← 30 Jan Wednesday 31 January 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
44,383 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 people killed in Bahrain, violence in Afrin and arrests in Uzbekistan. Syria's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Australia → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about three times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBahrain 49 in 100 of its 212 stories, usually 18
RegionCentral Asia 27 in 100 of its stories, usually 17
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 →
Rights & justice

Bahrain

103 of its 212 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (41 stories). Road crashes were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Bahrain over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Afrin accounted for 225 of Syria's 441 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (128 stories). Cholera was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Afrin stories →
Shelter & services

Uzbekistan

30 of its 60 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Uzbekistan over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Namibia

36 of its 122 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Cholera was named in 18 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Namibia over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

North Korea

245 of its 664 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bolivia

27 of its 42 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Vietnam

330 of its 781 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (88 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

550 of its 882 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of refugees ran at about 7 times the usual rate (129 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Belgium

166 of its 452 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Brussels accounted for 162 of Belgium's 166 stories about harm, carried by 170 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Jordan

117 of its 344 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (71 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: poisoning in North Macedonia (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Niger (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Japan (67 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); cyclone in New Zealand (75 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Latvia (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 19 the day before
25 in 10019 in 1002 Jan9 Jan16 Jan23 Jan31 Jan2 Jan: 25 in 1003 Jan: 22 in 1004 Jan: 23 in 1005 Jan: 22 in 1006 Jan: 24 in 1007 Jan: 24 in 1008 Jan: 22 in 1009 Jan: 21 in 10010 Jan: 20 in 10011 Jan: 21 in 10012 Jan: 22 in 10013 Jan: 25 in 10014 Jan: 24 in 10015 Jan: 24 in 10016 Jan: 23 in 10017 Jan: 22 in 10018 Jan: 22 in 10019 Jan: 22 in 10020 Jan: 25 in 10021 Jan: 25 in 10022 Jan: 21 in 10023 Jan: 21 in 10024 Jan: 20 in 10025 Jan: 20 in 10026 Jan: 20 in 10027 Jan: 23 in 10028 Jan: 24 in 10029 Jan: 20 in 10030 Jan: 19 in 10031 Jan: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 44,383 stories about harm among 224,262 counted on 31 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about three times the usual rate. of the day's 224,262 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. People falling ill were reported at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Australia. Bahrain's news was 49% about people being harmed, against a usual 18%. In Namibia's news, mentions of the cholera ran more than ten times their usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Central African Republic86 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 60 · mostly food & livelihood Kiribati84 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 66 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen77 in 100 of its 261 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan73 in 100 of its 883 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia72 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US459 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3700 Jerusalem Israel228 stories about protests or strikes, of its 474 Nairobi Kenya183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 296 Unrwa Palestine135 stories about protests or strikes, of its 331 Cairo Egypt108 stories about protests or strikes, of its 180

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: 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: 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: 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 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: 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 lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth 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 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: 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 readKenya: 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 lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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 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 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 lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: too little coverage to readAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readZambia: warmth about its own usualYemen: warmth about its own usualUzbekistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKiribati: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBolivia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelgium: warmth about twice its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBrussels, Belgium -- rights & justice: 162 stories, carried by 170 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsCallaway County, US -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 14 outletsBalaka, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 18 outletsNew Orleans, US -- rights & justice: 34 stories, carried by 29 outletsAlberto Fujimori, Peru -- rights & justice: 73 stories, carried by 86 outletsSafat, Syria -- displacement: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 31 stories, carried by 15 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

● Belgium warmth about twice usual ● Peru warmth about one and a half times usual ● Uzbekistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● South Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Bolivia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Qatar warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Brussels Belgium about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 162 stories ● Darfur Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Callaway County US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 16 stories ● Balaka Central African Republic about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● New Orleans US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 34 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 12,864 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence21% 9,039 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Health20% 8,810 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 6,258 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,590 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,623 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,271 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 1,018 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 killed12,682 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,331 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,715 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees935 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions422 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations354 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Vietnam and the US Stories reporting people displaced353 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the Philippines and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill297 at about 4 times the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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.