← 28 Aug Saturday 29 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 30 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,010 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 →

Protests in Berlin (Germany), violence in Pulwama and people affected in Malta drew the news. Kashmir's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 50 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostSweden 61 in 100 of its 117 stories, usually 31
RegionCentral Asia 45 in 100 of its stories, usually 40
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Germany

198 of its 414 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Berlin accounted for 126 of Germany's 198 stories about harm, carried by 266 outlets. 99 of Berlin's 126 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (28 stories). Flooding was named in 34 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Germany over 30 days → its stories → Berlin stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

126 of its 183 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Pulwama accounted for 64 of Kashmir's 126 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (6 stories). Landslides were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

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

Mauritius

46 of its 54 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Mahebourg accounted for 29 of Mauritius' 46 stories about harm, carried by 162 outlets. 18 of Mahebourg's 29 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

89 of its 138 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Minsk accounted for 72 of Belarus' 89 stories about harm, carried by 183 outlets. 67 of Minsk's 72 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sweden

71 of its 117 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 17 of Stockholm's 24 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (48 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Libya

32 of its 53 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. 19 of Tripoli's 21 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (19 stories). Flooding was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

95 of its 177 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Seoul accounted for 65 of South Korea's 95 stories about harm, carried by 86 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Japan (102 of its stories, about three times its usual); flooding in Afghanistan (22 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); helicopter crash in Nigeria (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Israel (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in UK (65 of its stories, about three times its usual).

30 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 29 the day before
32 in 10027 in 10031 Jul7 Aug14 Aug21 Aug29 Aug31 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 10022 Aug: 30 in 10023 Aug: 31 in 10024 Aug: 29 in 10025 Aug: 28 in 10026 Aug: 29 in 10027 Aug: 29 in 10028 Aug: 29 in 10029 Aug: 30 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 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 17,010 stories about harm among 56,504 counted on 29 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Afghanistan's news mentioned flooding about 4 times as often as usual. 30 in every 100 of the day's 56,504 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 29. A year earlier, on 30 August 2019, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 30 today. Germany stood out: 48% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 31%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mauritius85 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 69 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan76 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir69 in 100 of its 183 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Belarus64 in 100 of its 138 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Syria64 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US336 stories about protests or strikes, of its 793 Kenosha US282 stories about protests or strikes, of its 377 Berlin Germany99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 126 Minsk Belarus67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 72 Delhi India45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 301

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: too little coverage to readSri 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 lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: 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 lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: too little coverage to readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe 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: too little coverage to readDR 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: too little coverage to readBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBristol, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 13 outletsMichigan, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 26 outletsMassachusetts, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 16 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsCambridge, UK -- health: 22 stories, carried by 88 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 16 stories, carried by 10 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

● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bristol UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Michigan US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Massachusetts US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories ● Cambridge UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health50% 8,409 stories · much less than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice21% 3,541 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents13% 2,260 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,148 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 740 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 432 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 190 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 162 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 killed5,507 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,429 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,285 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured914 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations214 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees110 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Italy and the US Stories reporting abductions108 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people displaced70 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill24 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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.