← 3 Sep Friday 4 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,571 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 news turned to oil spill in Sri Lanka, violence in Baramulla and illness in Moscow. Kashmir's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSri Lanka 54 in 100 of its 269 stories, usually 30
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

Sri Lanka

146 of its 269 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (55 stories). Oil spill was named in 68 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

102 of its 164 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Baramulla accounted for 42 of Kashmir's 102 stories about harm, carried by 23 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Baramulla stories →
Rights & justice

Libya

30 of its 52 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Tripoli accounted for 23 of Libya's 30 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).

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

Portugal

26 of its 88 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 6 of Lisbon's 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 59 of Belarus' 91 stories about harm, carried by 162 outlets. 55 of Minsk's 59 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Congo

23 of its 30 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Belize

35 of its 68 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Heavy rain was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

34 of its 49 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Cameroon

21 of its 38 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Malawi (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); respiratory illness in Italy (29 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Japan (46 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Belize (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in Lebanon (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 27 the day before
32 in 10027 in 1006 Aug13 Aug20 Aug27 Aug4 Sep6 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 10031 Aug: 29 in 1001 Sep: 27 in 1002 Sep: 27 in 1003 Sep: 27 in 1004 Sep: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Sep. 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 26,571 stories about harm among 99,433 counted on 4 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 6 March 2020. 27 in every 100 of the day's 99,433 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 29. In Sri Lanka's news, mentions of oil spill ran more than ten times their usual. On 5 September 2019, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 27 today. Sri Lanka's news was 54% about people being harmed, against a usual 30%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria70 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 58 · mostly health Lebanon69 in 100 of its 347 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir62 in 100 of its 164 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Libya58 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 43 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan57 in 100 of its 133 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kenosha US277 stories about protests or strikes, of its 358 Washington US224 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1060 Portland US196 stories about protests or strikes, of its 234 Rochester US138 stories about protests or strikes, of its 185 Beirut Lebanon65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 227

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: 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: feelings about like the world'sCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: 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: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: 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'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua 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'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: too little coverage to readNiue: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalaysia: 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'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: 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 readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: feelings about like the world'sColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: 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'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: too little coverage to readAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: 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: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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 a little angrier than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSlovakia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPortugal: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPeru: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPakistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalta: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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 a little angrier than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJordan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIceland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHaiti: coverage about one and a half times as fearful 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'sGreece: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChile: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCambodia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBrunei: 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 more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBarbados: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAngola: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful 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 fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sCook Islands: coverage a little more grief-stricken than 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

● Kashmir about twice as fearful as the world's · 102 stories about harm ● France about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 247 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the world's · 76 stories about harm ● Russia about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 504 stories about harm ● Belarus about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 91 stories about harm ● Iran about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 76 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 14,647 stories · about as usual Rights & justice20% 5,169 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,510 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,647 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,080 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 664 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 360 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 248 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 killed6,945 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,214 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,836 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,229 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting refugees142 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions124 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations101 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Kashmir Stories reporting people falling ill39 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.