← 15 Jan Thursday 16 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,449 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 protests in Beirut (Lebanon), violence in Idlib and people killed in Malawi. Syria's coverage was about twice as angry 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 · about as usual Country that rose mostU.S. Virgin Islands 87 in 100 of its 60 stories, usually 26
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Protests & strikes

Lebanon

94 of its 239 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Beirut accounted for 62 of Lebanon's 94 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. 50 of Beirut's 62 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (55 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

156 of its 208 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Idlib accounted for 76 of Syria's 156 stories about harm, carried by 111 outlets. Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Idlib stories →
Rights & justice

Malawi

54 of its 87 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (16 stories). Malaria was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with meningitis.

Malawi over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

49 of its 85 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Illness was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

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

Kashmir

103 of its 210 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Jammu accounted for 70 of Kashmir's 103 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (50 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Panama

22 of its 44 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

India

Reports of people displaced ran at about 9 times the usual rate (27 stories). Train derailment was named in 54 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tuberculosis. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 339 of Iran's 533 stories about harm, carried by 513 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (45 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 80 of Iraq's 133 stories about harm, carried by 112 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

U.S. Virgin Islands

52 of its 60 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in China (146 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in Switzerland (23 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); avalanche in Pakistan (62 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); illness in Russia (27 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); storm surge in Bahamas (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 18 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10018 Dec25 Dec1 Jan8 Jan16 Jan18 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 1009 Jan: 20 in 10010 Jan: 21 in 10011 Jan: 23 in 10012 Jan: 22 in 10013 Jan: 19 in 10014 Jan: 19 in 10015 Jan: 18 in 10016 Jan: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 21,449 stories about harm among 122,912 counted on 16 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Lebanon. Stories about people being harmed made up 17 in every 100 of the day's 122,912 stories, below the usual 20. Lebanon's news was 39% about people being harmed, against a usual 32%. On 16 January 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

U.S. Virgin Islands87 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 26 · mostly rights & justice Puerto Rico79 in 100 of its 182 stories · usually 76 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria75 in 100 of its 208 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Malawi62 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 31 · mostly rights & justice Fiji58 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 38 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran141 stories about protests or strikes, of its 339 Delhi India94 stories about protests or strikes, of its 303 Washington US91 stories about protests or strikes, of its 491 Beirut Lebanon50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 62 Beijing China45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 129

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: 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 readUnited Kingdom: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRussia: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: 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'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: 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 readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: 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'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt 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 readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: 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 readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan 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: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: feelings about like the world'sSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: feelings about like the world'sZimbabwe: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sYemen: coverage a little warmer than the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSpain: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSingapore: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSamoa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPanama: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMauritius: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalta: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLithuania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLibya: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLesotho: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLebanon: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuinea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEstonia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCôte d’Ivoire: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sColombia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHong Kong: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChile: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBurundi: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBahamas: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice 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

● Kashmir about twice as fearful as the world's · 103 stories about harm ● Syria about twice as angry as the world's · 156 stories about harm ● Switzerland few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 49 stories about harm ● Iran about twice as angry as the world's · 533 stories about harm ● Pakistan about twice as fearful as the world's · 277 stories about harm ● Iraq about twice as angry as the world's · 133 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 5,927 stories · about as usual Health23% 4,838 stories · more than usual (usually 21%) Disasters & accidents22% 4,692 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 2,587 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,197 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 859 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 480 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 466 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 killed5,326 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting arrests2,811 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,260 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,069 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced245 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees244 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions214 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations157 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the Philippines and the US Stories reporting people falling ill68 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and China

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.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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.