← 19 Aug Thursday 20 August 2026 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,984 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 helicopter crash in Kenya, violence in Kyiv and arrests in Zambia. Ukraine's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostKenya 36 in 100 of its 277 stories, usually 23
RegionEvery region about as usual
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

Kenya

101 of its 277 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (65 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 40 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Kenya over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

163 of its 340 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Kyiv accounted for 115 of Ukraine's 163 stories about harm, carried by 116 outlets. Power cuts were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Ukraine over 30 days → its stories → Kyiv stories →
Rights & justice

Zambia

18 of its 33 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Cameroon

25 of its 45 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Somalia

23 of its 34 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Peru

36 of its 83 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Earthquake was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Germany

Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (18 stories). Wildfires were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tornadoes and heatwave. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 150 of Iran's 247 stories about harm, carried by 215 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

6 of its 7 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 3 of Tunis' 5 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Peru (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Germany (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hiv in Nigeria (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in UK (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
22 in 10018 in 10022 Jul29 Jul5 Aug12 Aug20 Aug22 Jul: 20 in 10023 Jul: 19 in 10024 Jul: 20 in 10025 Jul: 20 in 10026 Jul: 21 in 10027 Jul: 20 in 10028 Jul: 19 in 10029 Jul: 20 in 10030 Jul: 20 in 10031 Jul: 20 in 1001 Aug: 20 in 1002 Aug: 22 in 1003 Aug: 19 in 1004 Aug: 19 in 1005 Aug: 19 in 1006 Aug: 19 in 1007 Aug: 19 in 1008 Aug: 19 in 1009 Aug: 20 in 10010 Aug: 20 in 10011 Aug: 20 in 10012 Aug: 19 in 10013 Aug: 19 in 10014 Aug: 19 in 10015 Aug: 20 in 10016 Aug: 21 in 10017 Aug: 20 in 10018 Aug: 19 in 10019 Aug: 19 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 12,984 stories about harm among 70,572 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 8 July 2026. of the day's 70,572 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. Peru's news mentioned the earthquake more than ten times as often as usual. It was the second day running that the news turned to Kenya. In Kenya, 36% of the news was about people being harmed, where 23% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine56 in 100 of its 142 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan50 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice Ukraine48 in 100 of its 340 stories · usually 42 · mostly conflict & violence Colombia47 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents Israel43 in 100 of its 653 stories · usually 47 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 202 Washington US47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 367 Tehran Iran37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 150 Jerusalem Israel24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 80 Kyiv Ukraine20 stories about protests or strikes, of its 115

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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: too little coverage to readSweden: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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 lessIraq: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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 lessGreece: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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 readBrazil: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: too little coverage to readAksai 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: too little coverage to readSiachen Glacier: too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: too little coverage to readVatican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualNamibia: warmth about its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualMaiduguri, Nigeria -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsIowa, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsBerkshire, UK -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 143 outletsHawaii, US -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 15 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 23 stories, carried by 40 outletsOsun, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 13 outletsAmsterdam, Netherlands -- health: 21 stories, carried by 26 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

● Maiduguri Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Iowa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Berkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Hawaii US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 11 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health28% 3,497 stories · more than usual (usually 24%) Rights & justice23% 2,979 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents21% 2,600 stories · less than usual (usually 23%) Conflict & violence11% 1,404 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 803 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 628 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 478 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 289 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 killed3,410 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,477 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,455 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured879 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced105 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting evacuations102 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees72 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the UK and the US Stories reporting people falling ill40 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.