← 20 Sep Tuesday 21 September 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,907 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 →

Helicopter crash in Kashmir, volcanic eruption in Spain and abductions in Germany drew the news. Kashmir's coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostRwanda 70 in 100 of its 81 stories, usually 49
RegionSoutheast Asia 47 in 100 of its stories, usually 45
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

Kashmir

85 of its 158 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Jammu accounted for 63 of Kashmir's 85 stories about harm, carried by 36 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (17 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 13 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.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Jammu stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

201 of its 555 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (51 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 107 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with earthquake.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Germany

172 of its 571 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (5 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

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

Burundi

13 of its 13 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Bujumbura accounted for 11 of Burundi's 13 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 227 of Afghanistan's 445 stories about harm, carried by 385 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (18 stories). Covid was named in 68 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with outbreaks. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Rwanda

57 of its 81 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Kigali accounted for 35 of Rwanda's 57 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Russia

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (33 stories). Poisoning was named in 54 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Ireland

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Flu was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Cuba

64 of its 111 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Havana accounted for 47 of Cuba's 64 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: poisoning in Russia (54 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); covid in Afghanistan (68 of its stories, about three times its usual); polio in Pakistan (18 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flu in Ireland (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); road crashes in South Africa (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 28 the day before
34 in 10025 in 10023 Aug30 Aug6 Sep13 Sep21 Sep23 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 10021 Sep: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 22,907 stories about harm among 85,158 counted on 21 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

27 in every 100 of the day's 85,158 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 29. On 21 September 2020, a year earlier, the share was 26 in every 100, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda70 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Cuba58 in 100 of its 111 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Vietnam57 in 100 of its 161 stories · usually 53 · mostly health Ethiopia57 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 53 · mostly health Afghanistan56 in 100 of its 791 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Melbourne Australia138 stories about protests or strikes, of its 194 Washington US136 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1097 London UK31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 311 Kabul Afghanistan28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 227 Boston US27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 167

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSão 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 lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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 lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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: 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 lessItaly: 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 lessIreland: 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 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 lessGermany: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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 lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: too little coverage to readBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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 readArgentina: 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 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): 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualYemen: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSeychelles: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualDoha, Qatar -- health: 24 stories, carried by 10 outletsMissoula, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 27 outletsExeter, UK -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsMontana, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 34 outletsRedditch, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 117 outletsQuebec, Canada -- health: 73 stories, carried by 74 outletsSaskatoon, Canada -- health: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 48 stories, carried by 22 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

● Armenia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories ● Missoula US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Exeter UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Montana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Redditch UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 13,988 stories · much more than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice14% 3,101 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 2,045 stories · less than usual (usually 11%) Conflict & violence6% 1,440 stories · less than usual (usually 11%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 652 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 552 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 467 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 464 stories · less than usual (usually 5%)

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 killed4,357 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests1,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,568 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people injured914 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees257 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations176 at about a third of the usual rate · most about Spain and the US Stories reporting people displaced93 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting abductions90 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill20 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

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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.