← 19 Aug Thursday 20 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,504 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 Libya, illness in Moscow and the earthquake in Iraq. Russia's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGreenland 62 in 100 of its 52 stories, usually 28
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

53 of its 76 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (24 stories). Drownings were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Russia

578 of its 1,227 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Moscow accounted for 345 of Russia's 578 stories about harm, carried by 769 outlets. Poisoning was named in 298 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Russia over 30 days → its stories → Moscow stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 65 of Iraq's 92 stories about harm, carried by 133 outlets. Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Protests & strikes

Mali

Bamako accounted for 130 of Mali's 177 stories about harm, carried by 184 outlets. 74 of Bamako's 130 stories were about protests or strikes. Landslides were named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

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

Ireland

378 of its 1,106 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (63 stories). Power cuts were named in 103 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Pakistan

Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (8 stories). Landslides were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 113 of Belarus' 151 stories about harm, carried by 259 outlets. 104 of Minsk's 113 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Lebanon

Beirut accounted for 159 of Lebanon's 173 stories about harm, carried by 164 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Fiji

26 of its 86 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

93 of its 157 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in Ireland (103 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in Malaysia (34 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in Sweden (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Canada (58 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Mexico (13 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 28 the day before
33 in 10027 in 10022 Jul29 Jul5 Aug12 Aug20 Aug22 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 10019 Aug: 28 in 10020 Aug: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 29,504 stories about harm among 107,736 counted on 20 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Russia's news mentioned poisoning more than ten times as often as usual. 27 in every 100 of the day's 107,736 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 29. For the second day running, the news turned to Libya. A year earlier, on 21 August 2019, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. Libya's news was 70% about people being harmed, against a usual 44%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya70 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 44 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan68 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Greenland62 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria61 in 100 of its 136 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir59 in 100 of its 157 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US321 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1295 Moscow Russia160 stories about protests or strikes, of its 345 Minsk Belarus104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 113 Bamako Mali74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 130 San Francisco US69 stories about protests or strikes, of its 358

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: feelings about like the world'sSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: feelings about like the world'sZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sZambia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sVenezuela: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSweden: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSingapore: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSierra Leone: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSt. Lucia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sOman: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMongolia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLesotho: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKenya: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJordan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJapan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIreland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGrenada: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDominican Republic: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sColombia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurundi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBolivia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelize: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelarus: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBarbados: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Russia about three times as angry as the world's · 578 stories about harm ● Kashmir about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 93 stories about harm ● Libya about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 53 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 89 stories about harm ● Sweden about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 59 stories about harm ● Iraq about twice as angry as the world's · 92 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 16,404 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 5,131 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 3,171 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,817 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 966 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 923 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 445 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 392 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 killed6,854 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,066 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,453 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations298 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions197 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the UK Stories reporting refugees158 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced114 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill71 at about one and a half times 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 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.