← 12 Oct Wednesday 14 October 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 15 Oct →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,130 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 violence in Mogadishu, protests in Lagos (Nigeria) and landslides in Vietnam. Nigeria's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 59 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostPoland 49 in 100 of its 136 stories, usually 25
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

40 of its 55 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Mogadishu accounted for 25 of Somalia's 40 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Disasters & accidents

Vietnam

75 of its 172 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (40 stories). Landslides were named in 36 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with heavy rain and tropical storm.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

124 of its 220 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (41 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Poland

66 of its 136 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (26 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

119 of its 168 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

19 of its 27 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Czechia

34 of its 72 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Prague accounted for 23 of the Czechia's 34 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cambodia

20 of its 36 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

62 of its 128 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in North Korea (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Sri Lanka (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Finland (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Lebanon (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Philippines (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 27 the day before
30 in 10025 in 10012 Sep19 Sep26 Sep3 Oct14 Oct12 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 10012 Oct: 27 in 10014 Oct: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 14 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 21,130 stories about harm among 82,438 counted on 14 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of landslides ran about 10 times their usual in Vietnam's news. On 15 October 2019, a year earlier, the share was 17 in every 100, against 26 today. Somalia stood out: 73% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 50%. 26 in every 100 of the day's 82,438 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 27.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia73 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan71 in 100 of its 168 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh56 in 100 of its 220 stories · usually 45 · mostly health Iraq50 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence Poland49 in 100 of its 136 stories · usually 25 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US149 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1026 Lagos Nigeria74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 111 Abuja Nigeria42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 88 Jerusalem Israel38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 84 Portland US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 65

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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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 lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: 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 lessLatvia: 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 lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: 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 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 readComoros: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): 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 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: 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 lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualLaos: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualBurlington, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsNorth Dakota, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 20 outletsGreat Yarmouth, UK -- health: 22 stories, carried by 46 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 46 stories, carried by 35 outletsSenekal, South Africa -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 15 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 20 stories, carried by 16 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- health: 17 stories, carried by 22 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 29 stories, carried by 11 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

● Burlington US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● North Dakota US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Great Yarmouth UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 46 stories ● Senekal South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health59% 12,317 stories · more than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice18% 3,849 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,815 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,355 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 720 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 414 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 278 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 169 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 killed5,223 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,527 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,472 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured957 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions177 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations106 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Poland Stories reporting people displaced88 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting refugees85 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting people falling ill62 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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 about as 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.