← 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.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: too little coverage to readYemen: 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 lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-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 readSyria: 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 lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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 readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: 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 lessPeru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readOman: 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 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: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSamoa: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualFort Worth, US -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 28 outletsIslamabad, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 43 stories, carried by 51 outletsOhio, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 19 outletsKano, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 18 stories, carried by 13 outletsBalad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsTaipei, Taiwan -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsMiddlesbrough, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 21 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

● Fort Worth US about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Islamabad Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 43 stories ● Ohio US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Kano Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories

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

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.