← 31 Dec Wednesday 1 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,940 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 Mong Kok (Hong Kong), flooding in Indonesia and rights and justice in Ayia Napa. Cyprus' coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Language across the world's news ran harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostHong Kong 78 in 100 of its 200 stories, usually 37
RegionOceania 39 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

155 of its 200 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Mong Kok accounted for 116 of Hong Kong's 155 stories about harm, carried by 296 outlets. 112 of Mong Kok's 116 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (112 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Hong Kong over 30 days → its stories → Mong Kok stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

131 of its 197 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Jakarta accounted for 97 of Indonesia's 131 stories about harm, carried by 271 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 82 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain, landslides and hypothermia.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Jakarta stories →
Rights & justice

Cyprus

38 of its 44 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Ayia Napa accounted for 36 of Cyprus' 38 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. Illness was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Cyprus over 30 days → its stories → Ayia Napa stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

39 of its 53 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Iraq

515 of its 727 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Baghdad accounted for 467 of Iraq's 515 stories about harm, carried by 1,231 outlets. 388 of Baghdad's 467 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Zimbabwe

70 of its 136 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

688 of its 1,597 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (191 stories). Tornadoes were named in 42 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with power cuts and measles.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Germany

138 of its 411 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (104 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Lebanon

57 of its 110 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Beirut accounted for 47 of Lebanon's 57 stories about harm, carried by 198 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (21 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

South Africa

17 of Table Mountain's 25 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (37 stories). Wildfires were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks, measles and storms.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hunger in Zimbabwe (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Canada (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in South Africa (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in UK (37 of its stories, about three times its usual); tornadoes in Australia (42 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 20 the day before
22 in 10016 in 1003 Dec10 Dec17 Dec24 Dec1 Jan3 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 16 in 1005 Dec: 17 in 1006 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 20 in 1008 Dec: 19 in 1009 Dec: 18 in 10010 Dec: 18 in 10011 Dec: 18 in 10012 Dec: 17 in 10013 Dec: 16 in 10014 Dec: 18 in 10015 Dec: 19 in 10016 Dec: 17 in 10017 Dec: 17 in 10018 Dec: 17 in 10019 Dec: 17 in 10020 Dec: 17 in 10021 Dec: 19 in 10022 Dec: 20 in 10023 Dec: 19 in 10024 Dec: 18 in 10025 Dec: 19 in 10026 Dec: 19 in 10027 Dec: 20 in 10028 Dec: 21 in 10029 Dec: 22 in 10030 Dec: 21 in 10031 Dec: 20 in 1001 Jan: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 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 11,940 stories about harm among 58,200 counted on 1 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate. Indonesia's news mentioned flooding more than ten times as often as usual. Hong Kong's news was 78% about people being harmed, against a usual 37%. of the day's 58,200 news stories, 21 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 18. Over December, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 in December 2018.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Hong Kong78 in 100 of its 200 stories · usually 37 · mostly rights & justice Sudan74 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq71 in 100 of its 727 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Syria67 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia66 in 100 of its 197 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Baghdad Iraq388 stories about protests or strikes, of its 467 Mong Kok Hong Kong112 stories about protests or strikes, of its 116 Delhi India70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 175 Washington US59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 278 Tehran Iran48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 69

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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: too little coverage to readRussia: 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 lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readDR 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualMaine, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsOttawa, Canada -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 55 outletsWindrush, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsIowa, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 35 outletsKyiv, Ukraine -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 41 outletsLagos, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 32 stories, carried by 24 outletsBalkh, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 43 outletsRiyadh, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 22 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

● Maine US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 10 stories ● Ottawa Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Windrush UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Iowa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Kyiv Ukraine about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 3,370 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents22% 2,579 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Health19% 2,277 stories · less than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence16% 1,868 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 706 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 438 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 250 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 231 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 killed4,158 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting arrests1,632 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,519 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people injured1,057 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting refugees158 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations81 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill17 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 harsher than 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.