← 3 Aug Tuesday 4 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,244 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 the earthquake in Lebanon, landslides in South Korea and protests in Reykjavik (Iceland). Lebanon's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostLebanon 71 in 100 of its 1,033 stories, usually 38
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 50 in 100 of its stories, usually 42
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 →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

735 of its 1,033 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Beirut accounted for 705 of Lebanon's 735 stories about harm, carried by 927 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (437 stories). Earthquake was named in 140 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Disasters & accidents

South Korea

155 of its 372 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Seoul accounted for 95 of South Korea's 155 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (47 stories). Landslides were named in 55 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

South Korea over 30 days → its stories → Seoul stories →
Protests & strikes

Iceland

13 of its 28 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 9 of Reykjavik's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Illness was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Iceland over 30 days → its stories → Reykjavik stories →
Health

Sweden

56 of its 114 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (27 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Sweden over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Micronesia

48 of its 49 stories (98%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Pikelot Island accounted for 38 of Micronesia's 48 stories about harm, carried by 187 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (46 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

122 of its 257 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Bangkok accounted for 72 of Thailand's 122 stories about harm, carried by 134 outlets. 42 of Bangkok's 72 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zimbabwe

171 of its 304 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. 25 of Harare's 42 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Cameroon

25 of its 49 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

148 of its 195 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Yemen

45 of its 55 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in US (1072 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in Canada (27 of its stories, about three times its usual); typhoon in China (27 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); house fires in UK (12 of its stories, about three times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 29 the day before
33 in 10028 in 1006 Jul13 Jul20 Jul27 Jul4 Aug6 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 1003 Aug: 29 in 1004 Aug: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 30,244 stories about harm among 103,978 counted on 4 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 103,978 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 30. A year earlier, on 5 August 2019, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen82 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 69 · mostly health Afghanistan76 in 100 of its 195 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon71 in 100 of its 1,033 stories · usually 38 · mostly conflict & violence Syria70 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan66 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 64 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US220 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1363 Chicago US72 stories about protests or strikes, of its 272 Portland US72 stories about protests or strikes, of its 111 Los Angeles US58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 268 Delhi India57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 316

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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: 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: 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 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: 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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 lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuernsey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSomalia: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualDonegal, Ireland -- disasters & accidents: 30 stories, carried by 98 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 25 stories, carried by 42 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 15 outletsMalvern, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsGreat Yarmouth, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsSouth Dakota, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 18 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 18 stories, carried by 13 outletsBaramulla, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 12 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

● Donegal Ireland about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 30 stories ● Tennessee US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Malvern UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Great Yarmouth UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 17,303 stories · less than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice15% 4,546 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents13% 3,860 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence6% 1,782 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,234 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 677 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 328 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 263 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 killed7,790 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,400 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,024 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,792 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations204 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting people displaced189 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Cameroon Stories reporting refugees131 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions102 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Afghanistan Stories reporting people falling ill42 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines

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.