← 19 Jun Saturday 20 June 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Jun →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,181 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 protests in Minsk (Belarus), illness in Beijing and rights and justice in Harare. Syria's coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Syria → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 52 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostPalestine 66 in 100 of its 76 stories, usually 48
RegionCentral Asia 53 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
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 →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

22 of its 33 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Minsk accounted for 18 of Belarus' 22 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. 12 of Minsk's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Health

China

891 of its 1,792 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Beijing accounted for 410 of China's 891 stories about harm, carried by 505 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (97 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

China over 30 days → its stories → Beijing stories →
Displacement

Syria

54 of its 76 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Brazil

123 of its 206 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. 10 of Sao Paulo's 19 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Georgia

11 of its 14 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 7 of Tbilisi's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Mali

Bamako accounted for 17 of Mali's 18 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. 15 of Bamako's 17 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 32 of Afghanistan's 59 stories about harm, carried by 333 outlets. Outbreaks were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Romania

10 of its 18 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 5 of Bucharest's 6 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Health

Chile

24 of its 41 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Bangladesh (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Afghanistan (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); road crashes in Italy (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in Nigeria (14 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); respiratory illness in India (39 of its stories, about three times its usual).

32 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 34; 31 the day before
38 in 10031 in 10022 May29 May5 Jun12 Jun20 Jun22 May: 32 in 10023 May: 34 in 10024 May: 35 in 10025 May: 33 in 10026 May: 32 in 10027 May: 32 in 10028 May: 32 in 10029 May: 32 in 10030 May: 36 in 10031 May: 38 in 1001 Jun: 35 in 1002 Jun: 36 in 1003 Jun: 35 in 1004 Jun: 35 in 1005 Jun: 34 in 1006 Jun: 37 in 1007 Jun: 38 in 1008 Jun: 35 in 1009 Jun: 33 in 10010 Jun: 33 in 10011 Jun: 32 in 10012 Jun: 32 in 10013 Jun: 35 in 10014 Jun: 35 in 10015 Jun: 33 in 10016 Jun: 32 in 10017 Jun: 32 in 10018 Jun: 31 in 10019 Jun: 31 in 10020 Jun: 32 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 Jun. 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 19,181 stories about harm among 59,496 counted on 20 Jun.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Syria. Stories about people being harmed made up 32 in every 100 of the day's 59,496 stories, below the usual 34. Mentions of landslides ran more than ten times their usual in Bangladesh's news. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. the news turned to Belarus for the second day running.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria71 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 60 · mostly displacement Palestine66 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 48 · mostly health Afghanistan63 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh60 in 100 of its 253 stories · usually 60 · mostly health Brazil60 in 100 of its 206 stories · usually 49 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US227 stories about protests or strikes, of its 565 Tulsa US192 stories about protests or strikes, of its 299 Washington US106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 229 London UK91 stories about protests or strikes, of its 285 Beijing China89 stories about protests or strikes, of its 410

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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 lessPhilippines: 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 readOman: 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 lessNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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 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 lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEcuador: 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: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: 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 lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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 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: 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 lessGaza: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualSirte, Libya -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsNorthumbria, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 27 outletsColchester, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 15 outletsSinaloa, Mexico -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsMadhya Pradesh, India -- health: 11 stories, carried by 18 outletsTeklanika River, US -- disasters & accidents: 16 stories, carried by 20 outletsNew Hampshire, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 20 outletsKatsina, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 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

● Sirte Libya about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Northumbria UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Colchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Sinaloa Mexico about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Madhya Pradesh India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health52% 9,963 stories · much less than usual (usually 58%) Rights & justice26% 4,963 stories · more than usual (usually 24%) Conflict & violence7% 1,353 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Disasters & accidents6% 1,111 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 816 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 358 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 351 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 126 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 killed5,833 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,277 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,270 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured921 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees256 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people displaced112 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions67 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations42 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill32 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

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.