← 18 Jan Sunday 19 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
10,568 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 day's news pointed at protests in Beirut (Lebanon), a disaster in Vejprty and violence in Marib. Yemen's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and the US →
Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCzechia 65 in 100 of its 71 stories, usually 15
RegionEast Asia 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 16
Tone of the words 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

157 of its 229 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Beirut accounted for 141 of Lebanon's 157 stories about harm, carried by 263 outlets. 140 of Beirut's 141 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (132 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Disasters & accidents

Czechia

46 of its 71 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Vejprty accounted for 36 of the Czechia's 46 stories about harm, carried by 237 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Czechia over 30 days → its stories → Vejprty stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

124 of its 137 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Marib accounted for 74 of Yemen's 124 stories about harm, carried by 107 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

Yemen over 30 days → its stories → Marib stories →
Health

China

405 of its 1,357 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (21 stories). Covid was named in 189 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with earthquake 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.

China over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

54 of its 101 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Kathmandu accounted for 37 of Nepal's 54 stories about harm, carried by 111 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Snowstorms were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

48 of its 83 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. 16 of Hong Kong Island's 17 stories were about protests or strikes. Illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Algeria

13 of its 25 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 46 of Iraq's 70 stories about harm, carried by 257 outlets. 27 of Baghdad's 46 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Colombia

15 of its 24 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

12 of its 30 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Indonesia (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in Nepal (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); flooding in Australia (63 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in Canada (44 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Hong Kong (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10021 Dec28 Dec4 Jan11 Jan19 Jan21 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 10018 Jan: 20 in 10019 Jan: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 10,568 stories about harm among 54,143 counted on 19 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and the US. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 54,143 stories, as usual. It was the second day running that the news turned to Lebanon. In Lebanon, 69% of the news was about people being harmed, where 33% is usual. China's news mentioned Covid about three times as often as usual. This week the news turned most often to the Philippines, on 4 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen91 in 100 of its 137 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Puerto Rico85 in 100 of its 118 stories · usually 79 · mostly disasters & accidents Lebanon69 in 100 of its 229 stories · usually 33 · mostly rights & justice Czechia65 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 15 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria61 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beirut Lebanon140 stories about protests or strikes, of its 141 Washington US127 stories about protests or strikes, of its 337 Delhi India64 stories about protests or strikes, of its 208 Tehran Iran54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 165 Richmond US41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 60

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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 lessPuerto 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 readTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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 readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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 readPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: 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 lessLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: too little coverage to readCameroon: too little coverage to readCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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 readLibya: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 17 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- rights & justice: 141 stories, carried by 263 outletsPerth, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 17 outletsPort-au-Prince, Haiti -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsCape Town, South Africa -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsCapitola, US -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 46 outletsWisconsin, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 17 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

● Lebanon warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Stockholm Sweden about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Beirut Lebanon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 141 stories ● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 12 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Port-au-Prince Haiti about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 2,908 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents24% 2,507 stories · more than usual (usually 22%) Health20% 2,114 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 1,483 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 573 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 358 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 242 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 234 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 killed2,858 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,263 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,081 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured786 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced121 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill38 at about twice 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as 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.