← 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.

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-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: 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 Korea: 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: too little coverage to readSierra 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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 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: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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 lessNigeria: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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: too little coverage to readChile: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: 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: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSomalia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualHainan, China -- health: 11 stories, carried by 13 outletsColchester, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 17 outletsWymondham, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 11 outletsOcean City, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 23 outletsNebraska, US -- health: 23 stories, carried by 25 outletsQuebec, Canada -- health: 33 stories, carried by 62 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 24 outletsHelsinki, Finland -- health: 16 stories, carried by 31 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

● Hainan China about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Colchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Wymondham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Ocean City US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Nebraska 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 →

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 · 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.