← 30 Jan Thursday 31 January 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
38,955 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 hunger in Djibouti, protests in Douala (Cameroon) and rights and justice in San Salvador drew the news. Somalia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostEl Salvador 83 in 100 of its 69 stories, usually 24
RegionNorth America 24 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
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

Djibouti

64 of its 68 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Obock accounted for 52 of Djibouti's 64 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (8 stories). Hunger was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Djibouti over 30 days → its stories → Obock stories →
Protests & strikes

Cameroon

47 of its 74 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. 34 of Douala's 36 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Cameroon over 30 days → its stories → Douala stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 67 of Sudan's 115 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. 59 of Khartoum's 67 stories were about protests or strikes. Flooding was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cuba

95 of its 176 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (36 stories). Hurricane was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

455 of its 654 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Kabul accounted for 307 of Afghanistan's 455 stories about harm, carried by 288 outlets. 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.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bangladesh

178 of its 410 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. 81 of Dhaka's 109 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (81 stories).

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Poland

108 of its 255 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (85 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Chile

Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories). Poisoning was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drought in Greenland (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Cuba (34 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); poisoning in Chile (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Libya (12 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); heavy rain in Australia (80 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
21 in 10017 in 1002 Jan9 Jan16 Jan23 Jan31 Jan2 Jan: 18 in 1003 Jan: 18 in 1004 Jan: 19 in 1005 Jan: 19 in 1006 Jan: 19 in 1007 Jan: 18 in 1008 Jan: 18 in 1009 Jan: 18 in 10010 Jan: 17 in 10011 Jan: 19 in 10012 Jan: 20 in 10013 Jan: 19 in 10014 Jan: 19 in 10015 Jan: 18 in 10016 Jan: 18 in 10017 Jan: 18 in 10018 Jan: 18 in 10019 Jan: 21 in 10020 Jan: 21 in 10021 Jan: 20 in 10022 Jan: 19 in 10023 Jan: 18 in 10024 Jan: 18 in 10025 Jan: 19 in 10026 Jan: 20 in 10027 Jan: 21 in 10028 Jan: 20 in 10029 Jan: 21 in 10030 Jan: 20 in 10031 Jan: 19 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 38,955 stories about harm among 206,782 counted on 31 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Greenland's news mentioned the drought more than ten times as often as usual. 19 in every 100 of the day's 206,782 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. For the second day running, the news turned to Djibouti. Djibouti stood out: 94% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 61%. A year earlier, on 31 January 2018, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Djibouti94 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 61 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia92 in 100 of its 143 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence El Salvador83 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 24 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 654 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Greenland67 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 24 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Chicago US364 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2762 Washington US223 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1172 Jerusalem Israel191 stories about protests or strikes, of its 528 Caracas Venezuela185 stories about protests or strikes, of its 462 Harare Zimbabwe126 stories about protests or strikes, of its 165

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 lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: 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 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 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: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: 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 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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 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 readCuraçao: 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: 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: 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 lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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 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 lessCambodia: 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: 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 lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: too little coverage to readJersey: 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualEl Salvador: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualLordsburg, US -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 307 stories, carried by 288 outletsCleveland, US -- conflict & violence: 132 stories, carried by 120 outletsGaza, Palestine -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 85 outletsDouala, Cameroon -- rights & justice: 36 stories, carried by 40 outletsBengaluru, India -- other: 41 stories, carried by 26 outletsTijuana, Mexico -- rights & justice: 29 stories, carried by 29 outletsYangon, Myanmar -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 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

● Iran warmth about one and a half times usual ● Austria warmth about one and a half times usual ● China warmth about one and a half times usual ● Norway warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Lordsburg US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 307 stories ● Cleveland US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 132 stories ● Gaza Palestine about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 25 stories ● Douala Cameroon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 36 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 10,854 stories · less than usual (usually 31%) Disasters & accidents24% 9,169 stories · much more than usual (usually 19%) Health22% 8,411 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence12% 4,712 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,842 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,583 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 866 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 763 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 killed9,771 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,844 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,737 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,759 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Palestine Stories reporting refugees464 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Palestine and the US Stories reporting abductions213 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations204 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people displaced202 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill94 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Cuba

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 · 19 Oct – 25 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.