← 9 Oct Saturday 10 October 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 11 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,393 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 news turned to wildfires in Lebanon, people affected in Norway and protests in Latakia (Syria). Armenia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Mali → Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 65 in 100 of its 210 stories, usually 40
RegionSoutheast Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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

Lebanon

77 of its 127 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Beirut accounted for 55 of Lebanon's 77 stories about harm, carried by 145 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (38 stories). Wildfires were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Health

Norway

37 of its 86 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Norway over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

47 of its 65 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. 10 of Latakia's 20 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Wildfires were named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storms.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Latakia stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

84 of its 151 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

North Korea

136 of its 210 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Pyongyang accounted for 129 of North Korea's 136 stories about harm, carried by 328 outlets. Natural hazards were named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Portugal

51 of its 102 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Lisbon accounted for 47 of Portugal's 51 stories about harm, carried by 8 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (28 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

104 of its 158 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Kulgam accounted for 55 of Kashmir's 104 stories about harm, carried by 36 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

110 of its 232 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nigeria

29 of Lagos' 55 stories were about protests or strikes. HIV was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Bangladesh

77 of its 133 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in North Korea (38 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in Sri Lanka (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); typhoon in South Korea (10 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); typhoon in Japan (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in France (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 28 the day before
30 in 10025 in 1009 Sep16 Sep23 Sep30 Sep10 Oct9 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 10027 Sep: 27 in 10028 Sep: 25 in 10029 Sep: 25 in 10030 Sep: 26 in 1001 Oct: 26 in 1002 Oct: 28 in 1003 Oct: 29 in 1005 Oct: 27 in 1006 Oct: 27 in 1007 Oct: 26 in 1009 Oct: 28 in 10010 Oct: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 10 Oct. 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 16,393 stories about harm among 58,228 counted on 10 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Syria's news mentioned wildfires more than ten times as often as usual. 28 in every 100 of the day's 58,228 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 27. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Mali. Reports of peace efforts, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. A year earlier, on 11 October 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria72 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 59 · mostly disasters & accidents Kashmir66 in 100 of its 158 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea65 in 100 of its 210 stories · usually 40 · mostly health Lebanon61 in 100 of its 127 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan61 in 100 of its 137 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US276 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1237 Wauwatosa US43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 60 Delhi India37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 221 Bishkek Kyrgyzstan29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 36 Lagos Nigeria29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 55

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: too little coverage to readSouth 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 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: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHong 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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 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: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 lessAksai Chin: too little coverage to readGaza: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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 lessJersey: 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: 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 readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualOslo, Norway -- health: 25 stories, carried by 57 outletsInverness, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 43 outletsMaine, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 75 outletsConnecticut, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 29 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 42 stories, carried by 22 outletsKulgam, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 36 outletsRome, Italy -- health: 16 stories, carried by 24 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 16 stories, carried by 64 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

● Norway warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Oslo Norway about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Inverness UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Connecticut US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 42 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 8,979 stories · about as usual Rights & justice19% 3,026 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,655 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,176 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 680 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 376 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 175 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 174 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 killed4,580 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,416 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,092 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured844 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions265 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Mali Stories reporting refugees90 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations77 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people displaced62 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Yemen and Azerbaijan Stories reporting people falling ill18 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China

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.

● 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.