← 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.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
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.

Peru over 30 days → its stories → Lima stories →
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.

Italy over 30 days → its stories →
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.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Ghouta stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →

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 all →

Equatorial Guinea85 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen81 in 100 of its 226 stories · usually 77 · mostly conflict & violence Congo78 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 78 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria78 in 100 of its 344 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia75 in 100 of its 159 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran673 stories about protests or strikes, of its 767 Washington US360 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1739 Mashhad Iran266 stories about protests or strikes, of its 275 Denver US172 stories about protests or strikes, of its 445 Jerusalem Israel152 stories about protests or strikes, of its 418

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: too little coverage to readPortugal: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: too little coverage to readNiue: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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 lessPalestine: 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 lessIran: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: 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 lessGabon: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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 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: too little coverage to readChile: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSpain: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCroatia: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualNorth Dakota, US -- shelter & services: 38 stories, carried by 56 outletsDeltona, US -- disasters & accidents: 161 stories, carried by 95 outletsYangon, Myanmar -- rights & justice: 35 stories, carried by 25 outletsSouth Vietnam, Vietnam -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 19 outletsOmoku, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsIslamabad, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 395 stories, carried by 212 outletsMuskoka, Canada -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 10 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

● Myanmar warmth about one and a half times usual ● Pakistan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● North Dakota US about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 38 stories ● Deltona US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 161 stories ● Yangon Myanmar about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 35 stories ● South Vietnam Vietnam about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Disasters & accidents29% 13,014 stories · much more than usual (usually 20%) Rights & justice25% 11,144 stories · less than usual (usually 27%) Health19% 8,604 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 6,336 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 2,260 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,730 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 922 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 721 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 killed14,471 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,683 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,047 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,776 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions560 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees434 at about half the usual rate · most about Germany and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced329 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting evacuations284 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill171 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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 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

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.