← 27 Dec Thursday 28 December 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
37,113 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 violence in Kabul, abductions in Peru and people killed in Namibia. Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostAfghanistan 92 in 100 of its 1,565 stories, usually 60
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

1,432 of its 1,565 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Kabul accounted for 1,358 of Afghanistan's 1,432 stories about harm, carried by 1,276 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (1,240 stories). Power cuts were named in 36 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Rights & justice

Peru

196 of its 366 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Hurricane was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Syria

561 of its 653 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Ghouta accounted for 305 of Syria's 561 stories about harm, carried by 389 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (200 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Tunisia

40 of its 58 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Tunis accounted for 39 of Tunisia's 40 stories about harm, carried by 12 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

61 of its 204 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (28 stories). Food poisoning was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with poisoning. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Russia

1,115 of its 2,805 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Uganda

134 of its 264 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (74 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Jordan

76 of its 237 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (38 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Indonesia (51 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); food poisoning in Armenia (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); bird flu in Bahrain (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in North Korea (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Egypt (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 23 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10029 Nov6 Dec13 Dec20 Dec28 Dec29 Nov: 19 in 10030 Nov: 19 in 1001 Dec: 20 in 1002 Dec: 21 in 1003 Dec: 20 in 1004 Dec: 19 in 1005 Dec: 20 in 1006 Dec: 20 in 1007 Dec: 19 in 1008 Dec: 20 in 1009 Dec: 23 in 10010 Dec: 24 in 10011 Dec: 22 in 10012 Dec: 21 in 10013 Dec: 20 in 10014 Dec: 20 in 10015 Dec: 19 in 10016 Dec: 21 in 10017 Dec: 22 in 10018 Dec: 22 in 10019 Dec: 21 in 10020 Dec: 20 in 10021 Dec: 20 in 10022 Dec: 20 in 10023 Dec: 23 in 10024 Dec: 23 in 10025 Dec: 24 in 10026 Dec: 23 in 10027 Dec: 23 in 10028 Dec: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 Dec. 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 37,113 stories about harm among 163,782 counted on 28 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Indonesia's news mentioned storms more than ten times as often as usual. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. In Afghanistan, 92% of the news was about people being harmed, where 60% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 163,782 stories, above the usual 21.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan92 in 100 of its 1,565 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen87 in 100 of its 231 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Syria86 in 100 of its 653 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia77 in 100 of its 145 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Guatemala72 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 34 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel302 stories about protests or strikes, of its 720 Washington US237 stories about protests or strikes, of its 925 Ramallah Palestine151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 193 Mashhad Iran142 stories about protests or strikes, of its 143 Beijing China103 stories about protests or strikes, of its 346

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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 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 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 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessIsrael: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: 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 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 lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: too little coverage to readAksai 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: too little coverage to readSiachen Glacier: too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: too little coverage to readVatican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPhilippines: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGabon: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualAlbania: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualTulsi, India -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsIndore, India -- shelter & services: 45 stories, carried by 42 outletsLibreville, Gabon -- health: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsArizona, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 80 stories, carried by 80 outletsLincoln County, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 31 outletsTracadie, Canada -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 32 outletsLahore, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 16 outletsCairngorm, UK -- disasters & accidents: 16 stories, carried by 12 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

● Gabon warmth about one and a half times usual ● Philippines warmth about one and a half times usual ● Albania warmth about one and a half times usual ● Romania warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Tulsi India about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Indore India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 45 stories ● Libreville Gabon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 80 stories ● Lincoln County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 9,719 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents22% 7,848 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence20% 7,172 stories · about as usual Health18% 6,538 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,116 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,445 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 847 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 784 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 killed11,392 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,915 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Russia Stories reporting people affected4,664 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,164 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting refugees587 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations535 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced488 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the Philippines and Indonesia Stories reporting abductions319 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill38 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about France 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 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?

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.