← 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.

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: 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 lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: 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: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: too little coverage to readMyanmar: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualPuntland, Somalia -- disasters & accidents: 15 stories, carried by 16 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 39 stories, carried by 50 outletsMalvern, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsDelaware, US -- health: 40 stories, carried by 53 outletsRhode Island, US -- health: 23 stories, carried by 16 outletsGateshead, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 12 outletsAlexandria, Egypt -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsQuebec, Canada -- health: 21 stories, carried by 36 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

● Puntland Somalia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 15 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 39 stories ● Malvern UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Delaware US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 40 stories ● Rhode Island US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories

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 · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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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.