← 16 Sep Thursday 17 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
28,520 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to the hurricane in Greece, violence in Jammu and protests in Algiers (Algeria). Kashmir's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGreece 50 in 100 of its 324 stories, usually 35
RegionCentral Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
Tone of the words Much 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

163 of its 324 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Lesbos accounted for 86 of Greece's 163 stories about harm, carried by 245 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (64 stories). Hurricane was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with flooding and cyclone.

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

Kashmir

110 of its 164 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Jammu accounted for 47 of Kashmir's 110 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Jammu stories →
Rights & justice

Uganda

81 of its 166 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Uganda over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Bolivia

11 of its 14 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. 4 of la Paz's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

37 of its 57 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

64 of its 196 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Taipei accounted for 50 of Taiwan's 64 stories about harm, carried by 77 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (33 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

36 of its 51 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Burundi

13 of its 16 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Venezuela

51 of its 92 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Vietnam (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); drought in Brazil (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); poisoning in Israel (22 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); storms in New Zealand (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); respiratory illness in India (38 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 27 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10019 Aug26 Aug2 Sep9 Sep17 Sep19 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 10016 Sep: 27 in 10017 Sep: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 28,520 stories about harm among 107,892 counted on 17 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 6 March 2020. of the day's 107,892 news stories, 26 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 28. the news turned to Greece for the third day running. Mentions of flooding ran about 7 times their usual in Vietnam's news. On 18 September 2019, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 26 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen71 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir67 in 100 of its 164 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia65 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Syria62 in 100 of its 104 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan59 in 100 of its 133 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US241 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1475 Delhi India83 stories about protests or strikes, of its 323 Portland US69 stories about protests or strikes, of its 152 Los Angeles US63 stories about protests or strikes, of its 252 Jerusalem Israel51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: 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 lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: 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 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: 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 lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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: too little coverage to readBosnia 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: too little coverage to readHeard & 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 readAlbania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualYemen: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualLithuania: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualCroatia: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about its own usualGuwahati, India -- health: 22 stories, carried by 16 outletsHampshire, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 93 outletsMorecambe Bay, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 16 outletsDayton, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsDelaware, US -- health: 37 stories, carried by 62 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 36 outletsCairo, Egypt -- health: 20 stories, carried by 16 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 32 stories, carried by 70 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

● Guwahati India about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Hampshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Morecambe Bay UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Dayton US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Delaware US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 15,656 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 4,974 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 3,492 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,643 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 983 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 644 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 504 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 376 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 killed6,664 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,163 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,938 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,087 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations229 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Vietnam Stories reporting refugees216 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions140 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced138 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill49 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 much 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

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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.