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What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
39,250 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 news turned to protests in Tehran (Iran), violence in Islamabad and deaths in Bishkek. Kyrgyzstan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 25 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostKyrgyzstan 89 in 100 of its 64 stories, usually 14
RegionCentral Asia 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 12
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 →
Protests & strikes

Iran

2,961 of its 3,793 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tehran accounted for 1,832 of Iran's 2,961 stories about harm, carried by 1,250 outlets. 1,732 of Tehran's 1,832 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (672 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Pakistan

1,647 of its 2,487 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Islamabad accounted for 1,199 of Pakistan's 1,647 stories about harm, carried by 794 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (21 stories). Building collapse was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. 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.

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Kyrgyzstan

57 of its 64 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Bishkek accounted for 55 of Kyrgyzstan's 57 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

North Macedonia

63 of its 75 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Skopje accounted for 56 of North Macedonia's 63 stories about harm, carried by 59 outlets. Earthquake was named in 60 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Brazil

262 of its 569 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. 67 of Rio Grande do Norte's 67 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (232 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Peru

146 of its 222 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Lima accounted for 134 of Peru's 146 stories about harm, carried by 193 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (62 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Costa Rica

258 of its 314 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Punta Islita accounted for 172 of Costa Rica's 258 stories about harm, carried by 321 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Belarus

27 of its 46 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. 26 of Minsk's 26 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 9 times the usual rate (26 stories).

Rights & justice

Dominican Republic

49 of its 75 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (46 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

South Africa

347 of its 842 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about 8 times the usual rate (177 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

Also named far more than usual: hiv in Uganda (47 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); hunger in Burkina Faso (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Liberia (20 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in Spain (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); diphtheria in Yemen (23 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 27 the day before
27 in 10019 in 1004 Dec11 Dec18 Dec25 Dec2 Jan4 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 1002 Jan: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 39,250 stories about harm among 157,281 counted on 2 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the fourth day running, the news turned to Iran. North Macedonia's news mentioned the earthquake more than ten times as often as usual. 25 in every 100 of the day's 157,281 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. On 2 January 2017, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where it happened

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
New Delhi, India -- attacks & violence: 311 stories, carried by 147 outlets; harsh wording in 93 in 100Toronto, Canada -- accidents & disasters: 191 stories, carried by 181 outlets; harsh wording in 81 in 100Skopje, North Macedonia -- accidents & disasters: 56 stories, carried by 59 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Nile Delta, Egypt -- attacks & violence: 57 stories, carried by 59 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Goias, Brazil -- protests & strikes: 63 stories, carried by 62 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil -- protests & strikes: 67 stories, carried by 85 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Bedfordshire, UK -- accidents & disasters: 102 stories, carried by 179 outlets; harsh wording in 87 in 100Jerusalem, Israel -- attacks & violence: 572 stories, carried by 198 outlets; harsh wording in 93 in 100Sydney, Australia -- deaths, cause not given: 243 stories, carried by 317 outlets; harsh wording in 78 in 100Northern Ireland, UK -- accidents & disasters: 121 stories, carried by 172 outlets; harsh wording in 89 in 100Table Mountain, South Africa -- deaths, cause not given: 194 stories, carried by 225 outlets; harsh wording in 79 in 100Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan -- deaths, cause not given: 55 stories, carried by 105 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Lima, Peru -- deaths, cause not given: 134 stories, carried by 193 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Cairo, Egypt -- attacks & violence: 214 stories, carried by 168 outlets; harsh wording in 96 in 100Nangarhar, Afghanistan -- attacks & violence: 98 stories, carried by 130 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Kabul, Afghanistan -- attacks & violence: 112 stories, carried by 158 outlets; harsh wording in 95 in 100Comilla, Bangladesh -- protests & strikes: 79 stories, carried by 165 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Lahore, Pakistan -- attacks & violence: 153 stories, carried by 240 outlets; harsh wording in 88 in 100Mashhad, Iran -- protests & strikes: 329 stories, carried by 274 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Punta Islita, Costa Rica -- accidents & disasters: 172 stories, carried by 321 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Omaha, US -- accidents & disasters: 213 stories, carried by 402 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Washington, US -- attacks & violence: 1,602 stories, carried by 1,254 outlets; harsh wording in 92 in 100Islamabad, Pakistan -- attacks & violence: 1,199 stories, carried by 794 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Tehran, Iran -- protests & strikes: 1,832 stories, carried by 1,250 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersPeople displacedDeaths, cause not givenProtests & strikesDisease & outbreaks

The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its stories.

The day in three measures

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were harsher than 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?

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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.