← 20 Sep Monday 21 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,472 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 violence in Burgas, people killed in Botswana and protests in Manama (Bahrain). Botswana's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 57 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostBulgaria 45 in 100 of its 85 stories, usually 17
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 →
Conflict & violence

Bulgaria

38 of its 85 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Burgas accounted for 32 of Bulgaria's 38 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Bulgaria over 30 days → its stories → Burgas stories →
Health

Botswana

46 of its 94 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (33 stories). Poisoning was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Botswana over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bahrain

35 of its 92 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 8 of Manama's 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Bahrain over 30 days → its stories → Manama stories →
Rights & justice

Cameroon

22 of its 40 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Cameroon over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Solomon Islands

28 of its 49 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Honiara accounted for 24 of the Solomon Islands' 28 stories about harm, carried by 39 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Pakistan

Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Polio was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 73 of Belarus' 101 stories about harm, carried by 126 outlets. 57 of Minsk's 73 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 48 of Afghanistan's 103 stories about harm, carried by 38 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Czechia

30 of its 77 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Spain

147 of its 525 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (36 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: building collapse in India (116 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in Pakistan (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Philippines (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hurricane in Canada (40 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); food poisoning in Ireland (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 28 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10023 Aug30 Aug6 Sep13 Sep21 Sep23 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 10019 Sep: 29 in 10020 Sep: 28 in 10021 Sep: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 24,472 stories about harm among 93,305 counted on 21 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a lower share of stories about people being harmed since 6 March 2020. Stories about people being harmed made up 26 in every 100 of the day's 93,305 stories, below the usual 28. Bulgaria's news was 45% about people being harmed, against a usual 17%. In Botswana's news, mentions of poisoning ran about three times their usual. On 22 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 →

Palestine61 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Afghanistan55 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir53 in 100 of its 120 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Somalia52 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan51 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 61 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US164 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1161 Delhi India58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 307 Minsk Belarus57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 73 Jerusalem Israel49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 114 Bangkok Thailand37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 57

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKenya: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sYemen: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSolomon Islands: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSierra Leone: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPeru: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNicaragua: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMauritania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalta: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLithuania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEgypt: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBulgaria: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sBotswana: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBelarus: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBahrain: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAustria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Bulgaria few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 38 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 103 stories about harm ● Botswana few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 46 stories about harm ● Solomon Islands few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 28 stories about harm ● Egypt about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 56 stories about harm ● Kashmir about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 64 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health57% 13,901 stories · more than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice16% 3,885 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents12% 2,834 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,518 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,088 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 488 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 266 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 258 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 killed6,839 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,926 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,554 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured1,083 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees166 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations152 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions110 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and France Stories reporting people falling ill49 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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
● 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.