← 29 Aug Sunday 30 August 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 31 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,828 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 →

The day's news pointed at protests in Berlin (Germany), people injured in Congo and evacuations in India. Congo's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostSingapore 47 in 100 of its 147 stories, usually 25
RegionSouth Asia 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
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

161 of its 351 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Berlin accounted for 117 of Germany's 161 stories about harm, carried by 196 outlets. 90 of Berlin's 117 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (77 stories). 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

Congo

9 of its 10 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Congo over 30 days → its stories →
Health

India

1,330 of its 3,507 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Earthquake was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

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

Belarus

108 of its 155 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Minsk accounted for 99 of Belarus' 108 stories about harm, carried by 327 outlets. 93 of Minsk's 99 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Italy

120 of its 325 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 29 of Lampedusa's 37 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Hypothermia was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drownings.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sweden

38 of its 65 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 10 of Stockholm's 17 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (20 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

109 of its 182 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Jammu accounted for 59 of Kashmir's 109 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

China

Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (63 stories). Building collapse was named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Israel

Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Heatwave was named in 15 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. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drought in Zimbabwe (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hypothermia in Italy (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Israel (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); building collapse in China (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in US (89 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

31 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 30 the day before
32 in 10027 in 1001 Aug8 Aug15 Aug22 Aug30 Aug1 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 10030 Aug: 31 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 14,828 stories about harm among 48,316 counted on 30 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Germany. of the day's 48,316 news stories, 31 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 29. Zimbabwe's news mentioned the drought about 4 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 31 August 2019, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 31 today. In Germany, 46% of the news was about people being harmed, where 31% is usual. This week the news turned most often to Belarus, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Belarus70 in 100 of its 155 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Lebanon64 in 100 of its 213 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq62 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Kashmir60 in 100 of its 182 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Iran59 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 38 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kenosha US286 stories about protests or strikes, of its 356 Portland US223 stories about protests or strikes, of its 241 Washington US203 stories about protests or strikes, of its 535 Minsk Belarus93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 99 Berlin Germany90 stories about protests or strikes, of its 117

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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: 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 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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 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: too little coverage to readHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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 readJamaica: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualSimsbury, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 27 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 62 stories, carried by 84 outletsAlbuquerque, US -- rights & justice: 26 stories, carried by 41 outletsEnugu, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 11 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 22 outletsTripoli, Libya -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 39 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 125 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

● Simsbury US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Darfur Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Edinburgh UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 62 stories ● Albuquerque US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 26 stories ● Enugu Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 7,166 stories · much less than usual (usually 55%) Rights & justice21% 3,129 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents12% 1,729 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,235 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 762 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 316 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 193 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 169 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 killed4,912 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,370 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,099 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured897 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations144 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions116 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees98 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Italy and the US Stories reporting people displaced55 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill6 at about a third of 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 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.