← 26 Sep Sunday 27 September 2026 · to 23:59 UTC 28 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
6,757 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 →

Violence in Johannesburg, flooding in Thailand and protests in Islamabad (Pakistan) drew the news. South Africa's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 22 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSouth Africa 56 in 100 of its 330 stories, usually 28
RegionCentral Asia 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 8
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

South Africa

185 of its 330 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Johannesburg accounted for 83 of South Africa's 185 stories about harm, carried by 221 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (102 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

South Africa over 30 days → its stories → Johannesburg stories →
Disasters & accidents

Thailand

59 of its 107 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Bangkok accounted for 50 of Thailand's 59 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Flooding was named in 49 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Bangkok stories →
Health

UK

Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (82 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Greece

48 of its 121 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Athens accounted for 36 of Greece's 48 stories about harm, carried by 56 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (19 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

71 of its 137 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Kyiv accounted for 53 of Ukraine's 71 stories about harm, carried by 66 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Avalanche was named in 51 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with snowstorms. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 50 of Palestine's 85 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

St Vincent

9 of its 10 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Kazakhstan

8 of its 12 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: avalanche in Nepal (51 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in US (282 of its stories, about three times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
21 in 10017 in 10029 Aug5 Sep12 Sep19 Sep27 Sep29 Aug: 20 in 10030 Aug: 21 in 10031 Aug: 20 in 1001 Sep: 19 in 1002 Sep: 19 in 1003 Sep: 19 in 1004 Sep: 20 in 1005 Sep: 20 in 1006 Sep: 21 in 1007 Sep: 20 in 1008 Sep: 19 in 1009 Sep: 19 in 10010 Sep: 18 in 10011 Sep: 21 in 10012 Sep: 20 in 10013 Sep: 19 in 10014 Sep: 18 in 10015 Sep: 18 in 10016 Sep: 18 in 10017 Sep: 17 in 10018 Sep: 18 in 10019 Sep: 18 in 10020 Sep: 19 in 10021 Sep: 18 in 10022 Sep: 18 in 10023 Sep: 18 in 10024 Sep: 18 in 10025 Sep: 18 in 10026 Sep: 18 in 10027 Sep: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 Sep. 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 6,757 stories about harm among 34,413 counted on 27 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

South Africa stood out: 56% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 28%. 20 in every 100 of the day's 34,413 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 27 September 2025, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today. This week the news turned most often to Ethiopia, on 4 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Nepal83 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 84 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan64 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Cuba57 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 43 · mostly shelter & services South Africa56 in 100 of its 330 stories · usually 28 · mostly conflict & violence Thailand55 in 100 of its 107 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Phagwara India48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 52 Delhi India32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 96 Northern Ireland UK27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 38 Islamabad Pakistan25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 38 Fairford UK23 stories about protests or strikes, of its 227

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: 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: no storiesMicronesia: 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 lessUganda: 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 lessTogo: no storiesTimor-Leste: no storiesTanzania: 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: no storiesSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: 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. Lucia: no storiesRwanda: 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 lessPhilippines: near the world's share or lessPeru: 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 lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: no storiesNew 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: no storiesMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: 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 lessLiberia: 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 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 lessIraq: 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 lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: 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 lessGabon: 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: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: no storiesEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl 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: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: 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 lessComoros: no storiesChina: 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: no storiesCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBurundi: no storiesBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: 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: no storiesBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: no storiesBenin: 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 lessBahamas: 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: no storiesAlgeria: 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 storiesVatican City: no storiesMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: near the world's share or lessSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook 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 storiesYemen: 72 in 100 of its 36 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Venezuela: 35 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 52 in 100 of its 137 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Thailand: 55 in 100 of its 107 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Syria: 42 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sudan: 50 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sri Lanka: 27 in 100 of its 199 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Africa: 56 in 100 of its 330 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)St Vincent: 90 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Russia: 29 in 100 of its 222 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Pakistan: 41 in 100 of its 314 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Nepal: 83 in 100 of its 115 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Mexico: 30 in 100 of its 100 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Malaysia: 28 in 100 of its 140 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Lebanon: 45 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kazakhstan: 67 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Israel: 44 in 100 of its 365 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 167 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iran: 28 in 100 of its 509 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Indonesia: 28 in 100 of its 86 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Haiti: 47 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Greece: 40 in 100 of its 121 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ethiopia: 49 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cuba: 57 in 100 of its 90 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)DR Congo: 100 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Congo: 88 in 100 of its 32 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Colombia: 50 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Myanmar: 70 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bangladesh: 40 in 100 of its 121 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Afghanistan: 64 in 100 of its 72 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 167 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 167 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 52 in 100 of its 137 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 167 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 30 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)
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 20 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

● Nepal 83 in 100 of its 115 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● South Africa 56 in 100 of its 330 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Afghanistan 64 in 100 of its 72 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Thailand 55 in 100 of its 107 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Palestine 51 in 100 of its 167 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Cuba 57 in 100 of its 90 stories · mostly shelter & services

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

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice22% 1,432 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents22% 1,426 stories · about as usual Health20% 1,351 stories · less than usual (usually 24%) Conflict & violence19% 1,261 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 380 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 278 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 251 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 243 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 killed1,846 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected973 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests875 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured644 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about South Africa and the US Stories reporting evacuations138 at about twice the usual rate · most about the UK and the US Stories reporting abductions88 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Israel Stories reporting people displaced78 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees54 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill5 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Hong Kong

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 much harsher 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.