← 19 Aug Tuesday 20 August 2024 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,089 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 →

Tornadoes in Italy, the earthquake in Haiti and people killed in Spain drew the news. Spain'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 · more than usual Country that rose mostItaly 51 in 100 of its 890 stories, usually 15
RegionCentral Asia 19 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
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

Italy

452 of its 890 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Palermo accounted for 330 of Italy's 452 stories about harm, carried by 746 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (363 stories). Tornadoes were named in 244 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Palermo stories →
Rights & justice

Haiti

47 of its 79 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 23 of Haiti's 47 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Earthquake was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

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

Spain

125 of its 499 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (48 stories). Covid was named in 61 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flu and tuberculosis. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

43 of its 65 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Beirut accounted for 25 of Lebanon's 43 stories about harm, carried by 18 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

India

219 of Kolkata's 316 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Pakistan

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (56 stories). Outbreaks were named in 23 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Philippines

Philippine accounted for 139 of the Philippines' 212 stories about harm, carried by 41 outlets. Volcanic eruption was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

12 of its 20 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 5 of Tunis' 8 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Kenya

119 of its 375 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (41 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Portugal

23 of its 101 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Sweden (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); outbreaks in Switzerland (12 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in Ireland (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); outbreaks in Pakistan (23 of its stories, about three times its usual); tornadoes in UK (64 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
21 in 10017 in 10022 Jul29 Jul5 Aug12 Aug20 Aug22 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 10020 Aug: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 19,089 stories about harm among 100,764 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Italy stood out: 51% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 15%. 19 in every 100 of the day's 100,764 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. For the second day running, the news turned to Italy. On 21 August 2023, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo83 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 78 · mostly health Israel67 in 100 of its 1,295 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon66 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine62 in 100 of its 258 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti59 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 40 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Chicago US447 stories about protests or strikes, of its 679 Kolkata India219 stories about protests or strikes, of its 316 Badlapur India115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 164 Washington US110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 442 Tel Aviv Israel72 stories about protests or strikes, of its 211

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.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'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: 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: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: 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'sMorocco: 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 readMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: 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 readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: 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'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'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAfghanistan: 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: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: feelings about like the world'sAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: feelings about like the world'sSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUganda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMalta: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJordan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sItaly: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIreland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEritrea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCuba: coverage a little angrier than the world'sDR Congo: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sColombia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sChile: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChad: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBosnia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAustria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful 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 one and a half times 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

● Kashmir about twice as fearful as the world's · 63 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 870 stories about harm ● Pakistan about twice as fearful as the world's · 252 stories about harm ● Spain about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 125 stories about harm ● Sweden few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 46 stories about harm ● Palestine about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 160 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 5,612 stories · more than usual (usually 27%) Rights & justice28% 5,159 stories · more than usual (usually 25%) Disasters & accidents18% 3,294 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence12% 2,171 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 842 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 619 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 565 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 404 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 killed4,378 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,567 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,124 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,072 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions520 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people displaced205 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations178 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting refugees172 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill18 at about half the usual rate · most about India and the US

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

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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.