← 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 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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 readOman: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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 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 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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: 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: 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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 readSpain: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualAyodhya, India -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 76 stories, carried by 121 outletsStockton-On-Tees, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsColorado, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsNew Haven, US -- health: 26 stories, carried by 44 outletsBarcelona, Spain -- health: 19 stories, carried by 25 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 17 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 10 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

● Iran warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Ayodhya India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 76 stories ● Stockton-On-Tees UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● New Haven US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 26 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.