← 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.

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: 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: 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 readTunisia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDallas, US -- health: 66 stories, carried by 60 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 35 stories, carried by 39 outletsTunis, Tunisia -- conflict & violence: 58 stories, carried by 67 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 10 outletsOrange County, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsBerkshire, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- disasters & accidents: 15 stories, carried by 12 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

● Tunisia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Dallas US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 66 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 35 stories ● Tunis Tunisia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 58 stories ● Yorkshire UK 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 · conflict & violence · 14 stories

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

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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.