← 20 Jan Tuesday 21 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,570 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 illness in Wuhan, snowstorms in Nepal and protests in Baghdad (Iraq). Poland's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about China and the US →
Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostChina 47 in 100 of its 3,810 stories, usually 18
RegionEast Asia 37 in 100 of its stories, usually 17
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 →
Health

China

1,797 of its 3,810 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Wuhan accounted for 1,227 of China's 1,797 stories about harm, carried by 1,736 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 10 times the usual rate (161 stories). Ebola was named in 105 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with polio. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

China over 30 days → its stories → Wuhan stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Nepal

90 of its 206 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Kathmandu accounted for 63 of Nepal's 90 stories about harm, carried by 89 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (55 stories). Snowstorms were named in 24 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories → Kathmandu stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 106 of Iraq's 158 stories about harm, carried by 340 outlets. 68 of Baghdad's 106 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (14 stories). Illness was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Poland

43 of its 127 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Lebanon

108 of its 247 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Beirut accounted for 83 of Lebanon's 108 stories about harm, carried by 176 outlets. 71 of Beirut's 83 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (71 stories).

its stories →
Health

Sweden

51 of its 178 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Extreme cold was named in 12 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 →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Ethiopia

61 of its 108 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

23 of its 90 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Brazil

83 of its 310 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Spain (29 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); accidents in Nigeria (10 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); dust storm in Australia (17 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); respiratory illness in India (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in UK (12 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 18 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10023 Dec30 Dec6 Jan13 Jan21 Jan23 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 10020 Jan: 18 in 10021 Jan: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 20,570 stories about harm among 111,076 counted on 21 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about China and the US. of the day's 111,076 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. the news turned to China for the fourth day running. China's news was 47% about people being harmed, against a usual 18%. On 21 January 2019, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico75 in 100 of its 142 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen69 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Syria68 in 100 of its 118 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Iran59 in 100 of its 640 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq58 in 100 of its 272 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US118 stories about protests or strikes, of its 468 Richmond US116 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142 Delhi India76 stories about protests or strikes, of its 175 Beirut Lebanon71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 83 Baghdad Iraq68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 106

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: 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: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: 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: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: 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 readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: 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'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChile: 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'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: 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: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: feelings about like the world'sSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & 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: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sYemen: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little warmer than the world'sVenezuela: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuam: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sThailand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSierra Leone: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRomania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPoland: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPanama: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sNorway: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNepal: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sMoldova: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMali: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLesotho: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKiribati: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sJapan: 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 grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGambia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrench Polynesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCongo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChad: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMyanmar: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBotswana: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMaldives: coverage a little more fearful than 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 · 73 stories about harm ● Syria about twice as angry as the world's · 80 stories about harm ● Sri Lanka about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 59 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 35 stories about harm ● Poland few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 43 stories about harm ● Iran about twice as angry as the world's · 377 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 6,038 stories · much more than usual (usually 21%) Rights & justice27% 5,513 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents18% 3,565 stories · less than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence12% 2,412 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,103 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 688 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 489 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 416 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 killed6,024 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,421 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,079 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,038 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting refugees207 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill194 at about 5 times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting abductions171 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and China Stories reporting people displaced162 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Syria Stories reporting evacuations146 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the Philippines 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.

● 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

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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.