← 25 Jul Sunday 26 July 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 27 Jul →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,052 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 violence in Kabul, illness in Kaesong and protests in Beirut (Lebanon). Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Malaysia → Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and India → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 66 in 100 of its 115 stories, usually 30
RegionSoutheast Asia 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
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

Afghanistan

126 of its 158 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Kabul accounted for 79 of Afghanistan's 126 stories about harm, carried by 136 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

South Korea

116 of its 225 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Kaesong accounted for 54 of South Korea's 116 stories about harm, carried by 268 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Spain

253 of its 634 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

India

1,453 of its 3,504 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Drownings were named in 23 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with cholera and hepatitis.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

Darfur accounted for 20 of Sudan's 33 stories about harm, carried by 29 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Damascus accounted for 25 of Syria's 45 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

77 of its 169 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Mexico (13 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); hurricane in US (523 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); flooding in Ireland (16 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); earthquake in Philippines (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in India (23 of its stories, about three times its usual).

33 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 31; 31 the day before
34 in 10029 in 10027 Jun4 Jul11 Jul18 Jul26 Jul27 Jun: 33 in 10028 Jun: 34 in 10029 Jun: 31 in 10030 Jun: 30 in 1001 Jul: 30 in 1002 Jul: 30 in 1003 Jul: 30 in 1004 Jul: 32 in 1005 Jul: 34 in 1006 Jul: 31 in 1007 Jul: 31 in 1008 Jul: 30 in 1009 Jul: 30 in 10010 Jul: 30 in 10011 Jul: 32 in 10012 Jul: 33 in 10013 Jul: 31 in 10014 Jul: 30 in 10015 Jul: 29 in 10016 Jul: 29 in 10017 Jul: 30 in 10018 Jul: 32 in 10019 Jul: 33 in 10020 Jul: 30 in 10021 Jul: 30 in 10022 Jul: 30 in 10023 Jul: 29 in 10024 Jul: 29 in 10025 Jul: 31 in 10026 Jul: 33 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 26 Jul. 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 16,052 stories about harm among 49,159 counted on 26 Jul.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 33 in every 100 of the day's 49,159 stories, above the usual 31. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Malaysia. In North Korea's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about three times their usual. A year earlier, on 27 July 2019, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 33 today. This week the news turned most often to Afghanistan, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 4 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan80 in 100 of its 158 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea66 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 30 · mostly health Kashmir63 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Syria60 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia54 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 48 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Portland US254 stories about protests or strikes, of its 288 Washington US120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 524 Chicago US58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 138 Texas US55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 153 Seattle US48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 67

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: 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 lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTurkey: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: no storiesThailand: 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 lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: 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: no storiesRussia: 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 lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: 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 storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: 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 lessMexico: 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 lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: 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 lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: 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 lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: 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 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 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 lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: 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: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: 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 lessCuba: 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 lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: 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 lessMyanmar: 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 lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: 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 lessBangladesh: 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 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: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: 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: no storiesNauru: no storiesMonaco: 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: 46 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Yemen: 68 in 100 of its 25 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Vietnam: 46 in 100 of its 169 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Tunisia: 56 in 100 of its 36 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Syria: 60 in 100 of its 75 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Sudan: 69 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)South Korea: 52 in 100 of its 225 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)South Africa: 47 in 100 of its 430 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Rwanda: 82 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Philippines: 51 in 100 of its 411 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Papua New Guinea: 68 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)North Korea: 66 in 100 of its 115 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Kyrgyzstan: 85 in 100 of its 13 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Israel: 48 in 100 of its 407 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Iraq: 48 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Iran: 53 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Indonesia: 54 in 100 of its 93 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)India: 41 in 100 of its 3,504 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Brazil: 50 in 100 of its 173 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Afghanistan: 80 in 100 of its 158 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Kashmir: 63 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Kashmir: 63 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Kashmir: 63 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Palestine: 65 in 100 of its 48 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)Kashmir: 63 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 33)
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 33 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 80 in 100 of its 158 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● North Korea 66 in 100 of its 115 stories · mostly health ● Kashmir 63 in 100 of its 119 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Philippines 51 in 100 of its 411 stories · mostly health ● Syria 60 in 100 of its 75 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● South Korea 52 in 100 of its 225 stories · mostly health

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

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 8,816 stories · less than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice18% 2,859 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 1,831 stories · more than usual (usually 8%) Conflict & violence7% 1,123 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 742 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 240 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 169 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 149 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 killed4,988 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,343 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,136 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,066 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees170 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Malaysia Stories reporting evacuations115 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions82 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced67 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill35 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Taiwan

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
● Griefa little more 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

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.