← 17 Sep Friday 18 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,584 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 →

Protests in Minsk (Belarus), arrests in Yemen and violence in Rajouri drew the news. Belarus' coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 57 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostGreece 61 in 100 of its 302 stories, usually 36
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 62 of Belarus' 110 stories about harm, carried by 250 outlets. 53 of Minsk's 62 stories were about protests or strikes. Landslides were named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Yemen

49 of its 63 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Yemen over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Greece

183 of its 302 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Cyclone was named in 36 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding, power cuts and heavy rain.

Greece over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Displacement

Burundi

15 of its 18 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Puerto Rico

35 of its 66 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Netherlands

63 of its 224 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →
Health

Israel

221 of its 532 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Jerusalem accounted for 142 of Israel's 221 stories about harm, carried by 314 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (7 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cambodia

Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storm surge in Mexico (17 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); earthquake in India (21 of its stories, about three times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10020 Aug27 Aug3 Sep10 Sep18 Sep20 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 10018 Sep: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 26,584 stories about harm among 100,467 counted on 18 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

In Greece's news, mentions of the cyclone ran more than ten times their usual. On 19 September 2019, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 26 today. 26 in every 100 of the day's 100,467 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 28.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen78 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 60 · mostly health Syria66 in 100 of its 98 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Greece61 in 100 of its 302 stories · usually 36 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan60 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents Kashmir59 in 100 of its 135 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US203 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1312 London UK63 stories about protests or strikes, of its 516 Portland US58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 116 Minsk Belarus53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 62 Jerusalem Israel47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142

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 readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: 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 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: 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: 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 readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualTennessee, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 16 outletsYeovil, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 18 outletsMissouri, US -- health: 28 stories, carried by 25 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 15 stories, carried by 23 outletsFelixstowe, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 30 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 34 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 32 stories, carried by 13 outletsBeijing, China -- health: 122 stories, carried by 120 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

● Tennessee US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Yeovil UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Missouri US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 28 stories ● Brussels Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Felixstowe UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health57% 14,954 stories · more than usual (usually 54%) Rights & justice18% 4,660 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 3,123 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence5% 1,410 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 956 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 566 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 350 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 327 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 killed6,356 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,978 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,812 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured917 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting evacuations198 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Vietnam Stories reporting refugees159 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced140 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions135 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.