← 7 Jan Wednesday 8 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 9 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,770 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 news turned to a disaster in Kyiv, violence in Mogadishu and protests in Ayia Napa (Cyprus). Congo's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 24 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostPuerto Rico 89 in 100 of its 284 stories, usually 57
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 47 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Ukraine

141 of its 372 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Kyiv accounted for 107 of Ukraine's 141 stories about harm, carried by 227 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (100 stories). Accidents were named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Ukraine over 30 days → its stories → Kyiv stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

89 of its 109 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Mogadishu accounted for 74 of Somalia's 89 stories about harm, carried by 139 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Protests & strikes

Cyprus

41 of its 76 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Ayia Napa accounted for 31 of Cyprus' 41 stories about harm, carried by 108 outlets. 17 of Ayia Napa's 31 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Cyprus over 30 days → its stories → Ayia Napa stories →
Health

Congo

25 of its 29 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Measles was named in 21 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.

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

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 412 of Iraq's 672 stories about harm, carried by 795 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (61 stories). Outbreaks were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Puerto Rico

253 of its 284 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 2,434 of Iran's 3,946 stories about harm, carried by 2,462 outlets. Drownings were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Marshall Islands

12 of its 14 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

1,683 of its 3,589 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Japan

329 of its 1,271 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (25 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: respiratory illness in China (59 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in Malaysia (11 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); flooding in Israel (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); avalanche in US (118 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Iraq (10 of its stories, about three times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
24 in 10016 in 10010 Dec17 Dec24 Dec31 Dec8 Jan10 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 1006 Jan: 20 in 1007 Jan: 20 in 1008 Jan: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 24,770 stories about harm among 116,924 counted on 8 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Ukraine stood out: 38% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 13%. 21 in every 100 of the day's 116,924 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Congo's news mentioned measles more than ten times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 8 January 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico89 in 100 of its 284 stories · usually 57 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia82 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan66 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 61 · mostly displacement Syria63 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Iran54 in 100 of its 7,270 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran270 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2434 Delhi India161 stories about protests or strikes, of its 311 Baghdad Iraq112 stories about protests or strikes, of its 412 Washington US99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 590 Mumbai India43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 85

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 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: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 lessTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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 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: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominica: 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 readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: 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 readChina: 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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 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: 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): 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualDominican Republic: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualIbadan, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsGrand Rapids, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 18 outletsBrisbane, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 81 stories, carried by 94 outletsColorado, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 30 outletsPerth, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 18 stories, carried by 65 outletsWhakaari, New Zealand -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 11 outletsRiyadh, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsKogi, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 12 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

● Ibadan Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Grand Rapids US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Brisbane Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 81 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence24% 5,837 stories · much more than usual (usually 16%) Rights & justice22% 5,490 stories · much less than usual (usually 29%) Disasters & accidents21% 5,166 stories · about as usual Health19% 4,683 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,504 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 749 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 537 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 464 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 killed8,382 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iran and the US Stories reporting arrests2,695 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,492 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,722 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions266 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations257 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iraq and Australia Stories reporting refugees241 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced188 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill32 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
● Griefa little more than 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.