← 5 Sep Sunday 6 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 7 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,486 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 →

Violence in Tunis, storms in North Korea and protests in Minsk (Belarus) drew the news. Tunisia's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Japan and the US →
Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostTunisia 94 in 100 of its 72 stories, usually 40
RegionCentral Asia 48 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 →
Conflict & violence

Tunisia

68 of its 72 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Tunis accounted for 58 of Tunisia's 68 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
Disasters & accidents

North Korea

42 of its 59 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Pyongyang accounted for 30 of North Korea's 42 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Storms were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories → Pyongyang stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

81 of its 114 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Minsk accounted for 75 of Belarus' 81 stories about harm, carried by 217 outlets. 70 of Minsk's 75 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Switzerland

34 of its 80 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories). Outbreaks were named in 24 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

Switzerland over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Japan

218 of its 448 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (76 stories). Storms were named in 60 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with power cuts, flooding and hurricane.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

69 of its 109 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 26 of Mong Kok's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (45 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

68 of its 149 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (26 stories). Oil spill was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sudan

27 of its 39 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Flooding was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Health

India

1,298 of its 3,401 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (22 stories). Dengue was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with chikungunya.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Dhaka accounted for 67 of Bangladesh's 120 stories about harm, carried by 132 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Gas explosion was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Japan (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Sudan (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Chile (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); oil spill in Sri Lanka (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); hunger in Pakistan (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

31 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 29 the day before
32 in 10027 in 1008 Aug15 Aug22 Aug29 Aug6 Sep8 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 1006 Sep: 31 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 6 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 14,486 stories about harm among 46,942 counted on 6 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Japan and the US. Stories about people being harmed made up 31 in every 100 of the day's 46,942 stories, above the usual 29. Tunisia's news was 94% about people being harmed, against a usual 40%. In Switzerland's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about 6 times their usual. A year earlier, on 7 September 2019, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 31 today. This week the news turned most often to Belarus, on 4 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Tunisia94 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 40 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea71 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Belarus71 in 100 of its 114 stories · usually 58 · mostly rights & justice Hong Kong63 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 45 · mostly rights & justice Syria63 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Portland US134 stories about protests or strikes, of its 155 Washington US115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 521 Kenosha US97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 168 Rochester US93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 107 Minsk Belarus70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 75

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: 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: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-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'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: 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: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: too little coverage to readNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: 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'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew 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: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: 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'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: feelings about like the world'sColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sAustria: 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 readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai 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: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: too little coverage to readAnguilla: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sZambia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuam: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNorway: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sMalta: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLibya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJapan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sItaly: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry 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 a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHong Kong: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChad: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCambodia: coverage a little angrier 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'sBelgium: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelarus: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as 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

● Tunisia about three times as angry as the world's · 68 stories about harm ● Türkiye few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 46 stories about harm ● Mexico about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 66 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the world's · 58 stories about harm ● Russia about twice as angry as the world's · 176 stories about harm ● Belarus about twice as angry as the world's · 81 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 7,036 stories · much less than usual (usually 55%) Rights & justice21% 2,949 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents13% 1,828 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,143 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 688 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 338 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 224 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 149 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 killed4,493 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,508 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,019 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting evacuations229 at about twice the usual rate · most about Japan and the US Stories reporting refugees91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions82 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting people displaced66 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill14 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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 →

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.