← 8 Feb Sunday 9 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 10 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,996 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 Nakhon Ratchasima, illness in Wuhan and people affected in Switzerland. Thailand's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Thailand and the US → Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about China and Thailand → Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Azerbaijan and Syria →
Part of lifeHealth 37 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostThailand 89 in 100 of its 576 stories, usually 29
RegionCentral Asia 59 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Thailand

511 of its 576 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Nakhon Ratchasima accounted for 387 of Thailand's 511 stories about harm, carried by 951 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (138 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Nakhon Ratchasima stories →
Health

China

1,871 of its 2,551 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Wuhan accounted for 990 of China's 1,871 stories about harm, carried by 1,436 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (41 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Switzerland

51 of its 117 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Switzerland over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

UK

983 of its 3,730 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 stories). Storms were named in 203 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with heavy rain and tornadoes.

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

Afghanistan

229 of its 312 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Kabul accounted for 98 of Afghanistan's 229 stories about harm, carried by 419 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (154 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Singapore

101 of its 194 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

125 of its 154 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Idlib accounted for 88 of Syria's 125 stories about harm, carried by 119 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 69 of Iran's 100 stories about harm, carried by 265 outlets. Earthquake was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Azerbaijan

82 of its 174 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (70 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kazakhstan

26 of its 34 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Papua New Guinea (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Australia (93 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); natural hazards in Ethiopia (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); respiratory illness in Philippines (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Iran (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 22 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10011 Jan18 Jan25 Jan1 Feb9 Feb11 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 1005 Feb: 20 in 1006 Feb: 21 in 1007 Feb: 21 in 1008 Feb: 22 in 1009 Feb: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 9 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 12,996 stories about harm among 56,400 counted on 9 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 5 January 2020. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 56,400 stories, above the usual 20. Thailand's news was 89% about people being harmed, against a usual 29%. People injured were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Thailand and the US. the news turned to Thailand for the second day running. This week the news turned most often to China, on 5 of 7 days; help rose on 2 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Thailand89 in 100 of its 576 stories · usually 29 · mostly conflict & violence Puerto Rico82 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 76 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria81 in 100 of its 154 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan73 in 100 of its 312 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence China73 in 100 of its 2,551 stories · usually 58 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 387 Wuhan China69 stories about protests or strikes, of its 990 Washington US56 stories about protests or strikes, of its 239 Delhi India41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 139 Newark US39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 101

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: 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 lessTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & 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 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 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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 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 lessLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGuyana: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominican 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBosnia 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 lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: 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 lessAfghanistan: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: 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 readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualLake Chad, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 42 outletsHollywood, US -- health: 141 stories, carried by 360 outletsDublin, Ireland -- conflict & violence: 100 stories, carried by 224 outletsLeola, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 10 stories, carried by 20 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 22 stories, carried by 18 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- shelter & services: 23 stories, carried by 19 outletsRome, Italy -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 28 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

● Lake Chad Nigeria about 4 times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Hollywood US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 141 stories ● Dublin Ireland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 100 stories ● Leola US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health37% 4,746 stories · more than usual (usually 34%) Disasters & accidents18% 2,314 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 2,287 stories · much less than usual (usually 24%) Conflict & violence15% 1,955 stories · more than usual (usually 12%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 587 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 425 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 336 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 188 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 killed4,137 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,573 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting people injured1,206 at about twice the usual rate · most about Thailand and the US Stories reporting arrests1,041 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations446 at about twice the usual rate · most about China and Thailand Stories reporting refugees197 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Azerbaijan and Syria Stories reporting people displaced183 at about twice the usual rate · most about Azerbaijan and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill146 at about twice the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting abductions139 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Thailand and Nigeria

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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.