← 4 Sep Saturday 5 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,165 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to landslides in Bangladesh, protests in Minsk (Belarus) and people injured in Iran. Kashmir's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 52 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 48 in 100 of its 281 stories, usually 26
RegionSoutheast Asia 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

200 of its 315 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Dhaka accounted for 131 of Bangladesh's 200 stories about harm, carried by 194 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (85 stories). Landslides were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with gas explosion. 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.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Dhaka stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

60 of its 86 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Minsk accounted for 51 of Belarus' 60 stories about harm, carried by 138 outlets. 45 of Minsk's 51 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Health

Iran

85 of its 171 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

79 of its 120 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of abductions ran at about 10 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Israel

106 of its 242 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Jerusalem accounted for 61 of Israel's 106 stories about harm, carried by 65 outlets. 31 of Jerusalem's 61 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

81 of its 203 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (23 stories). Oil spill was named in 45 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

France

165 of its 499 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Road crashes were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sweden

8 of Stockholm's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Shelter & services

Malaysia

135 of its 281 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (54 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sudan

49 of its 61 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (29 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: oil spill in Sri Lanka (45 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Japan (29 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hunger in Pakistan (38 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in France (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in India (16 of its stories, about three times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 27 the day before
32 in 10027 in 1007 Aug14 Aug21 Aug28 Aug5 Sep7 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 1005 Sep: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 16,165 stories about harm among 55,269 counted on 5 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

29 in every 100 of the day's 55,269 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 6 September 2019, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan80 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents Belarus70 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Kashmir66 in 100 of its 120 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh63 in 100 of its 315 stories · usually 50 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine60 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 51 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US156 stories about protests or strikes, of its 628 Portland US134 stories about protests or strikes, of its 171 Kenosha US123 stories about protests or strikes, of its 160 London UK115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 245 Melbourne Australia84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 120

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: no storiesUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: no storiesU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: no storiesTurkey: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: no storiesTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: no storiesSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: no storiesGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: no storiesGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: no storiesBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: no storiesNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesAruba: no storiesNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 77 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Venezuela: 49 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Thailand: 42 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Syria: 55 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)South Sudan: 88 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Sudan: 80 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Sri Lanka: 40 in 100 of its 203 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)South Korea: 45 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Rwanda: 64 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Russia: 44 in 100 of its 568 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Philippines: 48 in 100 of its 394 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Pakistan: 47 in 100 of its 653 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Niger: 71 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Mozambique: 78 in 100 of its 9 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Malta: 48 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Mali: 52 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Malaysia: 48 in 100 of its 281 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Lebanon: 55 in 100 of its 239 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Israel: 44 in 100 of its 242 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 60 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Iraq: 51 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Iran: 50 in 100 of its 171 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Indonesia: 50 in 100 of its 80 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Haiti: 79 in 100 of its 14 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Georgia: 78 in 100 of its 9 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Hong Kong: 45 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Cambodia: 72 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Brazil: 44 in 100 of its 131 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Bosnia: 100 in 100 of its 6 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Belarus: 70 in 100 of its 86 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Bangladesh: 63 in 100 of its 315 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Armenia: 47 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Afghanistan: 54 in 100 of its 99 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 66 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 60 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 60 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 66 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 66 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 60 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 66 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Cook Islands: 67 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 29 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Bangladesh 63 in 100 of its 315 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Sudan 80 in 100 of its 61 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Kashmir 66 in 100 of its 120 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Belarus 70 in 100 of its 86 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Lebanon 55 in 100 of its 239 stories · mostly health ● Pakistan 47 in 100 of its 653 stories · mostly health

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health52% 8,279 stories · less than usual (usually 55%) Rights & justice21% 3,362 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents10% 1,645 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,155 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 822 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 400 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 186 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 176 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 killed4,943 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,688 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,212 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured931 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions98 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees98 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations97 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting people displaced63 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill22 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

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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.