← 7 Aug Saturday 8 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 9 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,606 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 drownings in Mauritius, violence in Caracas and plane crash in India. Poland's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostMauritius 88 in 100 of its 82 stories, usually 27
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 56 in 100 of its stories, usually 45
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Mauritius

72 of its 82 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Blue Bay accounted for 48 of Mauritius' 72 stories about harm, carried by 306 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Drownings were named in 47 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with oil spill. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Mauritius over 30 days → its stories → Blue Bay stories →
Conflict & violence

Venezuela

56 of its 76 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Caracas accounted for 29 of Venezuela's 56 stories about harm, carried by 171 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Health

India

2,128 of its 4,676 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (333 stories). Plane crash was named in 328 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

India over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Poland

38 of its 73 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. 18 of Warsaw's 24 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Jamaica

47 of its 124 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Outbreaks were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

788 of its 1,094 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Beirut accounted for 774 of Lebanon's 788 stories about harm, carried by 1,055 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (178 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Israel

29 of Jerusalem's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Flooding was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

40 of its 59 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Minsk accounted for 35 of Belarus' 40 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. 20 of Minsk's 35 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

South Korea

67 of its 141 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (28 stories). Landslides were named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with flooding.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

49 of its 111 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 15 of Bangkok's 21 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in South Korea (30 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); natural hazards in New Zealand (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Jamaica (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Indonesia (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); plague in China (43 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

31 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 29 the day before
33 in 10028 in 10010 Jul17 Jul24 Jul31 Jul8 Aug10 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 1008 Aug: 31 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 17,606 stories about harm among 56,940 counted on 8 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Mauritius stood out: 88% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 27%. 31 in every 100 of the day's 56,940 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Mauritius' news mentioned drownings more than ten times as often as usual. It was the second day running that the news turned to Mauritius.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mauritius88 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 27 · mostly disasters & accidents Venezuela74 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 41 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon72 in 100 of its 1,094 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 70 · mostly rights & justice Belarus68 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 39 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beirut Lebanon309 stories about protests or strikes, of its 774 Washington US95 stories about protests or strikes, of its 683 Beijing China51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 146 Portland US51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 78 London UK34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 155

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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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: 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: 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 lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: 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 readFinland: too little coverage to readFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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 readNigeria: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualTowie, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 24 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- rights & justice: 44 stories, carried by 49 outletsPennsylvania, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 23 outletsNorth Dakota, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsKampala, Uganda -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsWest Midlands, UK -- health: 30 stories, carried by 18 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 38 stories, carried by 22 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 45 stories, carried by 55 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

● Towie UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 44 stories ● Pennsylvania US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● North Dakota US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Kampala Uganda about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health54% 9,384 stories · much less than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice16% 2,783 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,281 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence7% 1,151 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 882 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 522 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 236 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 214 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 killed5,955 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,646 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting people injured1,544 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting arrests1,352 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees136 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Lebanon and the UK Stories reporting evacuations133 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about South Korea and India Stories reporting people displaced87 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions48 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill21 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China

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

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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.