← 18 Feb Wednesday 19 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,699 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 Tokyo, abductions in Yemen and the hunger in Niger drew the news. Yemen's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 40 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostJapan 38 in 100 of its 1,411 stories, usually 22
RegionCentral Asia 23 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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

Japan

534 of its 1,411 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Tokyo accounted for 344 of Japan's 534 stories about harm, carried by 879 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (128 stories). Ebola was named in 33 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cholera.

Japan over 30 days → its stories → Tokyo stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

66 of its 80 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Cholera was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Yemen over 30 days → its stories →
Displacement

Niger

21 of its 29 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Hunger was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Niger over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

South Sudan

33 of its 59 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Outbreaks were named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Ukraine

76 of its 331 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 106 of Iran's 195 stories about harm, carried by 364 outlets. Covid was named in 59 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with outbreaks, flu and respiratory illness. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Libya

Tripoli accounted for 70 of Libya's 78 stories about harm, carried by 156 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Türkiye

25 of Istanbul's 34 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Idlib accounted for 200 of Syria's 282 stories about harm, carried by 344 outlets. Extreme cold was named in 51 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with flooding and storms. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

North Korea

31 of its 49 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Iran (59 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Ecuador (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); extreme cold in Syria (51 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in Latvia (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in Egypt (14 of its stories, about three times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
23 in 10018 in 10021 Jan28 Jan4 Feb11 Feb19 Feb21 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 10010 Feb: 21 in 10011 Feb: 20 in 10012 Feb: 20 in 10013 Feb: 20 in 10014 Feb: 20 in 10015 Feb: 22 in 10016 Feb: 23 in 10017 Feb: 21 in 10018 Feb: 20 in 10019 Feb: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 23,699 stories about harm among 120,858 counted on 19 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Iran's news mentioned Covid about 7 times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 120,858 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. In Japan, 38% of the news was about people being harmed, where 22% is usual. On 19 February 2019, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen82 in 100 of its 80 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia68 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Syria67 in 100 of its 420 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence China62 in 100 of its 4,435 stories · usually 66 · mostly health Hong Kong59 in 100 of its 156 stories · usually 47 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 458 Beijing China49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 416 Delhi India44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 154 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 461 Wuhan China30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 787

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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 lessUnited 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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 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 readOman: 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: too little coverage to readWestern 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 lessMalawi: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: 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 lessIreland: too little coverage to readIraq: 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 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 readSt 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessAngola: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualOgun State, Nigeria -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 49 stories, carried by 56 outletsGrand Rapids, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsKansas City, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 32 stories, carried by 148 outletsNiger Delta, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 15 outletsNablus, Palestine -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 19 outletsPulwama, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 20 outletsIslamabad, Pakistan -- rights & justice: 70 stories, carried by 53 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

● Ogun State Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 49 stories ● Grand Rapids US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Kansas City US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 32 stories ● Niger Delta Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health40% 9,241 stories · about as usual Rights & justice25% 5,782 stories · more than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents13% 3,140 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 2,136 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,164 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 741 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 644 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 455 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 killed5,922 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting people affected2,621 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,414 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured860 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations498 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees242 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced238 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and Libya Stories reporting abductions187 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill119 at about half the usual rate · most about China 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.

● Angerabout as 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.