← 1 Aug Sunday 2 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 3 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,936 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 day's news pointed at protests in Jerusalem (Israel), illness in Tromso and violence in Kabul. Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and India →
Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostNorway 65 in 100 of its 60 stories, usually 24
RegionSoutheast Asia 47 in 100 of its stories, usually 39
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Israel

222 of its 415 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Jerusalem accounted for 136 of Israel's 222 stories about harm, carried by 189 outlets. 83 of Jerusalem's 136 stories were about protests or strikes. Hurricane was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Health

Norway

39 of its 60 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Tromso accounted for 21 of Norway's 39 stories about harm, carried by 22 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Outbreaks were named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

Norway over 30 days → its stories → Tromso stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

107 of its 141 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Kabul accounted for 52 of Afghanistan's 107 stories about harm, carried by 93 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (51 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

Iran

113 of its 166 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Tehran accounted for 59 of Iran's 113 stories about harm, carried by 99 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (38 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Cameroon

27 of its 31 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

89 of its 147 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. da Nang accounted for 51 of Vietnam's 89 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (53 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Germany

121 of its 315 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 50 of Berlin's 64 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (20 stories).

its stories →
Health

Mexico

100 of its 216 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

59 of its 136 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories). Landslides were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Netherlands (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hurricane in US (704 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); landslides in South Korea (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Brazil (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Russia (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

32 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 31 the day before
34 in 10028 in 1004 Jul11 Jul18 Jul25 Jul2 Aug4 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 1001 Aug: 31 in 1002 Aug: 32 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 Aug. 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 14,936 stories about harm among 46,841 counted on 2 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Evacuations were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and India. 32 in every 100 of the day's 46,841 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 30. In Norway's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about 4 times their usual. A year earlier, on 3 August 2019, 25 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 32 today. Israel's news was 53% about people being harmed, against a usual 45%. This week the news turned most often to Libya, on 3 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan76 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Iran68 in 100 of its 166 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Norway65 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 24 · mostly health Syria64 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Vietnam61 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 36 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US96 stories about protests or strikes, of its 569 Portland US87 stories about protests or strikes, of its 106 Jerusalem Israel83 stories about protests or strikes, of its 136 Berlin Germany50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 64 London UK28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 258

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: too little coverage to readRussia: 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: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEl 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readIran: warmth about its own usualYeovil, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsNebraska, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 94 outletsRakhi, India -- health: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsCincinnati, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 74 outletsKatsina, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 52 stories, carried by 93 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 25 stories, carried by 21 outletsWrexham, UK -- health: 24 stories, carried by 34 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

● Yeovil UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Nebraska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Rakhi India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Cincinnati US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Katsina Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 8,211 stories · less than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice16% 2,402 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents14% 2,130 stories · much more than usual (usually 8%) Conflict & violence6% 872 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 662 stories · about as usual Shelter & services1% 222 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 182 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 130 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 killed4,736 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,228 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,131 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured906 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting evacuations166 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced78 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Cameroon and Nigeria Stories reporting abductions73 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees65 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill33 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Norway

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 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 · 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.