← 10 Aug Tuesday 11 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 12 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,077 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 protests in Minsk (Belarus), illness in Moscow and violence in Niamey. Belarus' coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 57 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostRussia 59 in 100 of its 1,513 stories, usually 32
RegionEurope 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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 →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

292 of its 449 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Minsk accounted for 246 of Belarus' 292 stories about harm, carried by 434 outlets. 221 of Minsk's 246 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (91 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Rights & justice

Nigeria

564 of its 1,468 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Plague was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Nigeria over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

155 of its 278 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 28 of Mong Kok's 46 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

95 of its 214 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Taipei accounted for 77 of Taiwan's 95 stories about harm, carried by 126 outlets. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

38 of its 55 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

124 of its 205 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (29 stories). Road crashes were named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 67 of Afghanistan's 132 stories about harm, carried by 78 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

Beirut accounted for 595 of Lebanon's 610 stories about harm, carried by 619 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (32 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: food poisoning in Iceland (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Bangladesh (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Indonesia (21 of its stories, about three times its usual); flooding in Pakistan (32 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in France (23 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 29 the day before
33 in 10028 in 10013 Jul20 Jul27 Jul3 Aug11 Aug13 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 1009 Aug: 32 in 10010 Aug: 29 in 10011 Aug: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 30,077 stories about harm among 103,259 counted on 11 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Iceland's news mentioned food poisoning more than ten times as often as usual. 29 in every 100 of the day's 103,259 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. For the second day running, the news turned to Belarus. On 12 August 2019, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 29 today. Belarus' news was 65% about people being harmed, against a usual 46%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan77 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Mauritius76 in 100 of its 118 stories · usually 51 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia69 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon66 in 100 of its 928 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Belarus65 in 100 of its 449 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US253 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1349 Beirut Lebanon233 stories about protests or strikes, of its 595 Minsk Belarus221 stories about protests or strikes, of its 246 Chicago US188 stories about protests or strikes, of its 457 Beijing China101 stories about protests or strikes, of its 282

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTonga: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualTrinidad & Tobago: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualLatvia: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualMiddlesbrough, UK -- health: 24 stories, carried by 14 outletsCheltenham, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 116 outletsMaryland, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 18 outletsMong Kok, Hong Kong -- rights & justice: 46 stories, carried by 122 outletsPrince Edward Island, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 49 outletsMilan, Italy -- health: 17 stories, carried by 24 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 19 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- 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

● Hong Kong warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Middlesbrough UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories ● Cheltenham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Maryland US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Mong Kok Hong Kong about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 46 stories ● Prince Edward Island Canada 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 →

Health57% 17,133 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 5,132 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,947 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,830 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,144 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 921 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 347 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 345 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 killed7,623 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,281 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,169 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,783 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees146 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced139 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations118 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions82 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill48 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
● Griefa little less 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

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.