← 25 Sep Saturday 26 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 27 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
13,315 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 →

Plane crash in Ukraine, violence in Paris and abductions in Ghana drew the news. France's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostUkraine 64 in 100 of its 197 stories, usually 28
RegionCentral Asia 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Ukraine

127 of its 197 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Kharkiv accounted for 91 of Ukraine's 127 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (51 stories). Plane crash was named in 62 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Ukraine over 30 days → its stories → Kharkiv stories →
Conflict & violence

France

220 of its 584 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Paris accounted for 172 of France's 220 stories about harm, carried by 412 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 10 times the usual rate (113 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

France over 30 days → its stories → Paris stories →
Health

Ghana

66 of its 208 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Nigeria

327 of its 795 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

49 of its 77 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Minsk accounted for 42 of Belarus' 49 stories about harm, carried by 139 outlets. 36 of Minsk's 42 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Chad

11 of its 19 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

60 of its 141 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Seoul accounted for 47 of South Korea's 60 stories about harm, carried by 70 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

22 of its 38 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Iceland

16 of its 30 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: road crashes in Ireland (16 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); earthquake in South Africa (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in New Zealand (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); food poisoning in US (20 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10028 Aug4 Sep11 Sep18 Sep26 Sep28 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 10024 Sep: 26 in 10025 Sep: 26 in 10026 Sep: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 26 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 13,315 stories about harm among 47,592 counted on 26 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Ukraine. of the day's 47,592 news stories, 28 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Ukraine stood out: 64% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 28%. On 27 September 2019, a year earlier, the share was 17 in every 100, against 28 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ukraine64 in 100 of its 197 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents Belarus64 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 54 · mostly rights & justice Palestine57 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Sudan57 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Syria56 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US154 stories about protests or strikes, of its 591 London UK99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 286 Louisville US84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 93 Portland US72 stories about protests or strikes, of its 98 Madrid Spain54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 84

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: 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 readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readNew 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: 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 lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina 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 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 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 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: too little coverage to readMarshall 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 readBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSweden: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBermuda: warmth about its own usualStockholm, Sweden -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsMaiduguri, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 35 stories, carried by 24 outletsColorado, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsPrince Edward Island, Canada -- health: 10 stories, carried by 50 outletsOregon, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 49 outletsPeshawar, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 34 stories, carried by 19 outletsMonguno, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 23 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

● Stockholm Sweden about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Maiduguri Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 35 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Prince Edward Island Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 6,941 stories · about as usual Rights & justice20% 2,588 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,342 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,134 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 634 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 280 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 143 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 135 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 killed4,166 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,239 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected951 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured898 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and France Stories reporting abductions91 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced88 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees80 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations52 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people falling ill15 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than 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

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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.