← 30 Jul Friday 31 July 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,501 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to protests in Harare (Zimbabwe), arrests in Libya and the hurricane in the Bahamas. Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 61 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBahamas 74 in 100 of its 245 stories, usually 31
RegionCentral Asia 51 in 100 of its stories, usually 46
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Zimbabwe

169 of its 327 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Harare accounted for 113 of Zimbabwe's 169 stories about harm, carried by 119 outlets. 81 of Harare's 113 stories were about protests or strikes. Drought was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Zimbabwe over 30 days → its stories → Harare stories →
Health

Libya

29 of its 47 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories). Illness was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bahamas

181 of its 245 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Hurricane was named in 169 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with storms, heavy rain and landslides.

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

Vietnam

144 of its 290 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. da Nang accounted for 93 of Vietnam's 144 stories about harm, carried by 268 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Puerto Rico

43 of its 56 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (14 stories). Landslides were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with storms and power cuts.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

154 of its 279 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 31 of Hong Kong's 48 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Measles was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Jordan

3 of Amman's 5 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

India

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 8 times the usual rate (7 stories). Poisoning was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Dominican Republic (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); landslides in Puerto Rico (16 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in Nepal (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); measles in New Zealand (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Ireland (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 28 the day before
34 in 10028 in 1002 Jul9 Jul16 Jul23 Jul31 Jul2 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 10027 Jul: 29 in 10028 Jul: 29 in 10029 Jul: 28 in 10030 Jul: 28 in 10031 Jul: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 29,501 stories about harm among 101,514 counted on 31 Jul.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Zimbabwe. of the day's 101,514 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 30. the Bahamas' news mentioned the hurricane about 4 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 1 August 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. In Zimbabwe, 52% of the news was about people being harmed, where 41% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico77 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 56 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan75 in 100 of its 201 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Bahamas74 in 100 of its 245 stories · usually 31 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan65 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir61 in 100 of its 165 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US223 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1342 Portland US182 stories about protests or strikes, of its 218 Harare Zimbabwe81 stories about protests or strikes, of its 113 Beijing China79 stories about protests or strikes, of its 268 Chicago US58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 320

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: 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: 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 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 lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: too little coverage to readPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: too little coverage to readNorth Korea: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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: 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: 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 lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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: 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFarmington, US -- health: 51 stories, carried by 46 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 20 stories, carried by 19 outletsMontana, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 25 outletsKano, Nigeria -- health: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsHelsinki, Finland -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsAbbotsford, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 20 outletsWrexham, UK -- health: 44 stories, carried by 57 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 28 stories, carried by 22 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

● Bangladesh warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Farmington US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 51 stories ● Perth Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Montana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Kano Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Helsinki Finland 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 →

Health61% 17,730 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 5,235 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 2,708 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence5% 1,381 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,098 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 546 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 336 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 235 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 killed7,220 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,197 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,054 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,382 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations136 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced115 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees100 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Ethiopia Stories reporting abductions85 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill57 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 softer 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 · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.