← 19 Jan Friday 20 January 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
53,025 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 the earthquake in Italy, violence in Sirte and rights and justice in Yangon. Italy's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostItaly 67 in 100 of its 3,034 stories, usually 30
RegionOceania 25 in 100 of its stories, usually 23
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

2,034 of its 3,034 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Farindola accounted for 1,333 of Italy's 2,034 stories about harm, carried by 790 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (1,554 stories). Earthquake was named in 1,343 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with hypothermia and storms. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Farindola stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

262 of its 313 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Sirte accounted for 165 of Libya's 262 stories about harm, carried by 146 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Sirte stories →
Shelter & services

Singapore

Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (83 stories). Flooding was named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Singapore over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Iran

601 of its 912 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Tehran accounted for 559 of Iran's 601 stories about harm, carried by 529 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (71 stories). Building collapse was named in 276 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Austria

117 of its 269 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Vienna accounted for 108 of Austria's 117 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

38 of its 97 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (20 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Switzerland

375 of its 1,647 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (266 stories). Malaria was named in 27 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tuberculosis. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

144 of its 394 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (61 stories). Road crashes were named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

181 of its 212 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Puntland accounted for 133 of Somalia's 181 stories about harm, carried by 161 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Thailand (143 of its stories, about three times its usual); building collapse in Iran (276 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Brazil (124 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Haiti (38 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Chile (34 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 20 the day before
24 in 10020 in 10022 Dec29 Dec5 Jan12 Jan20 Jan22 Dec: 21 in 10023 Dec: 22 in 10024 Dec: 23 in 10025 Dec: 22 in 10026 Dec: 22 in 10027 Dec: 23 in 10028 Dec: 23 in 10029 Dec: 22 in 10030 Dec: 21 in 10031 Dec: 23 in 1001 Jan: 24 in 1002 Jan: 22 in 1003 Jan: 20 in 1004 Jan: 20 in 1005 Jan: 21 in 1006 Jan: 21 in 1007 Jan: 24 in 1008 Jan: 23 in 1009 Jan: 20 in 10010 Jan: 21 in 10011 Jan: 20 in 10012 Jan: 20 in 10013 Jan: 20 in 10014 Jan: 22 in 10015 Jan: 22 in 10016 Jan: 21 in 10017 Jan: 21 in 10018 Jan: 21 in 10019 Jan: 20 in 10020 Jan: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 Jan. 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 53,025 stories about harm among 264,930 counted on 20 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Italy for the third day running. 20 in every 100 of the day's 264,930 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. In Italy, 67% of the news was about people being harmed, where 30% is usual. Italy's news mentioned the earthquake about 4 times as often as usual. On 21 January 2016, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia85 in 100 of its 212 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Libya84 in 100 of its 313 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen83 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Syria76 in 100 of its 1,548 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Myanmar73 in 100 of its 199 stories · usually 41 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US4341 stories about protests or strikes, of its 6724 Manila Philippines183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 393 Palmyra Syria152 stories about protests or strikes, of its 297 Brooklyn US134 stories about protests or strikes, of its 140 Mandan US131 stories about protests or strikes, of its 144

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRussia: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt 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 readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: feelings about like the world'sMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk 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 readYemen: coverage about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world'sUK: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUganda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sSierra Leone: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSenegal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sRomania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sQatar: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPeru: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPapua New Guinea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sOman: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMauritius: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMali: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sMalaysia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalawi: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKenya: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sJordan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sHonduras: coverage a little angrier than the world'sHaiti: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGuatemala: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGhana: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sGambia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sDenmark: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sColombia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sChile: coverage a little warmer than the world'sChad: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBurundi: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBelize: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustria: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAngola: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJersey: coverage a little angrier than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Yemen about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's · 116 stories about harm ● Syria about twice as angry as the world's · 1,177 stories about harm ● Switzerland about twice as fearful as the world's · 375 stories about harm ● Türkiye about twice as angry as the world's · 490 stories about harm ● Austria about twice as fearful as the world's · 117 stories about harm ● Somalia about one and a half times as warm as the world's · 181 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice36% 18,956 stories · much more than usual (usually 27%) Health18% 9,138 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 8,667 stories · much less than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents16% 8,137 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,874 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,937 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,312 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 1,061 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 killed15,144 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Italy Stories reporting arrests6,848 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,290 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,441 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees837 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions606 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations481 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the Gambia Stories reporting people displaced324 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill35 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Poland

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 two-thirds of 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.