← 17 Jan Tuesday 18 January 2022 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,965 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to oil spill in Tonga, violence in Sanaa and protests in Khartoum (Sudan). Yemen's coverage was about 5 times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostPoland 57 in 100 of its 182 stories, usually 27
RegionOceania 39 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Tonga

419 of its 444 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 80%. Tongatapu accounted for 145 of Tonga's 419 stories about harm, carried by 419 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (226 stories). Oil spill was named in 52 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with poisoning. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Tonga over 30 days → its stories → Tongatapu stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

175 of its 207 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Sanaa accounted for 104 of Yemen's 175 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (86 stories). Its coverage was about 5 times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Yemen over 30 days → its stories → Sanaa stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 69 of Sudan's 85 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. 62 of Khartoum's 69 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Health

Hong Kong

139 of its 193 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories). Outbreaks were named in 62 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Hong Kong over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Peru

39 of its 70 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Lima accounted for 26 of Peru's 39 stories about harm, carried by 56 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Oil spill was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Afghanistan

181 of its 264 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (51 stories). Earthquake was named in 53 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

29 of its 36 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Mogadishu accounted for 18 of Somalia's 29 stories about harm, carried by 31 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Norway

55 of its 144 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

United Arab Emirates

174 of its 524 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Poland

103 of its 182 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Warsaw accounted for 81 of Poland's 103 stories about harm, carried by 87 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Afghanistan (53 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); oil spill in Peru (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Indonesia (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); avalanche in Kashmir (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); illness in Kazakhstan (10 of its stories, about three times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 27 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10020 Dec27 Dec3 Jan10 Jan18 Jan20 Dec: 27 in 10021 Dec: 27 in 10022 Dec: 27 in 10023 Dec: 28 in 10024 Dec: 28 in 10025 Dec: 29 in 10026 Dec: 30 in 10027 Dec: 29 in 10028 Dec: 30 in 10029 Dec: 30 in 10030 Dec: 30 in 10031 Dec: 31 in 1001 Jan: 31 in 1002 Jan: 30 in 1003 Jan: 30 in 1004 Jan: 29 in 1005 Jan: 29 in 1006 Jan: 29 in 1007 Jan: 29 in 1008 Jan: 30 in 1009 Jan: 30 in 10010 Jan: 28 in 10011 Jan: 28 in 10012 Jan: 27 in 10013 Jan: 27 in 10014 Jan: 27 in 10015 Jan: 28 in 10016 Jan: 29 in 10017 Jan: 27 in 10018 Jan: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 Jan. 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 21,965 stories about harm among 83,466 counted on 18 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 17 December 2021. 26 in every 100 of the day's 83,466 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 29. For the fourth day running, the news turned to Tonga. Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about twice the usual rate. Abductions were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Tonga94 in 100 of its 444 stories · usually 80 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen85 in 100 of its 207 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Hong Kong72 in 100 of its 193 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 264 stories · usually 51 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan67 in 100 of its 126 stories · usually 65 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 789 Khartoum Sudan62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 69 Colleyville US31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 258 Los Angeles US29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 174 Chicago US29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 168

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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 lessPuerto Rico: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: 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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: 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 readCzech 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 readUkraine: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualEdwardsville, US -- disasters & accidents: 38 stories, carried by 109 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- rights & justice: 69 stories, carried by 94 outletsTravis County, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsSussex, UK -- conflict & violence: 50 stories, carried by 111 outletsVaranasi, India -- health: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsCanberra, Australia -- health: 11 stories, carried by 14 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 41 stories, carried by 18 outletsAdelaide, Australia -- health: 17 stories, carried by 21 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

● Edwardsville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 38 stories ● Khartoum Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 69 stories ● Travis County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 50 stories ● Varanasi India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 11,904 stories · less than usual (usually 59%) Rights & justice16% 3,482 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 2,661 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,852 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 584 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 583 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 434 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 240 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 killed4,941 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,536 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,502 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,101 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions431 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people displaced132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees99 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations90 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Tonga Stories reporting people falling ill25 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 harsher 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.