← 21 Aug Tuesday 22 August 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,264 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 →

Violence in Hebron, landslides in Haiti and evacuations in Pakistan drew the news. Palestine's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGreece 52 in 100 of its 468 stories, usually 35
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

111 of its 139 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Hebron accounted for 41 of Palestine's 111 stories about harm, carried by 45 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (46 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Hebron stories →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

38 of its 55 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 21 of Haiti's 38 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Landslides were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hurricane and heavy rain.

Haiti over 30 days → its stories → Port-au-Prince stories →
Displacement

Pakistan

542 of its 1,172 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (110 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

64 of its 327 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (10 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.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Greece

244 of its 468 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Alexandroupolis accounted for 152 of Greece's 244 stories about harm, carried by 400 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (73 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Central African Republic

22 of its 30 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

66 of its 79 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Khartoum accounted for 39 of Sudan's 66 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

North Korea

51 of its 98 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Dominican Republic

34 of its 66 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Hurricane was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Bahamas

42 of its 129 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Japan (160 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); covid in South Africa (97 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hurricane in Dominican Republic (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in Italy (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Philippines (30 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10024 Jul31 Jul7 Aug14 Aug22 Aug24 Jul: 19 in 10025 Jul: 19 in 10026 Jul: 18 in 10027 Jul: 18 in 10028 Jul: 19 in 10029 Jul: 19 in 10030 Jul: 19 in 10031 Jul: 18 in 1001 Aug: 19 in 1002 Aug: 18 in 1003 Aug: 18 in 1004 Aug: 18 in 1005 Aug: 19 in 1006 Aug: 20 in 1007 Aug: 19 in 1008 Aug: 19 in 1009 Aug: 18 in 10010 Aug: 19 in 10011 Aug: 19 in 10012 Aug: 20 in 10013 Aug: 20 in 10014 Aug: 19 in 10015 Aug: 19 in 10016 Aug: 18 in 10017 Aug: 19 in 10018 Aug: 19 in 10019 Aug: 20 in 10020 Aug: 20 in 10021 Aug: 19 in 10022 Aug: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 Aug. 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 21,264 stories about harm among 111,323 counted on 22 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 111,323 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 22 August 2022, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan84 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine80 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti69 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria55 in 100 of its 97 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan53 in 100 of its 194 stories · usually 50 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 612 Tokyo Japan81 stories about protests or strikes, of its 172 Fulton County US52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 239 Jerusalem Israel34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 81 Islamabad Pakistan34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 145

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTunisia: 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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 readCuraçao: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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 lessBahrain: 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 readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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 readThailand: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualEcuador: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualBahamas: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIllinois, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsBerkshire, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 31 outletsMontreal, Canada -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsCharleston, US -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 53 outletsNorthwest Territories, Canada -- disasters & accidents: 21 stories, carried by 23 outletsMelbourne, Australia -- health: 46 stories, carried by 92 outletsBudapest, Hungary -- health: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsTowcester, UK -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 12 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

● Illinois US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Berkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Montreal Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Charleston US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Northwest Territories Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 6,346 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 4,833 stories · about as usual Rights & justice22% 4,566 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,876 stories · less than usual (usually 11%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,056 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 792 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 742 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 652 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 killed4,833 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,556 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,131 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations546 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Greece and Pakistan Stories reporting abductions203 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees196 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced168 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Sudan Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Austria

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 softer than 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

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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.