← 17 Aug Tuesday 18 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
28,506 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 day's news pointed at protests in Bamako (Mali), the earthquake in the Philippines and violence in Mozambique. Mali's coverage was about one and a half times 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 mostNorth Korea 70 in 100 of its 82 stories, usually 46
RegionCentral Asia 48 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 →
Protests & strikes

Mali

179 of its 280 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Bamako accounted for 167 of Mali's 179 stories about harm, carried by 369 outlets. 129 of Bamako's 167 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Mali over 30 days → its stories → Bamako stories →
Health

Philippines

443 of its 804 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (45 stories). Earthquake was named in 114 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami, landslides and typhoon.

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

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 174 of Belarus' 246 stories about harm, carried by 294 outlets. 158 of Minsk's 174 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

North Korea

57 of its 82 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Pyongyang accounted for 42 of North Korea's 57 stories about harm, carried by 110 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Namibia

23 of its 45 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Korea

174 of its 394 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Seoul accounted for 124 of South Korea's 174 stories about harm, carried by 277 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Ireland

Flooding was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Portugal

3 of Lisbon's 4 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Mexico (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Ethiopia (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); flooding in Ireland (32 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heatwave in US (208 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in UK (34 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 28 the day before
33 in 10027 in 10020 Jul27 Jul3 Aug10 Aug18 Aug20 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 10016 Aug: 31 in 10017 Aug: 28 in 10018 Aug: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 28,506 stories about harm among 104,448 counted on 18 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 9 March 2020. In the Philippines' news, mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual. On 19 August 2019, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 27 today. 27 in every 100 of the day's 104,448 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 29.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mauritius78 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 62 · mostly disasters & accidents North Korea70 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Lebanon68 in 100 of its 587 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan67 in 100 of its 192 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Mali64 in 100 of its 280 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US355 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1528 Minsk Belarus158 stories about protests or strikes, of its 174 Bamako Mali129 stories about protests or strikes, of its 167 Chicago US57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 262 Beirut Lebanon53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 357

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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 lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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 lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: 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: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualLesotho: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualNadda, India -- health: 18 stories, carried by 19 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 14 outletsDelaware, US -- health: 33 stories, carried by 33 outletsColchester, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 18 outletsAlaska, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 16 outletsKarnataka, India -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- health: 14 stories, carried by 28 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 42 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

● Nadda India about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Delaware US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 33 stories ● Colchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Alaska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health57% 16,230 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 5,113 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 2,605 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,719 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,078 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 865 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 341 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 324 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 killed7,172 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,988 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,954 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,494 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions146 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees136 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations118 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting people displaced116 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill23 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.