← 6 Sep Monday 7 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 8 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,745 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 violence in Tunis, rights and justice in Riyadh and protests in Minsk (Belarus). Saudi Arabia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostTunisia 81 in 100 of its 57 stories, usually 44
RegionSoutheast Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
Tone of the words 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

46 of its 57 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Tunis accounted for 30 of Tunisia's 46 stories about harm, carried by 54 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

181 of its 354 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Riyadh accounted for 91 of Saudi Arabia's 181 stories about harm, carried by 194 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Riyadh stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 147 of Belarus' 164 stories about harm, carried by 198 outlets. 134 of Minsk's 147 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

South Korea

150 of its 326 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (46 stories). Tropical storm was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with heavy rain and cyclone.

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

Bermuda

18 of its 31 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Tropical storm was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with hurricane.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

137 of its 226 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (30 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sudan

55 of its 76 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Natural hazards were named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Switzerland

62 of its 170 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (31 stories).

its stories →
Health

Iran

74 of its 152 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

North Korea

35 of its 54 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Bermuda (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); earthquake in Chile (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); natural hazards in Sudan (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); earthquake in New Zealand (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Japan (23 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 31 the day before
32 in 10027 in 1009 Aug16 Aug23 Aug30 Aug7 Sep9 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 1007 Sep: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 7 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 20,745 stories about harm among 72,210 counted on 7 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Tunisia for the second day running. 29 in every 100 of the day's 72,210 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Bermuda's news, mentions of tropical storm ran about 5 times their usual. A year earlier, on 8 September 2019, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. Tunisia's news was 81% about people being harmed, against a usual 44%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Tunisia81 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 44 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan72 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria66 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea65 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 47 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia65 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Minsk Belarus134 stories about protests or strikes, of its 147 Washington US113 stories about protests or strikes, of its 513 London UK84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 460 Rochester US84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 100 Portland US76 stories about protests or strikes, of its 106

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: 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 readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualNamibia: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualMaiduguri, Nigeria -- displacement: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsNorth Waziristan, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 23 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 26 outletsWindrush, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 140 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 17 stories, carried by 26 outletsCockermouth, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsIllinois, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 24 stories, carried by 10 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

● Maiduguri Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 11 stories ● North Waziristan Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories ● Windrush UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 10,900 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 3,752 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,617 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,332 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 812 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 516 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 355 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 253 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 killed5,544 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,821 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,761 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,116 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations352 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting refugees146 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the UK Stories reporting abductions122 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced84 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill28 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 harsher than 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 · 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.