← 6 Aug Friday 7 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 8 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,075 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 Beirut, a disaster in Blue Bay and protests in Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Lebanon's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 60 in 100 of its 50 stories, usually 36
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 54 in 100 of its stories, usually 44
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

1,112 of its 1,502 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Beirut accounted for 1,092 of Lebanon's 1,112 stories about harm, carried by 1,160 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (191 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Health

France

196 of its 579 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

North Korea

30 of its 50 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Heavy rain was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zimbabwe

168 of its 310 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. 38 of Harare's 68 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

72 of its 156 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Minsk accounted for 51 of Belarus' 72 stories about harm, carried by 38 outlets. 28 of Minsk's 51 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Health

India

Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (256 stories). Heavy rain was named in 278 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with landslides, plane crash and storms. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 71 of Afghanistan's 101 stories about harm, carried by 132 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Egypt

63 of its 139 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heavy rain in North Korea (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in India (278 of its stories, about three times its usual); outbreaks in Ukraine (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); plague in Italy (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); ebola in Russia (14 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 29 the day before
33 in 10028 in 1009 Jul16 Jul23 Jul30 Jul7 Aug9 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 1005 Aug: 29 in 1006 Aug: 29 in 1007 Aug: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 7 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 29,075 stories about harm among 101,971 counted on 7 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

In North Korea's news, mentions of heavy rain ran more than ten times their usual. On 8 August 2019, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 29 today. Lebanon's news was 74% about people being harmed, against a usual 63%. of the day's 101,971 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 30.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Lebanon74 in 100 of its 1,502 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 70 · mostly rights & justice North Korea60 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 36 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine55 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Zimbabwe54 in 100 of its 310 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beirut Lebanon204 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1092 Washington US167 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1323 Portland US95 stories about protests or strikes, of its 127 Beijing China61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 271 Delhi India46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 322

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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 lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: 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: 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: 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: 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: 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: 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 readSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGeorgia: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualKabul, Afghanistan -- rights & justice: 71 stories, carried by 132 outletsFort Worth, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 23 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 116 outletsNevada, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsHong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong -- health: 19 stories, carried by 62 outletsRotorua, New Zealand -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsRiver Otter, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 39 outletsColombo, Sri Lanka -- health: 41 stories, carried by 89 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

● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 71 stories ● Fort Worth US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Nevada US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Hong Kong about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 16,591 stories · less than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice16% 4,672 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,941 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,723 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,215 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 905 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 431 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 353 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 killed8,302 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,369 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,154 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,873 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees168 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations123 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions101 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about France and the US Stories reporting people falling ill50 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 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

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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.