← 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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 lessIran: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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: 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: 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 readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCôte 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: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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: 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 lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook 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: 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 readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualLake Piru, US -- disasters & accidents: 22 stories, carried by 19 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 79 stories, carried by 136 outletsBedford, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsTirupati, India -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsOsun, Nigeria -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsWyoming, US -- health: 23 stories, carried by 47 outletsSokoto, Nigeria -- disasters & accidents: 20 stories, carried by 12 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 12 stories, carried by 31 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

● Lake Piru US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 22 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 79 stories ● Bedford UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Tirupati India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Osun Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 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.