← 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 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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readTonga: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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 lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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: too little coverage to readNew 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 lessNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: too little coverage to readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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 lessHong Kong: too little coverage to readChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: too little coverage to readCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readAnguilla: 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: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualEast Suffolk, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 155 outletsNuristan, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 54 outletsQuetta, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsAlaska, US -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 13 outletsTigray, Ethiopia -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 17 outletsAyodhya, India -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsCalifornia, US -- health: 25 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

● East Suffolk UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Nuristan Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 25 stories ● Quetta Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Alaska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 12 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 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.