← 4 Jan Sunday 5 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,285 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 violence in Lamu, building collapse in Cambodia and the avalanche in Italy. Kenya's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate, most often about Iran and Iraq → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostKenya 66 in 100 of its 440 stories, usually 27
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 51 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Kenya

291 of its 440 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Lamu accounted for 141 of Kenya's 291 stories about harm, carried by 187 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (46 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Kenya over 30 days → its stories → Lamu stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cambodia

74 of its 94 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (52 stories). Building collapse was named in 48 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Cambodia over 30 days → its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Italy

111 of its 326 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (87 stories). Avalanche was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with road crashes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Italy over 30 days → its stories →
Health

China

230 of its 861 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (28 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 66 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks, flu and bird flu.

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

Libya

139 of its 181 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Tripoli accounted for 134 of Libya's 139 stories about harm, carried by 206 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (96 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

1,524 of its 2,456 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Tehran accounted for 909 of Iran's 1,524 stories about harm, carried by 1,379 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (429 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

81 of its 158 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Jakarta accounted for 61 of Indonesia's 81 stories about harm, carried by 129 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (39 stories). Heavy rain was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with dengue.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

1,105 of its 2,158 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (91 stories). Hunger was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with power cuts.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nigeria

286 of its 869 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (22 stories). Gas explosion was named in 32 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 500 of Iraq's 569 stories about harm, carried by 737 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 7 times the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heavy rain in Indonesia (26 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in Russia (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in New Zealand (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Nigeria (32 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Canada (24 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 23 the day before
24 in 10016 in 1007 Dec14 Dec21 Dec28 Dec5 Jan7 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 1002 Jan: 19 in 1003 Jan: 21 in 1004 Jan: 23 in 1005 Jan: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 12,285 stories about harm among 51,224 counted on 5 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the highest since 2 September 2019. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate, most often about Iran and Iraq. of the day's 51,224 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. This week the news turned most often to Cyprus, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 5 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Cambodia79 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 30 · mostly disasters & accidents Libya77 in 100 of its 181 stories · usually 36 · mostly conflict & violence Kenya66 in 100 of its 440 stories · usually 27 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq63 in 100 of its 905 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Iran62 in 100 of its 2,456 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran341 stories about protests or strikes, of its 909 Baghdad Iraq147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 500 Delhi India122 stories about protests or strikes, of its 263 Washington US84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 316 Lamu Kenya42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 141

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: too little coverage to readYemen: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: 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'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: feelings about like the world'sOman: 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: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench 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: too little coverage to readDominican 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: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: 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'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: too little coverage to readAksai 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 readEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: feelings about like the world'sBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: 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: too little coverage to readVietnam: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sJapan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sJamaica: coverage a little warmer than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sFinland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCambodia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAngola: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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

● Kenya about twice as angry as the world's · 291 stories about harm ● Iran about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 1,524 stories about harm ● Iraq about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 569 stories about harm ● Finland few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 8 stories about harm ● Libya about twice as angry as the world's · 139 stories about harm ● Cambodia about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's · 74 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence31% 3,743 stories · much more than usual (usually 15%) Disasters & accidents21% 2,552 stories · about as usual Rights & justice20% 2,454 stories · much less than usual (usually 30%) Health16% 1,897 stories · much less than usual (usually 21%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 729 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 339 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 225 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 213 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 killed4,580 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting people affected1,233 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,195 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,172 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions613 at about 6 times the usual rate · most about Iran and Iraq Stories reporting evacuations142 at about twice the usual rate · most about Australia and Iran Stories reporting refugees80 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced79 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill18 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout one and a half times usual
● Feara little more than 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.