← 14 Sep Tuesday 15 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,021 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 the hurricane in Greece, violence in Tehran and protests in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). Iran's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostIran 57 in 100 of its 268 stories, usually 37
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Greece

174 of its 351 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Lesbos accounted for 85 of Greece's 174 stories about harm, carried by 131 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (28 stories). Hurricane was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tropical storm and cyclone.

Greece over 30 days → its stories → Lesbos stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

153 of its 268 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Tehran accounted for 83 of Iran's 153 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Rights & justice

Panama

20 of its 41 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Panama over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Belgium

34 of its 108 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

48 of its 90 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Drownings were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 44 of Belarus' 67 stories about harm, carried by 41 outlets. 29 of Minsk's 44 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Niger

20 of its 21 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Mozambique

28 of its 36 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Tanzania

22 of its 64 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Sudan (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); drownings in Libya (16 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); covid in Sri Lanka (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in Qatar (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Brazil (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 27 the day before
31 in 10027 in 10017 Aug24 Aug31 Aug7 Sep15 Sep17 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 10012 Sep: 30 in 10013 Sep: 30 in 10014 Sep: 27 in 10015 Sep: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 29,021 stories about harm among 107,029 counted on 15 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 107,029 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 28. A year earlier, on 16 September 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen70 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Bermuda66 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 37 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan66 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 59 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria63 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Iran57 in 100 of its 268 stories · usually 37 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US223 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1349 Delhi India68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 373 Sacramento US66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 164 Jerusalem Israel58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 151 Beijing China56 stories about protests or strikes, of its 239

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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: 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 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: 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 lessNew 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 readNamibia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: 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 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 lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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: too little coverage to readFrench 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: 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 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: 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 lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: 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 readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualMarib, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 17 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- health: 13 stories, carried by 20 outletsColorado, US -- health: 21 stories, carried by 24 outletsRock Island, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 19 outletsZurich, Switzerland -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsDistington, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsWisbech, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsPrince Edward Island, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 44 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

● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● South Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Marib Yemen about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Darfur Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Rock Island US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Zurich Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health54% 15,511 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 5,011 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 3,997 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,725 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,029 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 658 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 447 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 380 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 killed6,886 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,414 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,170 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,164 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations353 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees264 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Greece and the US Stories reporting people displaced164 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions128 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill40 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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 →

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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.