← 22 Sep Wednesday 23 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
28,781 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 illness in Jerusalem, protests in Douala (Cameroon) and arrests in Mali. Cameroon's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostChile 49 in 100 of its 112 stories, usually 32
RegionOceania 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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

Israel

253 of its 604 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Jerusalem accounted for 131 of Israel's 253 stories about harm, carried by 144 outlets. Flu was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

29 of its 52 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).

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

Jersey

34 of its 93 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Austria

44 of its 122 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Outbreaks were named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

Minsk accounted for 89 of Belarus' 109 stories about harm, carried by 307 outlets. 82 of Minsk's 89 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Chile

55 of its 112 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Ebola was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Denmark

42 of its 103 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sweden

94 of its 216 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Austria (25 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); ebola in Chile (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in China (100 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Brazil (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in Japan (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10025 Aug1 Sep8 Sep15 Sep23 Sep25 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 10023 Sep: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 28,781 stories about harm among 111,205 counted on 23 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 5 March 2020. In Austria's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about 9 times their usual. On 24 September 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 26 today. 26 in every 100 of the day's 111,205 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 →

Yemen65 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan59 in 100 of its 200 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Syria57 in 100 of its 100 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Mali56 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan55 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US220 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1383 Louisville US208 stories about protests or strikes, of its 249 Minsk Belarus82 stories about protests or strikes, of its 89 Chicago US65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 248 Delhi India51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 325

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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: too little coverage to readTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: 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 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: 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 lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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 lessBangladesh: 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 readAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readCook 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualNebraska, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 17 stories, carried by 11 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 22 stories, carried by 29 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 63 stories, carried by 67 outletsHawaii, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 21 outletsLucknow, India -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsLake Chad, Nigeria -- health: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 27 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

● Nebraska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 63 stories ● Hawaii US 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 →

Health58% 16,488 stories · more than usual (usually 54%) Rights & justice18% 5,140 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,869 stories · less than usual (usually 12%) Conflict & violence6% 1,652 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,037 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 620 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 381 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 346 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 killed7,320 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,090 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,852 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured1,036 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees191 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations128 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and France Stories reporting abductions126 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced119 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill34 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.