← 19 Oct Wednesday 20 October 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,528 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 day's news pointed at protests in Port-au-Prince (Haiti), violence in Damascus and illness in Moscow. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostHaiti 82 in 100 of its 123 stories, usually 57
RegionCentral Asia 47 in 100 of its stories, usually 36
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 →
Protests & strikes

Haiti

101 of its 123 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 68 of Haiti's 101 stories about harm, carried by 125 outlets. 37 of Port-au-Prince's 68 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (84 stories).

Haiti over 30 days → its stories → Port-au-Prince stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

220 of its 296 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Damascus accounted for 169 of Syria's 220 stories about harm, carried by 279 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (94 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Damascus stories →
Health

Russia

367 of its 980 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Moscow accounted for 256 of Russia's 367 stories about harm, carried by 494 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Poisoning was named in 51 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Russia over 30 days → its stories → Moscow stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

34 of its 49 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories). Landslides were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Nigeria

560 of its 1,213 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 172 of Lagos' 209 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

53 of its 81 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Tigray accounted for 41 of Ethiopia's 53 stories about harm, carried by 107 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Brazil

127 of its 271 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

69 of its 105 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Jammu accounted for 30 of Kashmir's 69 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Its coverage was about 4 times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

35 of its 96 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Czechia

23 of its 63 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Japan (61 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in India (137 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); outbreaks in Mexico (14 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Malaysia (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); polio in Afghanistan (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
27 in 10025 in 10021 Sep28 Sep5 Oct12 Oct20 Oct21 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 10029 Sep: 25 in 10030 Sep: 25 in 1001 Oct: 25 in 1002 Oct: 26 in 1003 Oct: 26 in 1004 Oct: 25 in 1005 Oct: 25 in 1006 Oct: 25 in 1007 Oct: 25 in 1008 Oct: 25 in 1009 Oct: 25 in 10010 Oct: 26 in 10011 Oct: 25 in 10012 Oct: 25 in 10013 Oct: 25 in 10014 Oct: 25 in 10015 Oct: 26 in 10016 Oct: 26 in 10017 Oct: 25 in 10018 Oct: 25 in 10019 Oct: 25 in 10020 Oct: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 Oct. 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 23,528 stories about harm among 92,712 counted on 20 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Haiti for the fourth day running. 25 in every 100 of the day's 92,712 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Japan's news, mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual. Haiti stood out: 82% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 57%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti82 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Syria74 in 100 of its 296 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen71 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir66 in 100 of its 105 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia65 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 47 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US227 stories about protests or strikes, of its 973 Lagos Nigeria172 stories about protests or strikes, of its 209 Moscow Russia50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 256 London UK48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 395 Chicago US48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 223

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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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: too little coverage to readPhilippines: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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: 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 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: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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: 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 lessHaiti: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: too little coverage to readHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 lessAksai Chin: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readSpain: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualEcuador: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualHawaii, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 19 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 21 outletsMaine, US -- health: 37 stories, carried by 53 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 59 stories, carried by 31 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 27 stories, carried by 29 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 52 stories, carried by 46 outletsMadrid, Spain -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 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

● Hawaii US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 30 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 59 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 13,109 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 4,157 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 1,942 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,937 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 768 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 616 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 525 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 288 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 killed5,119 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,733 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,607 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,164 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions248 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Haiti and the US Stories reporting refugees177 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations110 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.