← 3 Feb Tuesday 4 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,956 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 rights and justice in Nairobi, protests in Algiers (Algeria) and illness in Taipei. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 46 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostMacao 73 in 100 of its 52 stories, usually 20
RegionEast Asia 61 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
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 →
Rights & justice

Kenya

291 of its 566 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Nairobi accounted for 118 of Kenya's 291 stories about harm, carried by 252 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (200 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Kenya over 30 days → its stories → Nairobi stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

24 of its 42 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 10 of Algiers' 17 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Algeria over 30 days → its stories → Algiers stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

233 of its 289 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Idlib accounted for 176 of Syria's 233 stories about harm, carried by 214 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

China

4,308 of its 6,094 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Wuhan accounted for 2,244 of China's 4,308 stories about harm, carried by 1,996 outlets. Typhoon was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Greece

70 of its 251 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 18 of Lesbos' 23 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (26 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Jordan

44 of its 202 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 42 of Iraq's 92 stories about harm, carried by 119 outlets. 21 of Baghdad's 42 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 109 of Iran's 183 stories about harm, carried by 263 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Macao

38 of its 52 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in New Zealand (38 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in Mexico (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); measles in Australia (13 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); flu in India (20 of its stories, about three times its usual); ebola in Canada (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 21 the day before
23 in 10017 in 1006 Jan13 Jan20 Jan27 Jan4 Feb6 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 1004 Feb: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 24,956 stories about harm among 121,076 counted on 4 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

New Zealand's news mentioned flooding about 5 times as often as usual. 21 in every 100 of the day's 121,076 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Kenya, 51% of the news was about people being harmed, where 32% is usual. A year earlier, on 4 February 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria81 in 100 of its 289 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Macao73 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 20 · mostly health China71 in 100 of its 6,094 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Puerto Rico61 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq56 in 100 of its 165 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Wuhan China228 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2244 Delhi India165 stories about protests or strikes, of its 407 Washington US115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 515 Nairobi Kenya47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 118 Beijing China37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 364

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 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readItaly: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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 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: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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 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 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 lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readVenezuela: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualAngola: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSouth Yorkshire, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 19 outletsPortsmouth, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 56 outletsCharlotte, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 22 outletsJacksonville, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 15 outletsCalgary, Canada -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 20 stories, carried by 51 outletsIbadan, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 10 outletsBaringo, Kenya -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsVienna, Austria -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 17 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

● South Yorkshire UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Portsmouth UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Charlotte US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Jacksonville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Calgary Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 20 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health46% 11,256 stories · much more than usual (usually 30%) Rights & justice21% 5,254 stories · less than usual (usually 24%) Disasters & accidents12% 3,033 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence9% 2,310 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,096 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 645 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 554 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 397 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 killed7,431 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,585 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,354 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,138 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations507 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting people displaced227 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees211 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions168 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill161 at about the usual rate

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
● Griefabout as 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.