← 30 Jan Friday 31 January 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,466 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, protests in Baghdad (Iraq) and violence in Jammu. Kashmir's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and the UK → Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and the US → Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about three times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 48 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostChina 74 in 100 of its 6,741 stories, usually 43
RegionEast Asia 63 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
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 →
Health

China

4,988 of its 6,741 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Wuhan accounted for 2,888 of China's 4,988 stories about harm, carried by 2,176 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (374 stories). Polio was named in 50 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

China over 30 days → its stories → Wuhan stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 51 of Iraq's 114 stories about harm, carried by 208 outlets. 27 of Baghdad's 51 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Hong Kong

52 of its 103 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Belgium

39 of its 165 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Poisoning was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

63 of its 161 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Taipei accounted for 42 of Taiwan's 63 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

113 of its 427 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

120 of its 394 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

United Arab Emirates

22 of its 101 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: poisoning in Belgium (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Indonesia (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); heatwave in Australia (96 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); respiratory illness in Vietnam (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in Spain (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
24 in 10017 in 1002 Jan9 Jan16 Jan23 Jan31 Jan2 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 10030 Jan: 20 in 10031 Jan: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 24,466 stories about harm among 118,405 counted on 31 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the fifth day running, the news turned to China. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 118,405 stories, as usual. Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about three times the usual rate. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and the UK. Belgium's news mentioned poisoning more than ten times as often as usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico84 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents China74 in 100 of its 6,741 stories · usually 43 · mostly health Syria69 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq61 in 100 of its 186 stories · usually 59 · mostly health Afghanistan58 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India180 stories about protests or strikes, of its 437 Wuhan China97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2888 Washington US88 stories about protests or strikes, of its 606 Jerusalem Israel41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 122 London UK37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 318

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-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: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readQatar: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: 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 readJammu & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualBurundi: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndiana, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsPrague, Czechia -- rights & justice: 26 stories, carried by 24 outletsTennessee, US -- rights & justice: 33 stories, carried by 51 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- disasters & accidents: 25 stories, carried by 12 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 13 outletsAdamawa, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsKyiv, Ukraine -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 38 stories, carried by 234 outletsMahatma, India -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 12 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

● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Ukraine warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Indiana US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Prague Czechia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 26 stories ● Tennessee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 33 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 25 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health48% 11,532 stories · much more than usual (usually 26%) Rights & justice22% 5,307 stories · less than usual (usually 25%) Disasters & accidents11% 2,744 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence7% 1,805 stories · much less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 925 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 727 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 546 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 510 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 killed7,701 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,792 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,533 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured764 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations675 at about twice the usual rate · most about China and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill282 at about twice the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting refugees206 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions201 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced138 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria

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

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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.