← 10 Oct Sunday 11 October 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 12 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
13,006 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 protests in Minsk (Belarus), deaths in Bangkok and illness in Tehran. Azerbaijan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Nigeria →
Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostThailand 63 in 100 of its 182 stories, usually 32
RegionSoutheast Asia 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

63 of its 89 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Minsk accounted for 54 of Belarus' 63 stories about harm, carried by 64 outlets. 49 of Minsk's 54 stories were about protests or strikes. Landslides were named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Thailand

115 of its 182 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Bangkok accounted for 64 of Thailand's 115 stories about harm, carried by 137 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (74 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Bangkok stories →
Health

Iran

93 of its 145 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Tehran accounted for 56 of Iran's 93 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Portugal

49 of its 88 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Lisbon accounted for 43 of Portugal's 49 stories about harm, carried by 11 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (36 stories).

its stories →
Health

Indonesia

72 of its 115 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Bangladesh

92 of its 150 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Cambodia

18 of its 29 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

44 of its 101 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Flooding was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

73 of its 144 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of arrests ran at about 10 times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in North Korea (17 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); earthquake in Puerto Rico (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Sri Lanka (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Vietnam (12 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); wildfires in Syria (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 28 the day before
30 in 10025 in 10010 Sep17 Sep24 Sep1 Oct11 Oct10 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 10011 Oct: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 13,006 stories about harm among 45,122 counted on 11 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Abductions were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Nigeria. of the day's 45,122 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 27. Puerto Rico's news mentioned the earthquake about three times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 12 October 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. In Belarus, 71% of the news was about people being harmed, where 49% is usual. This week the news turned most often to Azerbaijan, on 3 of 6 days; help rose on 3 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria72 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 59 · mostly disasters & accidents Belarus71 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 49 · mostly rights & justice Iran64 in 100 of its 145 stories · usually 42 · mostly health Thailand63 in 100 of its 182 stories · usually 32 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Indonesia63 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 43 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US254 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1047 Denver US81 stories about protests or strikes, of its 108 Minsk Belarus49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 54 Lagos Nigeria35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 74 Abuja Nigeria25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 38

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-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 lessTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: 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 lessNorway: 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: too little coverage to readNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 lessItaly: 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 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 lessFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readPortugal: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualExeter, UK -- health: 37 stories, carried by 152 outletsInverness, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsMississippi, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 18 stories, carried by 34 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 18 outletsDallas, US -- disasters & accidents: 28 stories, carried by 26 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 21 stories, carried by 22 outletsNairobi, Kenya -- health: 17 stories, carried by 22 outletsDeoria, India -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 14 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

● Exeter UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories ● Inverness UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Mississippi US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 18 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Dallas US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 28 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 7,053 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 2,304 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,277 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 997 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 656 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 330 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 169 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 119 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 killed4,034 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,010 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected865 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured778 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Thailand Stories reporting abductions152 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations67 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting people displaced65 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees61 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill20 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than 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.