← 16 Dec Monday 17 December 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
28,232 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 protests in Pulwama (Kashmir), rights and justice in Kampala and violence in Gandarshe. Somalia's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 55 in 100 of its 246 stories, usually 17
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
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

Kashmir

165 of its 292 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Pulwama accounted for 103 of Kashmir's 165 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. 71 of Pulwama's 103 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Pulwama stories →
Rights & justice

Uganda

97 of its 181 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Kampala accounted for 72 of Uganda's 97 stories about harm, carried by 93 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Uganda over 30 days → its stories → Kampala stories →
Displacement

Germany

229 of its 1,149 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (150 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Hungary

132 of its 508 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. 93 of Budapest's 94 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (56 stories). Flooding was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kenya

145 of its 423 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. 55 of Nairobi's 80 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (79 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Spain

359 of its 958 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. 19 of Barcelona's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (308 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belgium

44 of Brussels' 58 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Congo

12 of the Congo River's 12 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Cholera was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

135 of its 246 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Pyongyang accounted for 123 of North Korea's 135 stories about harm, carried by 236 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: food poisoning in Antarctica (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Japan (64 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Indonesia (29 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hiv in Philippines (48 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cholera in Congo (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10018 Nov25 Nov2 Dec9 Dec17 Dec18 Nov: 23 in 10019 Nov: 20 in 10020 Nov: 20 in 10021 Nov: 20 in 10022 Nov: 20 in 10023 Nov: 20 in 10024 Nov: 21 in 10025 Nov: 22 in 10026 Nov: 21 in 10027 Nov: 19 in 10028 Nov: 19 in 10029 Nov: 19 in 10030 Nov: 19 in 1001 Dec: 23 in 1002 Dec: 19 in 1003 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 18 in 1005 Dec: 18 in 1006 Dec: 19 in 1007 Dec: 18 in 1008 Dec: 19 in 1009 Dec: 19 in 10010 Dec: 18 in 10011 Dec: 19 in 10012 Dec: 18 in 10013 Dec: 18 in 10014 Dec: 19 in 10015 Dec: 20 in 10016 Dec: 19 in 10017 Dec: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 Dec. 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 28,232 stories about harm among 158,597 counted on 17 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Kashmir for the third day running. 18 in every 100 of the day's 158,597 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 19. In Antarctica's news, mentions of food poisoning ran more than ten times their usual. A year earlier, on 17 December 2017, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 today. Kashmir's news was 57% about people being harmed, against a usual 39%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia94 in 100 of its 465 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Syria63 in 100 of its 339 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Congo63 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen62 in 100 of its 232 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan60 in 100 of its 470 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India276 stories about protests or strikes, of its 556 Washington US166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 906 Riyadh Saudi Arabia146 stories about protests or strikes, of its 283 Ramallah Palestine121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 438 Paris France107 stories about protests or strikes, of its 294

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: 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 lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 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 readSudan: 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 lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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 lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readMexico: 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 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 lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: 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 lessIsrael: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: 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 lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: 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 lessCameroon: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBelarus: 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 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 readArmenia: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: 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 readUganda: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about twice its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMaryland, US -- other: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsCadott, US -- health: 112 stories, carried by 122 outletsMayon Volcano, Philippines -- disasters & accidents: 15 stories, carried by 16 outletsPhilippine, Philippines -- disasters & accidents: 196 stories, carried by 212 outletsNottinghamshire, UK -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 17 outletsSinjar, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 32 outletsNorth Island, New Zealand -- health: 33 stories, carried by 36 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

● Philippines warmth about twice usual ● Libya warmth about one and a half times usual ● Belgium warmth about one and a half times usual ● Uganda warmth about one and a half times usual ● Italy warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Maryland US about three times as warm as the day's news · other · 14 stories ● Cadott US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 112 stories ● Mayon Volcano Philippines about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 15 stories ● Philippine Philippines about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 196 stories ● Nottinghamshire UK about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 7,979 stories · about as usual Health21% 5,924 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence19% 5,168 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 4,041 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,697 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 1,267 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,002 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 593 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 killed7,721 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,031 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,897 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,954 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting refugees427 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations254 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced203 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting abductions154 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill35 at less than a quarter of the usual rate · most about the US and Mexico

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

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.