← 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.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories → Kigali stories →
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.

New Zealand over 30 days → its stories →
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.

South Africa over 30 days → its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →

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 all →

Libya75 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 77 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan71 in 100 of its 91 stories · usually 71 · mostly health Rwanda65 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 31 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine56 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Syria48 in 100 of its 80 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US168 stories about protests or strikes, of its 651 Ottawa Canada62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 208 Kyiv Ukraine61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 261 New Delhi India55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 246 Karabakh Russia45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 85

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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 lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: 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 lessPhilippines: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: too little coverage to readNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: 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 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 lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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 lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: 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: 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 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): 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 lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualDoha, Qatar -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsRiyadh, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 23 outletsJani Khel, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 30 stories, carried by 25 outletsWisconsin, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 22 outletsNairobi, Kenya -- conflict & violence: 41 stories, carried by 36 outletsYevlakh, Azerbaijan -- conflict & violence: 38 stories, carried by 17 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 42 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

● Russia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kenya warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Doha Qatar about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Riyadh Saudi Arabia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 22 stories ● Jani Khel Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 30 stories ● Wisconsin US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health32% 6,544 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Rights & justice23% 4,734 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 3,107 stories · much less than usual (usually 21%) Conflict & violence13% 2,671 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood6% 1,179 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,029 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 793 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 473 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 killed4,552 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,056 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,050 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,176 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees307 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Ukraine Stories reporting people displaced199 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions169 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations136 at about half the usual rate · most about Russia and Ukraine Stories reporting people falling ill24 at about the usual rate

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 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.