Syria64 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Cambodia63 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 48 · mostly health Tunisia59 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Afghanistan57 in 100 of its 608 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 988 Moscow Russia60 stories about protests or strikes, of its 259 London UK57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 377 Kabul Afghanistan53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 239 Melbourne Australia47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 112

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: 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'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: 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'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: 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: feelings about like the world'sKenya: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIraq: 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'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readDenmark: 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'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: 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: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sAustria: 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'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sPitcairn: 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: feelings about like the world'sSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readZambia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sYemen: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuam: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTanzania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sEswatini: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRwanda: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPortugal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMalta: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIreland: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuyana: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sFaroe Islands: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurundi: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBulgaria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBotswana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBarbados: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlgeria: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry 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 about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful 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

● Rwanda about three times as fearful as the world's · 113 stories about harm ● Russia about twice as angry as the world's · 420 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 25 stories about harm ● Syria few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 49 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 347 stories about harm ● Algeria few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 17 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health59% 12,234 stories · much more than usual (usually 52%) Rights & justice14% 2,796 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,053 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,543 stories · less than usual (usually 11%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 650 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 526 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 454 stories · less than usual (usually 5%) Shelter & services2% 401 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 killed4,360 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,487 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests1,286 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured988 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations222 at about a third of the usual rate · most about Spain and the US Stories reporting refugees186 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions104 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced97 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ireland and Australia

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

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.