← 10 Sep Friday 11 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 12 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,560 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 protests in Bogota (Colombia), people displaced in Lesbos and arrests in Spain. Colombia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 52 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostColombia 63 in 100 of its 117 stories, usually 40
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 →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

74 of its 117 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Bogota accounted for 56 of Colombia's 74 stories about harm, carried by 71 outlets. 48 of Bogota's 56 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Bogota stories →
Health

Spain

125 of its 462 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Chad

16 of its 33 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Qatar

26 of its 71 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Pakistan

Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Palestine

Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

US

Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (110 stories). Plane crash was named in 42 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in North Korea (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Chile (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Ghana (16 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); flooding in Malaysia (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Brazil (10 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 27 the day before
31 in 10027 in 10013 Aug20 Aug27 Aug3 Sep11 Sep13 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 1008 Sep: 27 in 1009 Sep: 27 in 10010 Sep: 27 in 10011 Sep: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 27,560 stories about harm among 99,638 counted on 11 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 99,638 news stories, 28 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. the news turned to Colombia for the second day running. Mentions of outbreaks ran about 4 times their usual in North Korea's news. On 12 September 2019, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 28 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 261 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan67 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 58 · mostly disasters & accidents Colombia63 in 100 of its 117 stories · usually 40 · mostly rights & justice Syria56 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Rwanda53 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 55 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US190 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1501 Portland US68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 211 London UK57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 400 Chicago US54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 205 Bogota Colombia48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 56

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.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: 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 lessTunisia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: too little coverage to readPhilippines: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 readKazakhstan: 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 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: too little coverage to readHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: 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 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualVietnam: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualDoha, Qatar -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 25 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 98 stories, carried by 195 outletsDereham, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 21 stories, carried by 24 outletsColchester, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 152 outletsPhnom Penh, Cambodia -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 19 outletsMontgomery County, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsGrand Rapids, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 21 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

● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 98 stories ● Dereham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Brussels Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Colchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health52% 14,335 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 4,535 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 3,228 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 2,558 stories · more than usual (usually 7%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,206 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 603 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 508 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 343 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 killed7,840 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,337 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,970 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,159 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations458 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting abductions249 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees222 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Greece and the US Stories reporting people displaced132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill42 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
● Feara little more than 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 →

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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.