← 31 Jan Saturday 1 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,679 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 violence in Idlib, illness in Wuhan and people injured in South Africa. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about China and India → Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 45 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostChina 74 in 100 of its 3,752 stories, usually 46
RegionEast Asia 65 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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 →
Conflict & violence

Syria

84 of its 111 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Idlib accounted for 52 of Syria's 84 stories about harm, carried by 78 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Idlib stories →
Health

China

2,777 of its 3,752 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Wuhan accounted for 1,639 of China's 2,777 stories about harm, carried by 1,714 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (362 stories).

China over 30 days → its stories → Wuhan stories →
Rights & justice

South Africa

104 of its 352 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Iran

Tehran accounted for 47 of Iran's 93 stories about harm, carried by 57 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Maldives

27 of its 52 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

60 of its 142 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (23 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Belarus

25 of its 55 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Minsk accounted for 24 of Belarus' 25 stories about harm, carried by 113 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

29 of its 64 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

44 of its 168 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Canada (55 of its stories, about three times its usual); heatwave in Australia (37 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Japan (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Pakistan (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); malaria in Nigeria (15 of its stories, about three times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 21 the day before
24 in 10017 in 1003 Jan10 Jan17 Jan24 Jan1 Feb3 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 1001 Feb: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 Feb. 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 14,679 stories about harm among 69,776 counted on 1 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about China and India. 21 in every 100 of the day's 69,776 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate. Canada's news mentioned flooding about three times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 1 February 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today. Over January, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 in January 2019.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico88 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria76 in 100 of its 111 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence China74 in 100 of its 3,752 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Iraq58 in 100 of its 206 stories · usually 58 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan53 in 100 of its 124 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 353 Wuhan China71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1639 Washington US64 stories about protests or strikes, of its 481 Baghdad Iraq49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 87 Manhattan US28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 64

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: no storiesUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: no storiesU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: no storiesTajikistan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: no storiesSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: no storiesFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBangladesh: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: no storiesNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: no storiesAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 73 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Vietnam: 42 in 100 of its 142 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Puerto Rico: 88 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Uganda: 37 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Türkiye: 33 in 100 of its 137 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Trinidad & Tobago: 39 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Thailand: 39 in 100 of its 122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Tanzania: 39 in 100 of its 59 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Taiwan: 45 in 100 of its 64 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Syria: 76 in 100 of its 111 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Sudan: 52 in 100 of its 25 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Sri Lanka: 37 in 100 of its 149 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)South Africa: 30 in 100 of its 352 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Somalia: 44 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Rwanda: 53 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Philippines: 44 in 100 of its 342 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Pakistan: 28 in 100 of its 561 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)North Korea: 67 in 100 of its 18 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Nigeria: 29 in 100 of its 1,004 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Nepal: 35 in 100 of its 63 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Mozambique: 64 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Mexico: 29 in 100 of its 230 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Madagascar: 57 in 100 of its 14 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Libya: 50 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Kyrgyzstan: 38 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Kuwait: 40 in 100 of its 25 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Israel: 31 in 100 of its 440 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Palestine: 37 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Iraq: 58 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Iran: 42 in 100 of its 223 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Indonesia: 48 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Ethiopia: 35 in 100 of its 43 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)El Salvador: 80 in 100 of its 5 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Ecuador: 44 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Greenland: 80 in 100 of its 5 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Czechia: 35 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Congo: 89 in 100 of its 9 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)China: 74 in 100 of its 3,752 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Hong Kong: 38 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Belarus: 45 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Bahamas: 36 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Australia: 31 in 100 of its 1,223 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Afghanistan: 53 in 100 of its 124 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Kashmir: 35 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)China: 74 in 100 of its 3,752 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Palestine: 37 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Palestine: 37 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Kashmir: 35 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Kashmir: 35 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Palestine: 37 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Kashmir: 35 in 100 of its 143 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Maldives: 52 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)Macao: 62 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 21)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 21 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● China 74 in 100 of its 3,752 stories · mostly health ● Syria 76 in 100 of its 111 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Puerto Rico 88 in 100 of its 50 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Iraq 58 in 100 of its 206 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Afghanistan 53 in 100 of its 124 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Philippines 44 in 100 of its 342 stories · mostly health

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health45% 6,461 stories · much more than usual (usually 27%) Rights & justice23% 3,287 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 1,764 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence9% 1,278 stories · much less than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 550 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 440 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 402 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 289 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 killed4,475 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,761 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,557 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations600 at about three times the usual rate · most about China and India Stories reporting people injured568 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting refugees136 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions107 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill101 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting people displaced78 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 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.