← 21 Sep Tuesday 22 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,586 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 →

Flooding in Indonesia, the earthquake in Kashmir and arrests in Malta drew the news. Colombia's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostBotswana 50 in 100 of its 70 stories, usually 29
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 →
Health

Indonesia

125 of its 234 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Jakarta accounted for 79 of Indonesia's 125 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (12 stories). Flooding was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Jakarta stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

Jammu accounted for 52 of Kashmir's 81 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 9 times the usual rate (9 stories). Earthquake was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Malta

29 of its 70 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 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.

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

Botswana

35 of its 70 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (26 stories). Poisoning was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Cameroon

5 of Douala's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Mozambique

Cabo Delgado accounted for 15 of Mozambique's 21 stories about harm, carried by 39 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bulgaria

15 of its 39 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Health

Sweden

62 of its 153 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

92 of its 240 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: dengue in Brazil (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Mozambique (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Botswana (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in South Korea (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hurricane in Canada (55 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10024 Aug31 Aug7 Sep14 Sep22 Sep24 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 10022 Sep: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 27,586 stories about harm among 105,634 counted on 22 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 6 March 2020. Mentions of the dengue ran more than ten times their usual in Brazil's news. A year earlier, on 23 September 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 26 today. Stories about people being harmed made up 26 in every 100 of the day's 105,634 stories, below the usual 28.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen68 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Syria57 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir54 in 100 of its 150 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia53 in 100 of its 234 stories · usually 45 · mostly health Ethiopia53 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 46 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US275 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1373 Delhi India80 stories about protests or strikes, of its 366 Chicago US68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 265 Beijing China52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 328 New York US44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 310

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: too little coverage to readTimor-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 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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 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 lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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 lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew 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: 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 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 lessIsrael: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCape 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 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): 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualMadison County, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsMaiduguri, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsFountain County, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 35 outletsGaza, Palestine -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 23 outletsEssex, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 23 outletsVeneto, Italy -- health: 10 stories, carried by 35 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

● Madison County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Maiduguri Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Fountain County US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 10 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories ● Gaza Palestine about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 15,949 stories · more than usual (usually 54%) Rights & justice17% 4,515 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,855 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,739 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,057 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 587 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 318 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 305 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 killed7,265 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,047 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,767 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured1,096 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees178 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations138 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced128 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions119 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill47 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
● 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 · 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.