← 19 Aug Wednesday 20 August 2025 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,378 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 day's news pointed at road crashes in Afghanistan, people killed in Rwanda and people affected in Peru. Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostAfghanistan 70 in 100 of its 197 stories, usually 46
RegionEvery region about as usual
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

Afghanistan

138 of its 197 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Herat accounted for 64 of Afghanistan's 138 stories about harm, carried by 130 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (35 stories). Road crashes were named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Herat stories →
Conflict & violence

Rwanda

27 of its 43 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Pakistan

327 of its 669 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Karachi accounted for 128 of Pakistan's 327 stories about harm, carried by 78 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Drownings were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with power cuts and building collapse.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 167 of Israel's 562 stories about harm, carried by 317 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

32 of its 44 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Congo

20 of its 29 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

26 of its 60 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 146 of Palestine's 169 stories about harm, carried by 301 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Netherlands (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); illness in Bangladesh (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drownings in Pakistan (20 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storm surge in US (192 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); hurricane in Canada (11 of its stories, about three times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
21 in 10018 in 10022 Jul29 Jul5 Aug12 Aug20 Aug22 Jul: 19 in 10023 Jul: 19 in 10024 Jul: 18 in 10025 Jul: 18 in 10026 Jul: 19 in 10027 Jul: 19 in 10028 Jul: 19 in 10029 Jul: 19 in 10030 Jul: 20 in 10031 Jul: 19 in 1001 Aug: 19 in 1002 Aug: 19 in 1003 Aug: 21 in 1004 Aug: 19 in 1005 Aug: 19 in 1006 Aug: 19 in 1007 Aug: 18 in 1008 Aug: 19 in 1009 Aug: 20 in 10010 Aug: 20 in 10011 Aug: 19 in 10012 Aug: 19 in 10013 Aug: 19 in 10014 Aug: 19 in 10015 Aug: 18 in 10016 Aug: 19 in 10017 Aug: 20 in 10018 Aug: 19 in 10019 Aug: 18 in 10020 Aug: 18 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 16,378 stories about harm among 90,617 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a lower share of stories about people being harmed since 6 June 2025. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 90,617 stories, as usual. Mentions of Covid ran about 7 times their usual in the Netherlands' news. In Afghanistan, 70% of the news was about people being harmed, where 46% is usual. On 20 August 2024, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 197 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan59 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 66 · mostly health Palestine59 in 100 of its 288 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Israel58 in 100 of its 977 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Pakistan49 in 100 of its 669 stories · usually 40 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US165 stories about protests or strikes, of its 687 London UK103 stories about protests or strikes, of its 284 Jerusalem Israel35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 167 Houston US34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 79 Texas US30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 128

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessYemen: near the world's share or lessVietnam: 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: no storiesU.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: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: 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 lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSlovakia: 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: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: 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 lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: no storiesMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: 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 lessKenya: 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 lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: 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 lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: 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 lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: no storiesEl 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 lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: 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 lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: 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 lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: 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 lessAlgeria: 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): no storiesWestern Sahara (Free Zone): no storiesCrimea: 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: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: near the world's share or lessPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: no storiesBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: near the world's share or lessMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook 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: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 26 in 100 of its 139 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Venezuela: 42 in 100 of its 53 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Uganda: 25 in 100 of its 128 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Togo: 83 in 100 of its 6 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Thailand: 25 in 100 of its 195 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Syria: 40 in 100 of its 144 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)South Sudan: 62 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Sudan: 59 in 100 of its 64 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Sri Lanka: 26 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Somalia: 73 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Solomon Islands: 38 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Rwanda: 63 in 100 of its 43 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Philippines: 23 in 100 of its 531 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Peru: 42 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Pakistan: 49 in 100 of its 669 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Nigeria: 27 in 100 of its 1,226 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Niger: 80 in 100 of its 5 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Nepal: 31 in 100 of its 49 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Mexico: 26 in 100 of its 345 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Mali: 55 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Madagascar: 50 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Liberia: 27 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Lebanon: 35 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Israel: 58 in 100 of its 977 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 288 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Iraq: 43 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Haiti: 36 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Guatemala: 83 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Gabon: 100 in 100 of its 4 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Cuba: 32 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Congo: 69 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Colombia: 40 in 100 of its 57 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Myanmar: 48 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Burkina Faso: 55 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Bolivia: 47 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Bangladesh: 29 in 100 of its 261 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Bahamas: 26 in 100 of its 76 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Afghanistan: 70 in 100 of its 197 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 189 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 288 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 288 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 189 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 189 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 288 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 189 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 18)Bermuda: 33 in 100 of its 57 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.

Most of its news about harm

● Afghanistan 70 in 100 of its 197 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Israel 58 in 100 of its 977 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Palestine 59 in 100 of its 288 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Pakistan 49 in 100 of its 669 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Sudan 59 in 100 of its 64 stories · mostly health ● Kashmir 42 in 100 of its 189 stories · mostly rights & justice

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 4,184 stories · about as usual Health26% 4,158 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents22% 3,498 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 1,861 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 685 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 599 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 590 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 482 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 killed3,516 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,099 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,877 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured819 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting abductions337 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees217 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the UK and Israel Stories reporting people displaced215 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations183 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill34 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than 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.