← 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 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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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 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: too little coverage to readMexico: 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 lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readItaly: 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 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: 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 lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: 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: 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 readMozambique: warmth about its own usualMadagascar: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualMaldives: warmth about its own usualKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 58 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsPennsylvania, US -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 14 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 34 outletsAnaheim, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 13 outletsMinsk, Belarus -- rights & justice: 24 stories, carried by 113 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

● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 30 stories ● Buhari Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Pennsylvania US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 11 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Beirut Lebanon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 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

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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.