← 22 Jan Tuesday 23 January 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
45,865 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to violence in Kabul, protests in Akobo (South Sudan) and storms in Palestine. Afghanistan's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBotswana 61 in 100 of its 166 stories, usually 18
RegionEast Asia 19 in 100 of its stories, usually 14
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

606 of its 748 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Kabul accounted for 500 of Afghanistan's 606 stories about harm, carried by 584 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (269 stories). Flu was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with bird flu. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Protests & strikes

South Sudan

123 of its 140 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Akobo accounted for 99 of South Sudan's 123 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. 80 of Akobo's 99 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (84 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

South Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Akobo stories →
Rights & justice

Palestine

692 of its 1,142 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Ramallah accounted for 404 of Palestine's 692 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets. Storms were named in 92 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Ramallah stories →
Health

Botswana

101 of its 166 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (89 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 86 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Venezuela

162 of its 290 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Caracas accounted for 127 of Venezuela's 162 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. 110 of Caracas' 127 stories were about protests or strikes. Hunger was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Myanmar

111 of its 152 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Yangon accounted for 95 of Myanmar's 111 stories about harm, carried by 168 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (81 stories). Power cuts were named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

73 of its 100 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

721 of its 1,687 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Japan

797 of its 2,547 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (577 stories). Power cuts were named in 42 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Displacement

Czechia

71 of its 198 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (27 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drownings in Trinidad & Tobago (27 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Switzerland (123 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); power cuts in Myanmar (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cholera in Zimbabwe (26 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); heavy rain in France (52 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 21 the day before
27 in 10020 in 10025 Dec1 Jan8 Jan15 Jan23 Jan25 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 1005 Jan: 22 in 1006 Jan: 24 in 1007 Jan: 24 in 1008 Jan: 22 in 1009 Jan: 21 in 10010 Jan: 20 in 10011 Jan: 21 in 10012 Jan: 22 in 10013 Jan: 25 in 10014 Jan: 24 in 10015 Jan: 24 in 10016 Jan: 23 in 10017 Jan: 22 in 10018 Jan: 22 in 10019 Jan: 22 in 10020 Jan: 25 in 10021 Jan: 25 in 10022 Jan: 21 in 10023 Jan: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 45,865 stories about harm among 214,909 counted on 23 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

In Botswana's news, mentions of tuberculosis ran more than ten times their usual. the news turned to Afghanistan for the second day running. 21 in every 100 of the day's 214,909 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 23. In Afghanistan, 81% of the news was about people being harmed, where 70% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Central African Republic92 in 100 of its 73 stories · usually 50 · mostly displacement South Sudan88 in 100 of its 140 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan81 in 100 of its 748 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Congo80 in 100 of its 103 stories · usually 73 · mostly rights & justice Myanmar73 in 100 of its 152 stories · usually 61 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel452 stories about protests or strikes, of its 655 Johannesburg South Africa303 stories about protests or strikes, of its 417 Damascus Syria251 stories about protests or strikes, of its 385 Washington US242 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1289 Kabul Afghanistan209 stories about protests or strikes, of its 500

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 lessVietnam: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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 readSri 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 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 lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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 lessRomania: 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: 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: too little coverage to readMalaysia: 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 lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: too little coverage to readLatvia: 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 lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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 lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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 lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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 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 lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: 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 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 readArgentina: 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 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: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualSenegal: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about twice its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualNamibia: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about twice its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCzechia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about twice its own usualPalestine: warmth about twice its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about twice its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMaldives: warmth about its own usualMahatma, India -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 28 stories, carried by 26 outletsDakar, Senegal -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 21 outletsXinjiang, China -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 14 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- health: 16 stories, carried by 38 outletsFresno, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsAmhara, Ethiopia -- rights & justice: 25 stories, carried by 18 outletsMontana, US -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 17 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

● Palestine warmth about twice usual ● New Zealand warmth about twice usual ● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Senegal warmth about one and a half times usual ● South Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Mahatma India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Darfur Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 28 stories ● Dakar Senegal about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 19 stories ● Xinjiang China about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Sunshine Coast Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 12,654 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents22% 9,939 stories · about as usual Health20% 9,162 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence16% 7,110 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 2,281 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,432 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,404 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 903 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 killed12,206 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people affected6,499 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,823 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,238 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting evacuations928 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the UK and the Philippines Stories reporting refugees925 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions497 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced459 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill52 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria

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 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

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.