← 14 Aug Saturday 15 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,866 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 Dubai and arrests in Thailand. Japan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostTrinidad & Tobago 49 in 100 of its 67 stories, usually 26
RegionCentral Asia 50 in 100 of its stories, usually 46
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

201 of its 297 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Minsk accounted for 152 of Belarus' 201 stories about harm, carried by 359 outlets. 143 of Minsk's 152 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (55 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Thailand

56 of its 118 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Japan

Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

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

France

145 of its 406 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Paris accounted for 90 of France's 145 stories about harm, carried by 190 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

142 of its 471 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Outbreaks were named in 90 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 →
Rights & justice

Trinidad & Tobago

33 of its 67 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Lithuania

11 of its 16 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 3 of Vilnius' 5 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Health

Russia

208 of its 490 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Moscow accounted for 120 of Russia's 208 stories about harm, carried by 153 outlets.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

13 of its 20 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. 5 of Casbah's 10 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in New Zealand (90 of its stories, about three times its usual); oil spill in Yemen (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flu in China (30 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); polio in Pakistan (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); house fires in Ireland (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 30; 28 the day before
33 in 10028 in 10017 Jul24 Jul31 Jul7 Aug15 Aug17 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 10012 Aug: 28 in 10013 Aug: 28 in 10014 Aug: 28 in 10015 Aug: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 16,866 stories about harm among 57,775 counted on 15 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the sixth day running that the news turned to Belarus. of the day's 57,775 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 16 August 2019, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. Belarus' news was 68% about people being harmed, against a usual 54%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mauritius73 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 58 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan73 in 100 of its 153 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon68 in 100 of its 341 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Belarus68 in 100 of its 297 stories · usually 54 · mostly rights & justice Bangladesh52 in 100 of its 168 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Minsk Belarus143 stories about protests or strikes, of its 152 Washington US120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 653 Chicago US59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 181 Beirut Lebanon49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 215 San Francisco US38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 129

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: no storiesTurkey: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: no storiesTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: no storiesMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIsrael: near the world's share or lessPalestine: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIraq: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: no storiesGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesChina: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessGaza: near the world's share or lessWest Bank: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): no storiesWestern Sahara (Free Zone): no storiesCrimea: near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: no storiesNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: near the world's share or lessZimbabwe: 46 in 100 of its 129 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Yemen: 69 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Venezuela: 49 in 100 of its 49 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Puerto Rico: 78 in 100 of its 23 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)United Arab Emirates: 41 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Trinidad & Tobago: 49 in 100 of its 67 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Thailand: 47 in 100 of its 118 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Syria: 53 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Sudan: 52 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)South Africa: 43 in 100 of its 506 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Somalia: 63 in 100 of its 35 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Russia: 42 in 100 of its 490 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Philippines: 46 in 100 of its 426 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)North Korea: 70 in 100 of its 23 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Nepal: 56 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Mexico: 43 in 100 of its 202 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Mauritius: 73 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Mali: 64 in 100 of its 14 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Lithuania: 69 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Libya: 55 in 100 of its 20 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Lesotho: 49 in 100 of its 35 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Lebanon: 68 in 100 of its 341 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Indonesia: 51 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Ethiopia: 62 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Greenland: 68 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Côte d’Ivoire: 88 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Colombia: 56 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Hong Kong: 56 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Brazil: 44 in 100 of its 134 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Bolivia: 73 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Belarus: 68 in 100 of its 297 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Bangladesh: 52 in 100 of its 168 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Algeria: 65 in 100 of its 20 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Afghanistan: 73 in 100 of its 153 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 29 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Lebanon 68 in 100 of its 341 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Belarus 68 in 100 of its 297 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Afghanistan 73 in 100 of its 153 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Mauritius 73 in 100 of its 62 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Bangladesh 52 in 100 of its 168 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Indonesia 51 in 100 of its 119 stories · mostly health

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health54% 9,089 stories · less than usual (usually 59%) Rights & justice18% 3,069 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,723 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,288 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 657 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 523 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 199 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 159 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 killed4,683 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,276 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,179 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured886 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees95 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations92 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions64 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced55 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill23 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.