← 16 Jan Friday 17 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,009 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 Tehran (Iran), violence in Baghdad and people affected in Panama. Panama's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about China and the US →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPanama 74 in 100 of its 94 stories, usually 23
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

Iran

748 of its 1,214 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Tehran accounted for 530 of Iran's 748 stories about harm, carried by 1,097 outlets. 276 of Tehran's 530 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Poisoning was named in 26 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 79 of Iraq's 167 stories about harm, carried by 159 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Illness was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Panama

70 of its 94 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Panama over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

315 of its 644 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Polio was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

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

Lebanon

63 of its 155 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Beirut accounted for 44 of Lebanon's 63 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. 40 of Beirut's 44 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Malawi

32 of its 71 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 11 of Lilongwe's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

66 of its 140 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Jammu accounted for 41 of Kashmir's 66 stories about harm, carried by 28 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

China

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 9 times the usual rate (58 stories). Covid was named in 264 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with ebola and tuberculosis. 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

Libya

Tripoli accounted for 65 of Libya's 73 stories about harm, carried by 84 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in China (264 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in Switzerland (25 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Tonga (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); natural hazards in Kenya (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Mexico (11 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 17 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10019 Dec26 Dec2 Jan9 Jan17 Jan19 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 10017 Jan: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 21,009 stories about harm among 113,799 counted on 17 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about China and the US. Iran's news was 62% about people being harmed, against a usual 55%. On 17 January 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, the same as today. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 113,799 stories, below the usual 20.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico76 in 100 of its 185 stories · usually 77 · mostly disasters & accidents Panama74 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 23 · mostly rights & justice Fiji72 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria71 in 100 of its 157 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Iran62 in 100 of its 1,214 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran276 stories about protests or strikes, of its 530 Delhi India128 stories about protests or strikes, of its 402 Washington US106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 577 Richmond US74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 131 Beijing China41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 99

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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 lessNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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 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: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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 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): 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: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSudan: warmth about its own usualSamoa: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualPennsylvania, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 20 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 40 stories, carried by 63 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 12 outletsMansfield, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 47 stories, carried by 31 outletsIslamabad, Pakistan -- rights & justice: 72 stories, carried by 104 outletsSomersby, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 14 stories, carried by 39 outletsPulwama, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 13 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

● Pennsylvania US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 40 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 17 stories ● Mansfield US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 47 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 5,975 stories · about as usual Health24% 4,881 stories · more than usual (usually 21%) Disasters & accidents22% 4,464 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 2,572 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,174 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 758 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 427 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 373 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 killed5,239 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting arrests2,729 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,119 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,043 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting refugees219 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions194 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations194 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced182 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill95 at about three times the usual rate · most about China and the US

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.