← 27 Sep Tuesday 28 September 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,643 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 the ebola in Congo, people displaced in Azerbaijan and protests in Ayia Napa (Cyprus). Azerbaijan's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 60 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostCongo 79 in 100 of its 57 stories, usually 42
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Congo

45 of its 57 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Ebola was named in 35 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Congo over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

38 of its 106 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Thailand

Bangkok accounted for 58 of Thailand's 109 stories about harm, carried by 77 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Flooding was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with heavy rain and tropical storm.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 324 of Afghanistan's 500 stories about harm, carried by 581 outlets. Avalanche was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sweden

107 of its 245 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (26 stories).

its stories →
Health

Réunion

6 of its 12 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

85 of its 204 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Tehran accounted for 45 of Iran's 85 stories about harm, carried by 83 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Cuba

47 of its 81 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Havana accounted for 24 of Cuba's 47 stories about harm, carried by 22 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Romania (19 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Greece (27 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flooding in Thailand (22 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flu in France (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Italy (14 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 25 the day before
32 in 10025 in 10030 Aug6 Sep13 Sep20 Sep28 Sep30 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 10022 Sep: 27 in 10023 Sep: 27 in 10024 Sep: 27 in 10025 Sep: 27 in 10026 Sep: 26 in 10027 Sep: 25 in 10028 Sep: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 25,643 stories about harm among 101,332 counted on 28 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a lower share of stories about people being harmed since 25 August 2021. Congo's news mentioned Ebola more than ten times as often as usual. 25 in every 100 of the day's 101,332 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 28. In Congo, 79% of the news was about people being harmed, where 42% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo79 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 42 · mostly health Palestine64 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 57 · mostly health Syria61 in 100 of its 153 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Cambodia59 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Cuba58 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 50 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US150 stories about protests or strikes, of its 902 Kabul Afghanistan59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 324 Chicago US59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 305 London UK52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 416 Delhi India44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 193

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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 lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: 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 lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: too little coverage to readHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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 readCuba: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: 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 lessJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualNamibia: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualBristol, UK -- health: 30 stories, carried by 38 outletsMaine, US -- health: 27 stories, carried by 34 outletsEnglish Channel, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 118 outletsDelaware, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 21 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 21 stories, carried by 22 outletsMunich, Germany -- health: 14 stories, carried by 109 outletsHamburg, Germany -- health: 20 stories, carried by 25 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 46 stories, carried by 29 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

● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 30 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories ● English Channel UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Delaware US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health60% 15,146 stories · more than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice15% 3,837 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 2,200 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,927 stories · less than usual (usually 10%) Food & livelihood3% 677 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 635 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 520 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 462 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 killed5,231 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,837 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,642 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,081 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees225 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting evacuations213 at about half the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting people displaced135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions130 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill19 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan

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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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 →

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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.