← 31 Dec Monday 1 January 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,076 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 a disaster in Punta Islita, protests in Tehran (Iran) and violence in Islamabad. Pakistan's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 25 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostCosta Rica 81 in 100 of its 1,013 stories, usually 19
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Costa Rica

822 of its 1,013 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Punta Islita accounted for 690 of Costa Rica's 822 stories about harm, carried by 896 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (796 stories). Accidents were named in 84 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Costa Rica over 30 days → its stories → Punta Islita stories →
Protests & strikes

Iran

2,158 of its 2,570 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Tehran accounted for 1,127 of Iran's 2,158 stories about harm, carried by 870 outlets. 1,083 of Tehran's 1,127 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (1,245 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

1,133 of its 1,877 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Islamabad accounted for 709 of Pakistan's 1,133 stories about harm, carried by 630 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories → Islamabad stories →
Rights & justice

UK

1,235 of its 4,740 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (233 stories). Hunger was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

UK over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Syria

320 of its 398 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Damascus accounted for 223 of Syria's 320 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. 191 of Damascus' 223 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

New Zealand

155 of its 564 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 13 of Waiheke Island's 23 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (48 stories). Heavy rain was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with drownings and drought.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

208 of its 311 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (160 stories). Drownings were named in 38 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Trinidad & Tobago

41 of its 62 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Flooding was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

1,282 of its 3,875 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (24 stories). Drought was named in 40 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

154 of its 296 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Trinidad & Tobago (27 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); snowstorms in France (51 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Palestine (108 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in New Zealand (32 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); drownings in Indonesia (38 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 27 the day before
27 in 10019 in 1003 Dec10 Dec17 Dec24 Dec1 Jan3 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 10029 Dec: 24 in 10030 Dec: 27 in 10031 Dec: 27 in 1001 Jan: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 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 27,076 stories about harm among 99,931 counted on 1 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 2 October 2017. In Costa Rica, 81% of the news was about people being harmed, where 19% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 27 in every 100 of the day's 99,931 stories, above the usual 22. Mentions of flooding ran about 9 times their usual in Trinidad & Tobago's news. Over December, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 22 in December 2016.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen88 in 100 of its 136 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Iran84 in 100 of its 2,570 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice Costa Rica81 in 100 of its 1,013 stories · usually 19 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria80 in 100 of its 398 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Congo79 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 77 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran1083 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1127 Mashhad Iran356 stories about protests or strikes, of its 368 Washington US305 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1099 Izeh Iran302 stories about protests or strikes, of its 304 Las Vegas US230 stories about protests or strikes, of its 518

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 lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: 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: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: 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: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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 readOman: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominican 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: 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 lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: too little coverage to readAustria: 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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 readVietnam: warmth about one and a half times its own usualThailand: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGabon: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMarion Bay, Australia -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 65 outletsNiger Delta, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 19 stories, carried by 17 outletsNiagara Falls, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 20 stories, carried by 16 outletsKinshasa, DR Congo -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsIslamabad, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 709 stories, carried by 630 outletsLas Vegas, US -- conflict & violence: 518 stories, carried by 428 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 103 outletsMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 32 stories, carried by 18 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

● Pakistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Thailand warmth about one and a half times usual ● Vietnam warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Marion Bay Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 20 stories ● Niger Delta Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 19 stories ● Niagara Falls US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 20 stories ● Kinshasa DR Congo about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Islamabad Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 709 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice25% 6,769 stories · less than usual (usually 27%) Disasters & accidents24% 6,363 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence23% 6,020 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Health14% 3,677 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 1,939 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,054 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 461 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 454 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 killed11,632 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting arrests4,440 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iran and the US Stories reporting people injured3,645 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected2,298 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions227 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced225 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations196 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting refugees181 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting people falling ill18 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Vietnam

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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than 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.