← 2 Feb Monday 3 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 4 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,321 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 →

Illness in Wuhan, violence in Amman and people injured in Tanzania drew the news. Jordan's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and Canada → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 45 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostChina 72 in 100 of its 6,145 stories, usually 49
RegionEast Asia 63 in 100 of its stories, usually 40
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

4,440 of its 6,145 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Wuhan accounted for 2,383 of China's 4,440 stories about harm, carried by 1,989 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (348 stories). Food poisoning was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

China over 30 days → its stories → Wuhan stories →
Conflict & violence

Jordan

70 of its 187 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Amman accounted for 63 of Jordan's 70 stories about harm, carried by 188 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Jordan over 30 days → its stories → Amman stories →
Rights & justice

Tanzania

57 of its 114 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Tanzania over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Somalia

Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Natural hazards were named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Syria

248 of its 304 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Idlib accounted for 207 of Syria's 248 stories about harm, carried by 337 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (141 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

68 of its 144 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Taipei accounted for 46 of Taiwan's 68 stories about harm, carried by 16 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Hong Kong

83 of its 158 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (34 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

UK

Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (202 stories). Ebola was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

35 of Baghdad's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Thailand

85 of its 212 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Flu was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Yemen (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in Thailand (22 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); heavy rain in New Zealand (25 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); respiratory illness in Philippines (23 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hunger in Australia (20 of its stories, about three times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 23 the day before
24 in 10017 in 1005 Jan12 Jan19 Jan26 Jan3 Feb5 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 1002 Feb: 23 in 1003 Feb: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 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 22,321 stories about harm among 105,192 counted on 3 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

For the eighth day running, the news turned to China. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 105,192 stories, above the usual 20. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and Canada. Thailand's news mentioned the flu about 6 times as often as usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria82 in 100 of its 304 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence China72 in 100 of its 6,145 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Yemen61 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia59 in 100 of its 73 stories · usually 61 · mostly disasters & accidents Puerto Rico56 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 81 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Wuhan China209 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2383 Delhi India176 stories about protests or strikes, of its 383 Washington US58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 369 London UK53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 712 Beijing China50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 360

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: 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: 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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 lessCrimea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualYalgo, Burkina Faso -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 19 outletsSchoharie, US -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 49 outletsCambridge, UK -- rights & justice: 47 stories, carried by 50 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 28 stories, carried by 25 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 33 stories, carried by 184 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsMinnesota, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 16 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

● Kazakhstan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Malawi warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Yalgo Burkina Faso about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Schoharie US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 27 stories ● Cambridge UK about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 47 stories ● Buhari Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 28 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health45% 9,997 stories · much more than usual (usually 29%) Rights & justice19% 4,177 stories · much less than usual (usually 24%) Disasters & accidents13% 2,758 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence12% 2,553 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,025 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 574 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 551 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 358 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 killed7,137 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,550 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,996 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,242 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations639 at about twice the usual rate · most about China and Canada Stories reporting refugees223 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill175 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting people displaced164 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions147 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US

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.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than usual
● Feara little more than 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.