← 20 Sep Thursday 21 September 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,921 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 news turned to violence in Kigali, protests in Accra (Ghana) and flooding in New Zealand. Rwanda's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostRwanda 65 in 100 of its 72 stories, usually 31
RegionCentral Asia 17 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
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

Rwanda

47 of its 72 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Kigali accounted for 21 of Rwanda's 47 stories about harm, carried by 36 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Health

New Zealand

221 of its 778 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 46 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heavy rain and snowstorms.

Rights & justice

South Africa

325 of its 984 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (17 stories). Storms were named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with storm surge and flu.

6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

64 of its 148 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Beirut accounted for 55 of Lebanon's 64 stories about harm, carried by 89 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Ukraine

Kyiv accounted for 261 of Ukraine's 469 stories about harm, carried by 504 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (59 stories). Drownings were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with power cuts. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

175 of its 461 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Armenia

56 of its 185 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Health

Sudan

Darfur accounted for 22 of Sudan's 65 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Measles was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Russia

Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (18 stories). Outbreaks were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Also named far more than usual: covid in North Macedonia (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); measles in Sudan (18 of its stories, about three times its usual); volcanic eruption in Philippines (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); outbreaks in Russia (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drownings in Ukraine (16 of its stories, about 10 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
20 in 10017 in 10023 Aug30 Aug6 Sep13 Sep21 Sep23 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 1001 Sep: 18 in 1002 Sep: 19 in 1003 Sep: 19 in 1004 Sep: 18 in 1005 Sep: 18 in 1006 Sep: 18 in 1007 Sep: 17 in 1008 Sep: 17 in 1009 Sep: 19 in 10010 Sep: 19 in 10011 Sep: 19 in 10012 Sep: 18 in 10013 Sep: 18 in 10014 Sep: 18 in 10015 Sep: 18 in 10016 Sep: 19 in 10017 Sep: 18 in 10018 Sep: 18 in 10019 Sep: 18 in 10020 Sep: 18 in 10021 Sep: 18 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 20,921 stories about harm among 119,521 counted on 21 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

In Rwanda, 65% of the news was about people being harmed, where 31% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 119,521 stories, below the usual 19. Mentions of flooding ran about 4 times their usual in New Zealand's news. On 21 September 2022, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTurkey: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNiue: near the world's share or lessNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessComoros: near the world's share or lessColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessBurundi: no storiesBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: near the world's share or lessMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: near the world's share or lessGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 23 in 100 of its 323 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Yemen: 57 in 100 of its 23 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Ukraine: 34 in 100 of its 1,385 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Trinidad & Tobago: 30 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Syria: 48 in 100 of its 80 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Sweden: 25 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Sudan: 71 in 100 of its 91 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)South Africa: 33 in 100 of its 984 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Somalia: 44 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Rwanda: 65 in 100 of its 72 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Russia: 29 in 100 of its 1,085 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Philippines: 26 in 100 of its 832 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Peru: 30 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Pakistan: 24 in 100 of its 799 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Niger: 45 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)New Zealand: 28 in 100 of its 778 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Mozambique: 41 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Morocco: 43 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Mauritania: 100 in 100 of its 3 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Mali: 50 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Malaysia: 23 in 100 of its 392 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)North Macedonia: 26 in 100 of its 90 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Libya: 75 in 100 of its 172 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Lebanon: 43 in 100 of its 148 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kenya: 23 in 100 of its 308 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Israel: 29 in 100 of its 609 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 56 in 100 of its 109 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Iraq: 30 in 100 of its 96 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Iran: 45 in 100 of its 304 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Iceland: 28 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Haiti: 41 in 100 of its 73 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Ghana: 30 in 100 of its 349 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Ethiopia: 38 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Eritrea: 75 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Cuba: 27 in 100 of its 70 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Congo: 59 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Chile: 35 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Chad: 32 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Canada: 27 in 100 of its 4,097 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Cambodia: 26 in 100 of its 68 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Myanmar: 58 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Burkina Faso: 75 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Bosnia: 62 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Belize: 31 in 100 of its 42 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Bangladesh: 32 in 100 of its 308 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Azerbaijan: 38 in 100 of its 461 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Armenia: 30 in 100 of its 185 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Algeria: 42 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Afghanistan: 41 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 29 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 56 in 100 of its 109 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 56 in 100 of its 109 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 29 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 29 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Ukraine: 34 in 100 of its 1,385 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 56 in 100 of its 109 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 29 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 18 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were much 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.