← 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.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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 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: too little coverage to readThailand: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: too little coverage to readPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: 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 lessKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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 lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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 lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 lessAfghanistan: 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 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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 readUkraine: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualTennessee, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 22 outletsFareham, UK -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsHartsville, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 18 outletsCanberra, Australia -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 30 outletsKathmandu, Nepal -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 34 outletsWest Midlands, UK -- rights & justice: 34 stories, carried by 27 outletsVienna, Austria -- conflict & violence: 24 stories, carried by 68 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 34 stories, carried by 20 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

● Tennessee US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Fareham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Hartsville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Canberra Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 20 stories ● Kathmandu Nepal about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories

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 · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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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.