What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
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The news turned to wildfires in Chile, illness in Windhoek and violence in Baghdad. Iraq's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.
Disasters & accidents
160 of its 188 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Villa Alemana accounted for 51 of Chile's 160 stories about harm, carried by 309 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Wildfires were named in 121 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with drought, heatwave and earthquake. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Health
112 of its 234 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Windhoek accounted for 72 of Namibia's 112 stories about harm, carried by 154 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (44 stories). Illness was named in 104 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Conflict & violence
121 of its 148 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Baghdad accounted for 55 of Iraq's 121 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (82 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Rights & justice
341 of its 1,110 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (76 stories). Power cuts were named in 20 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.
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence
182 of its 361 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (52 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Disasters & accidents
58 of its 129 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (19 stories). Earthquake was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with helicopter crash.
Conflict & violence
Sanaa accounted for 84 of Yemen's 124 stories about harm, carried by 319 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Disasters & accidents
47 of its 121 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Rights & justice
225 of its 627 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Heavy rain was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Conflict & violence
Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual:
earthquake in Türkiye (23 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in India (110 of its stories, about three times its usual); road crashes in Malaysia (10 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); flooding in Ireland (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Pakistan (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Read the day's briefing
Chile stood out: 85% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 18%. 19 in every 100 of the day's 51,883 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. For the second day running, the news turned to Chile. On 4 February 2023, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 19 today. This week the news turned most often to Iraq, on 3 of 7 days.
- 19 in every 100 of the day's 51,883 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 19).
- Chile: 160 of its 188 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%.
- Namibia: 112 of its 234 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%.
- Iraq: 121 of its 148 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%.
- Nigeria: 341 of its 1,110 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%.
- Mentions of wildfires ran about 5 times their usual in Chile's news.
- Mentions of the earthquake ran about 5 times their usual in Türkiye's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were much harsher than usual.
- It was the second day running that the news turned to Chile.
- A year earlier, on 4 February 2023, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.
- This week the news turned most often to Iraq, on 3 of 7 days.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
The day in three measures
harshwarm
The words in the day's stories were much 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?
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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.