← 20 Aug Friday 21 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,787 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 →

Illness in Moscow, protests in Nairobi (Kenya) and people affected in Liberia drew the news. Russia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada →
Part of lifeHealth 57 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostRomania 52 in 100 of its 93 stories, usually 28
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
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 →
Health

Russia

539 of its 1,139 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Moscow accounted for 241 of Russia's 539 stories about harm, carried by 475 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 10 times the usual rate (6 stories). Poisoning was named in 282 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Bangladesh

104 of its 166 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Dhaka accounted for 51 of Bangladesh's 104 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Romania

48 of its 93 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories). Outbreaks were named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Mali

Bamako accounted for 98 of Mali's 136 stories about harm, carried by 160 outlets. 56 of Bamako's 98 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 93 of Belarus' 128 stories about harm, carried by 245 outlets. 86 of Minsk's 93 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

196 of its 427 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Flooding was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with power cuts, heavy rain and cyclone.

its stories →
Health

DR Congo

8 of its 9 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Romania (27 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); tsunami in Indonesia (35 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in Spain (41 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Mexico (34 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); power cuts in Ireland (29 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 27 the day before
33 in 10027 in 10023 Jul30 Jul6 Aug13 Aug21 Aug23 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 10021 Aug: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 27,787 stories about harm among 99,407 counted on 21 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. of the day's 99,407 news stories, 28 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 29. the news turned to Russia for the second day running. On 22 August 2019, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 28 today. In Russia, 47% of the news was about people being harmed, where 35% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mauritius63 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 64 · mostly disasters & accidents Bangladesh63 in 100 of its 166 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Mali62 in 100 of its 221 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan58 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia56 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US247 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1325 Moscow Russia118 stories about protests or strikes, of its 241 Minsk Belarus86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 93 Chicago US77 stories about protests or strikes, of its 235 Portland US68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 108

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: 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'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: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: 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: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNiger: 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 readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: 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'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: 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: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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 readCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: 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'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuam: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than 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'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSpain: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSão Tomé: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMauritius: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalta: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLaos: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKuwait: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKenya: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJordan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJapan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry 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'sGuyana: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFinland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFiji: coverage a little angrier than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCuba: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDR Congo: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCongo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sColombia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChad: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about twice 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 angrier than the world'sBhutan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBelarus: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBarbados: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice 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

● Burkina Faso few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 10 stories about harm ● Russia about twice as angry as the world's · 539 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as angry as the world's · 211 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 19 stories about harm ● Sweden few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 38 stories about harm ● Belarus about twice as angry as the world's · 128 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health57% 15,627 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 4,598 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 3,303 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence5% 1,505 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 985 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 721 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 460 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 319 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 killed6,611 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,077 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,055 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,291 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations339 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees141 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced121 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill58 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.