← 18 Aug Monday 19 August 2024 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,514 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to tornadoes in Italy, people falling ill in Sudan and protests in Kolkata (India). Israel's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostItaly 47 in 100 of its 686 stories, usually 13
RegionCentral Asia 24 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

320 of its 686 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Palermo accounted for 265 of Italy's 320 stories about harm, carried by 492 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (270 stories). Tornadoes were named in 125 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drownings, flooding and landslides.

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Palermo stories →
Health

Sudan

83 of its 95 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Cholera was named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

India

194 of Kolkata's 281 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories). Poisoning was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with food poisoning. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

India over 30 days → its stories → Kolkata stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Congo

Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bangladesh

Dhaka accounted for 69 of Bangladesh's 119 stories about harm, carried by 64 outlets. 43 of Dhaka's 69 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Yemen

30 of its 36 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Hunger was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with cholera.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malawi

27 of its 79 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

France

97 of its 738 stories (13%) were about people being harmed, usually 6%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (38 stories).

its stories →
Health

Fiji

14 of its 48 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hunger in Yemen (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Indonesia (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); respiratory illness in Congo (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Philippines (18 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); earthquake in Russia (24 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
21 in 10017 in 10021 Jul28 Jul4 Aug11 Aug19 Aug21 Jul: 19 in 10022 Jul: 17 in 10023 Jul: 17 in 10024 Jul: 18 in 10025 Jul: 18 in 10026 Jul: 17 in 10027 Jul: 18 in 10028 Jul: 17 in 10029 Jul: 18 in 10030 Jul: 19 in 10031 Jul: 19 in 1001 Aug: 19 in 1002 Aug: 19 in 1003 Aug: 20 in 1004 Aug: 21 in 1005 Aug: 20 in 1006 Aug: 19 in 1007 Aug: 19 in 1008 Aug: 19 in 1009 Aug: 19 in 10010 Aug: 19 in 10011 Aug: 19 in 10012 Aug: 19 in 10013 Aug: 18 in 10014 Aug: 18 in 10015 Aug: 19 in 10016 Aug: 19 in 10017 Aug: 20 in 10018 Aug: 20 in 10019 Aug: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 16,514 stories about harm among 87,231 counted on 19 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In Italy, 47% of the news was about people being harmed, where 13% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 87,231 stories, as usual. Mentions of tornadoes ran more than ten times their usual in Italy's news. A year earlier, on 20 August 2023, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan87 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 67 · mostly health Congo79 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 78 · mostly health Israel66 in 100 of its 1,281 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine66 in 100 of its 252 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon53 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Chicago US276 stories about protests or strikes, of its 437 Kolkata India194 stories about protests or strikes, of its 281 Tel Aviv Israel65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 318 Washington US64 stories about protests or strikes, of its 329 Dhaka Bangladesh43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 69

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 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 lessPhilippines: 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 lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readNetherlands: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: 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 lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readDR 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: 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: too little coverage to readCanada: 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: too little coverage to readBotswana: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: too little coverage to readJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: 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 readPeru: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualBajaur, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsLilongwe, Malawi -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 42 stories, carried by 35 outletsIllinois, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 16 outletsBrisbane, Australia -- health: 12 stories, carried by 35 outletsSan Diego, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 23 outletsQuebec, Canada -- health: 13 stories, carried by 44 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 26 stories, carried by 128 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

● Bajaur Pakistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Lilongwe Malawi about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 42 stories ● Illinois US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Brisbane Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health28% 4,566 stories · about as usual Rights & justice25% 4,000 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 3,147 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence13% 2,124 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 794 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 628 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 568 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 373 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 killed3,778 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,138 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,694 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,077 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions388 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations224 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced215 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees130 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill36 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 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

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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.