← 23 Jan Friday 24 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 25 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,869 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 illness in Wuhan, the earthquake in Türkiye and protests in Baghdad (Iraq). Germany's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate, most often about China and the US → Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 37 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostChina 65 in 100 of its 4,921 stories, usually 25
RegionEast Asia 54 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
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

3,180 of its 4,921 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Wuhan accounted for 2,335 of China's 3,180 stories about harm, carried by 1,967 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (318 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

China over 30 days → its stories → Wuhan stories →
Disasters & accidents

Türkiye

198 of its 421 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (54 stories). Earthquake was named in 111 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Türkiye over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 123 of Iraq's 210 stories about harm, carried by 394 outlets. 91 of Baghdad's 123 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (40 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Germany

255 of its 840 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 147 of Israel's 210 stories about harm, carried by 195 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Gambia

73 of its 106 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Madagascar

12 of its 15 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bangladesh

117 of its 279 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Myanmar

19 of its 30 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Korea

42 of its 219 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Spain (26 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drought in Kenya (19 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Italy (16 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); plane crash in Australia (42 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Canada (12 of its stories, about three times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10026 Dec2 Jan9 Jan16 Jan24 Jan26 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 10024 Jan: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 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 22,869 stories about harm among 115,038 counted on 24 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

It was the seventh day running that the news turned to China. of the day's 115,038 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate, most often about China and the US. Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about twice the usual rate. In Türkiye's news, mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico75 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 79 · mostly disasters & accidents Gambia69 in 100 of its 106 stories · usually 36 · mostly conflict & violence Syria66 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence China65 in 100 of its 4,921 stories · usually 25 · mostly health Iraq62 in 100 of its 336 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US170 stories about protests or strikes, of its 660 Delhi India100 stories about protests or strikes, of its 234 Baghdad Iraq91 stories about protests or strikes, of its 123 Wuhan China40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2335 Hollywood US38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 180

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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 readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 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: 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 lessFiji: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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 readUkraine: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualMitchell County, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsFort Worth, US -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsNottingham, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 18 outletsAnkara, Türkiye -- displacement: 23 stories, carried by 21 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 29 outletsXinjiang, China -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 28 outletsMorecambe Bay, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 13 outletsKigali, Rwanda -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 34 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

● Ireland warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Mitchell County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Fort Worth US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Nottingham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Ankara Türkiye about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 23 stories ● Beirut Lebanon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 27 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health37% 8,356 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Rights & justice25% 5,551 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 3,437 stories · much less than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence10% 2,298 stories · much less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,071 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 841 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 533 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 430 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 killed7,431 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,454 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,028 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting people falling ill426 at about 6 times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting refugees271 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations193 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions146 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced143 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria

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 two-thirds of 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.