← 28 Jan Wednesday 29 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 30 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,412 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 Sanaa (Yemen), illness in Wuhan and the earthquake in Cuba. Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice 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 44 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostCayman Islands 97 in 100 of its 63 stories, usually 31
RegionEast Asia 60 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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

Yemen

56 of its 70 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Sanaa accounted for 43 of Yemen's 56 stories about harm, carried by 29 outlets. 28 of Sanaa's 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Heavy rain was named in 29 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.

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

China

4,661 of its 6,635 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Wuhan accounted for 2,875 of China's 4,661 stories about harm, carried by 2,111 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (305 stories). Norovirus was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

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

Cuba

40 of its 75 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Havana accounted for 29 of Cuba's 40 stories about harm, carried by 78 outlets. Earthquake was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

174 of its 274 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Plane crash was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Iraq

142 of its 206 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Baghdad accounted for 80 of Iraq's 142 stories about harm, carried by 254 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Jamaica

123 of its 278 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Earthquake was named in 93 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Madagascar

19 of its 32 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Cyclone was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

17 of its 57 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 6 of Tunis' 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cayman Islands

61 of its 63 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Cayman accounted for 44 of the Cayman Islands' 61 stories about harm, carried by 112 outlets.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Ethiopia

54 of its 94 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Jamaica (93 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in Brazil (20 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in Madagascar (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Kenya (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); road crashes in South Africa (10 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
24 in 10017 in 10031 Dec7 Jan14 Jan21 Jan29 Jan31 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 10025 Jan: 21 in 10026 Jan: 22 in 10027 Jan: 20 in 10028 Jan: 20 in 10029 Jan: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 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 24,412 stories about harm among 121,131 counted on 29 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of vaccination, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. 20 in every 100 of the day's 121,131 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and the US. the news turned to Yemen for the second day running. Mentions of the earthquake ran about 7 times their usual in Jamaica's news.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Cayman Islands97 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 31 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen80 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Puerto Rico76 in 100 of its 91 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents China70 in 100 of its 6,635 stories · usually 37 · mostly health Iraq69 in 100 of its 206 stories · usually 60 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India169 stories about protests or strikes, of its 374 Wuhan China89 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2875 Washington US83 stories about protests or strikes, of its 532 Jerusalem Israel80 stories about protests or strikes, of its 273 Beijing China31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 439

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 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUganda: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCôte 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: too little coverage to readCentral 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: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGuilford County, US -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 43 outletsSouth Dakota, US -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 17 outletsBishop Auckland, UK -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 13 outletsJerusalem, Israel -- conflict & violence: 273 stories, carried by 371 outletsKunduz, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 27 outletsBaghlan, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 30 outletsJordan Valley, Israel -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 31 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 13 stories, carried by 25 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

● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Guilford County US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● South Dakota US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Bishop Auckland UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 19 stories ● Jerusalem Israel about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 273 stories ● Kunduz Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health44% 10,648 stories · much more than usual (usually 25%) Rights & justice22% 5,301 stories · less than usual (usually 25%) Disasters & accidents13% 3,208 stories · much less than usual (usually 21%) Conflict & violence8% 2,044 stories · much less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,086 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 781 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 552 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 442 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 killed7,724 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,786 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,515 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,002 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations513 at about twice the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting refugees240 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced201 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill196 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting abductions163 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 much 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.