← 30 Aug Thursday 31 August 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,327 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 a disaster in Johannesburg, arrests in Congo and violence in Jerusalem. South Africa's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSouth Africa 51 in 100 of its 1,555 stories, usually 24
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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 →
Disasters & accidents

South Africa

792 of its 1,555 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Johannesburg accounted for 610 of South Africa's 792 stories about harm, carried by 857 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (411 stories). Earthquake was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

South Africa over 30 days → its stories → Johannesburg stories →
Rights & justice

Congo

17 of its 24 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Hong Kong

48 of its 176 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Typhoon was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Nablus accounted for 53 of Palestine's 64 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (37 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Vanuatu

20 of its 25 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Volcanic eruption was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

24 of its 51 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Chile

39 of its 106 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Tropical storm was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Cuba (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); volcanic eruption in Vanuatu (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (38 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); typhoon in Hong Kong (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); accidents in Sri Lanka (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
20 in 10018 in 1002 Aug9 Aug16 Aug23 Aug31 Aug2 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 10023 Aug: 18 in 10024 Aug: 19 in 10025 Aug: 19 in 10026 Aug: 19 in 10027 Aug: 20 in 10028 Aug: 20 in 10029 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 19 in 10031 Aug: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 22,327 stories about harm among 113,577 counted on 31 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In South Africa, 51% of the news was about people being harmed, where 24% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 113,577 stories, as usual. Mentions of the hurricane ran about three times their usual in Cuba's news. A year earlier, on 31 August 2022, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan64 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine59 in 100 of its 108 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence South Africa51 in 100 of its 1,555 stories · usually 24 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria51 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti50 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US224 stories about protests or strikes, of its 767 Idalia US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 341 Hollywood US43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 205 London UK40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 267 Jerusalem Israel39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 131

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sYemen: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: 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: too little coverage to readTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: 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'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua 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'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: feelings about like the world'sNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: 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'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: feelings about like the world'sWallis & 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: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: feelings about like the world'sZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSouth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sQatar: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNiger: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJordan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJamaica: coverage a little angrier than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIreland: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIceland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHaiti: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuatemala: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFinland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDenmark: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sCyprus: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sColombia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChile: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChad: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCape Verde: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBenin: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAustria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice 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

● Ukraine about twice as angry as the world's · 169 stories about harm ● Russia about twice as angry as the world's · 302 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as angry as the world's · 216 stories about harm ● Kashmir few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 32 stories about harm ● South Africa about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 792 stories about harm ● Denmark few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 39 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 6,610 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 5,108 stories · about as usual Rights & justice21% 4,593 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,981 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 1,176 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,065 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 953 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 439 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 killed5,381 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,163 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,118 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,453 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations255 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees169 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people displaced161 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Sudan Stories reporting abductions145 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill16 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US 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 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 · 18 Oct – 24 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.