← 26 Jan Saturday 27 January 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 28 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,470 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 the earthquake in Colombia, rights and justice in Riyadh and people affected in North Korea. North Korea's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 72 in 100 of its 683 stories, usually 29
RegionSouth Asia 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Colombia

120 of its 178 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Barranquilla accounted for 103 of Colombia's 120 stories about harm, carried by 106 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (105 stories). Earthquake was named in 22 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Barranquilla stories →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

494 of its 683 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Riyadh accounted for 448 of Saudi Arabia's 494 stories about harm, carried by 375 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (184 stories). Earthquake was named in 48 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Riyadh stories →
Food & livelihood

North Korea

139 of its 344 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (118 stories). Hepatitis was named in 121 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tuberculosis. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Venezuela

165 of its 260 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Caracas accounted for 115 of Venezuela's 165 stories about harm, carried by 102 outlets. 101 of Caracas' 115 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

1,733 of its 1,925 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Kabul accounted for 1,654 of Afghanistan's 1,733 stories about harm, carried by 1,393 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (99 stories). Building collapse was named in 47 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

India

1,417 of its 5,387 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 151 of New Delhi's 299 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (409 stories). Polio was named in 31 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with volcanic eruption.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

170 of its 186 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (91 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Algeria

70 of its 89 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (50 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Kiribati

66 of its 83 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Nonouti Island accounted for 56 of Kiribati's 66 stories about harm, carried by 56 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (65 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

South Korea

226 of its 717 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (125 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in Haiti (38 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); landslides in Albania (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); typhoon in Philippines (65 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); rabies in Malaysia (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); rabies in Switzerland (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 20 the day before
27 in 10020 in 10029 Dec5 Jan12 Jan19 Jan27 Jan29 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 10024 Jan: 20 in 10025 Jan: 20 in 10026 Jan: 20 in 10027 Jan: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 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 27,470 stories about harm among 121,052 counted on 27 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

North Korea's news mentioned hepatitis more than ten times as often as usual. 23 in every 100 of the day's 121,052 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. A year earlier, on 27 January 2017, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 23 today. Colombia's news was 67% about people being harmed, against a usual 42%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mali91 in 100 of its 186 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan90 in 100 of its 1,925 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Libya82 in 100 of its 108 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Kiribati80 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 33 · mostly disasters & accidents Algeria79 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 30 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kabul Afghanistan286 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1654 Washington US170 stories about protests or strikes, of its 918 New Delhi India151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 299 Tegucigalpa Honduras104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 110 Caracas Venezuela101 stories about protests or strikes, of its 115

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: 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 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: 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: 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 readTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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 lessSaudi Arabia: 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 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 lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: too little coverage to readJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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 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 lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEcuador: 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 readDR 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 lessHong Kong: too little coverage to readChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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: 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 lessBotswana: 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 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 lessAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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 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: 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 readZambia: warmth about its own usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualGuinea-Bissau: warmth about its own usualGuinea: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCosta Rica: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualCentral African Republic: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualDunscore, UK -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 152 outletsMinnesota, US -- health: 35 stories, carried by 36 outletsGreat Barrier Reef, Australia -- health: 12 stories, carried by 30 outletsComox, Canada -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 16 outletsVirginia, US -- health: 47 stories, carried by 45 outletsAnadolu, Türkiye -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 12 outletsLeuven, Belgium -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsJaipur, India -- rights & justice: 25 stories, carried by 16 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

● Czechia warmth about one and a half times usual ● North Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● South Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Peru warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Dunscore UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories ● Minnesota US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 35 stories ● Great Barrier Reef Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Comox Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 17 stories ● Virginia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 47 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 8,042 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence24% 6,534 stories · much more than usual (usually 17%) Health18% 4,952 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 4,198 stories · much less than usual (usually 22%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,358 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 745 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 735 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 403 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 killed9,311 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,169 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting arrests3,848 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,453 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees585 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations413 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about France and the US Stories reporting abductions354 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced219 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the Philippines and the US Stories reporting people falling ill24 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India

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 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?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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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.