← 22 Jan Thursday 23 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,296 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 illness in Wuhan, refugees in the Gambia and flooding in Spain. the Gambia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate, most often about China and the US → Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 35 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGambia 81 in 100 of its 195 stories, usually 28
RegionEast Asia 47 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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

2,872 of its 4,978 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Wuhan accounted for 2,261 of China's 2,872 stories about harm, carried by 1,909 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (334 stories). Ebola was named in 242 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

China over 30 days → its stories → Wuhan stories →
Conflict & violence

Gambia

158 of its 195 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Gambia over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

149 of its 672 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Flooding was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with snowstorms, heavy rain and storms.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Bulgaria

23 of its 111 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Poisoning was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bosnia

14 of its 16 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Poland

68 of its 185 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bangladesh

121 of its 342 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 6 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 222 of Israel's 306 stories about harm, carried by 276 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Myanmar

21 of its 41 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Italy (29 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Bulgaria (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in France (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); plane crash in Australia (41 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in UK (37 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 18 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10025 Dec1 Jan8 Jan15 Jan23 Jan25 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 10022 Jan: 18 in 10023 Jan: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 23,296 stories about harm among 122,837 counted on 23 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about 7 times the usual rate, most often about China and the US. 19 in every 100 of the day's 122,837 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. For the sixth day running, the news turned to China. Reports of aid and relief, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. Mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual in Italy's news.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Gambia81 in 100 of its 195 stories · usually 28 · mostly conflict & violence Syria67 in 100 of its 150 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence China58 in 100 of its 4,978 stories · usually 22 · mostly health Puerto Rico57 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq56 in 100 of its 202 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US90 stories about protests or strikes, of its 510 Delhi India66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 246 Beirut Lebanon52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 59 Jerusalem Israel48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 222 Davos Switzerland44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 89

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral 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 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 lessBosnia 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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 readPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualDominican Republic: warmth about its own usualBotswana: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualMitchell County, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 23 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 21 outletsMerseyside, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 44 outletsBasij, Iran -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 33 stories, carried by 49 outletsAdamawa, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 24 stories, carried by 17 outletsHeysham, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 13 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- conflict & violence: 59 stories, carried by 114 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

● Mitchell County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Tennessee US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Merseyside UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Basij Iran about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 33 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health35% 8,081 stories · much more than usual (usually 21%) Rights & justice25% 5,651 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 3,554 stories · much less than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence12% 2,703 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,101 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 864 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 465 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 447 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 killed7,350 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,606 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,531 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured994 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill415 at about 7 times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting refugees267 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions173 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced151 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting evacuations141 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines

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
● Griefabout as 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.