← 3 Jan Thursday 4 January 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
45,749 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 →

Protests in Tehran (Iran), deaths in Lima and evacuations in Italy drew the news. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada →
Part of lifeDisasters & accidents 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostSouth Africa 52 in 100 of its 1,475 stories, usually 21
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 37 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Iran

1,833 of its 2,620 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Tehran accounted for 767 of Iran's 1,833 stories about harm, carried by 476 outlets. 673 of Tehran's 767 stories were about protests or strikes. Drought was named in 37 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Peru

151 of its 263 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Lima accounted for 116 of Peru's 151 stories about harm, carried by 106 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Italy

226 of its 868 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Hepatitis was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Syria

267 of its 344 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Ghouta accounted for 155 of Syria's 267 stories about harm, carried by 100 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (142 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Ethiopia

114 of its 177 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. 29 of Addis Ababa's 37 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (55 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Brazil

156 of its 539 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. 73 of Sao Paulo's 76 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (130 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Ireland

353 of its 1,372 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (103 stories). Flu was named in 28 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Disasters & accidents

South Africa

773 of its 1,475 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

300 of its 786 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (8 stories). Tropical storm was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with norovirus.

Disasters & accidents

Madagascar

22 of its 27 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Plague was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Also named far more than usual: diphtheria in Bangladesh (62 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); house fires in Belgium (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in Madagascar (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in Netherlands (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); landslides in Congo (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 22 the day before
27 in 10019 in 1006 Dec13 Dec20 Dec27 Dec4 Jan6 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 1003 Jan: 22 in 1004 Jan: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 45,749 stories about harm among 201,381 counted on 4 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

It was the sixth day running that the news turned to Iran. of the day's 201,381 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. Mentions of the diphtheria ran about 8 times their usual in Bangladesh's news. A year earlier, on 4 January 2017, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 23 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: no storiesMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: no storiesNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): no storiesWestern Sahara (Free Zone): no storiesCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: near the world's share or lessMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: near the world's share or lessGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 44 in 100 of its 548 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Zambia: 51 in 100 of its 128 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Yemen: 81 in 100 of its 226 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Vietnam: 34 in 100 of its 431 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Venezuela: 32 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Türkiye: 41 in 100 of its 817 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Tunisia: 63 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Trinidad & Tobago: 41 in 100 of its 116 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Tajikistan: 39 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Syria: 78 in 100 of its 344 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)South Sudan: 52 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)South Africa: 52 in 100 of its 1,475 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Somalia: 75 in 100 of its 159 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Philippines: 34 in 100 of its 1,280 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Peru: 57 in 100 of its 263 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Pakistan: 49 in 100 of its 2,002 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Nigeria: 35 in 100 of its 2,093 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)New Zealand: 38 in 100 of its 786 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Montenegro: 75 in 100 of its 32 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Madagascar: 81 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Libya: 58 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Israel: 38 in 100 of its 1,974 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Palestine: 31 in 100 of its 1,112 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Iraq: 45 in 100 of its 194 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Iran: 70 in 100 of its 2,620 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Indonesia: 47 in 100 of its 398 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Haiti: 48 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Guatemala: 46 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Germany: 35 in 100 of its 1,347 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ethiopia: 64 in 100 of its 177 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Equatorial Guinea: 85 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)El Salvador: 55 in 100 of its 33 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Egypt: 48 in 100 of its 632 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Congo: 78 in 100 of its 76 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Cambodia: 45 in 100 of its 94 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Myanmar: 45 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Brazil: 29 in 100 of its 539 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Bangladesh: 38 in 100 of its 491 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Armenia: 36 in 100 of its 67 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Algeria: 59 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Afghanistan: 73 in 100 of its 434 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 33 in 100 of its 241 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Palestine: 31 in 100 of its 1,112 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Palestine: 31 in 100 of its 1,112 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 33 in 100 of its 241 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 33 in 100 of its 241 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Palestine: 31 in 100 of its 1,112 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 33 in 100 of its 241 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 23 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were softer 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

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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.