← 22 Dec Sunday 23 December 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,075 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 →

The day's news pointed at protests in Managua (Nicaragua), the tsunami in Indonesia and violence in Warsaw. Poland's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeDisasters & accidents 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostIndonesia 88 in 100 of its 2,735 stories, usually 38
RegionSoutheast Asia 69 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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 →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

76 of its 81 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 73%. Managua accounted for 69 of Nicaragua's 76 stories about harm, carried by 73 outlets. 66 of Managua's 69 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (64 stories). Wildfires were named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Nicaragua over 30 days → its stories → Managua stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

2,420 of its 2,735 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. the Sunda Strait accounted for 1,469 of Indonesia's 2,420 stories about harm, carried by 1,424 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (1,460 stories). Tsunami was named in 2,380 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with volcanic eruption and landslides.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Sunda Strait stories →
Conflict & violence

Poland

123 of its 183 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Warsaw accounted for 110 of Poland's 123 stories about harm, carried by 113 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (80 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories → Warsaw stories →
Rights & justice

Canada

505 of its 2,104 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (35 stories). Storms were named in 51 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with power cuts and drought. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

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

Sudan

137 of its 172 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Khartoum accounted for 103 of Sudan's 137 stories about harm, carried by 90 outlets. 102 of Khartoum's 103 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (37 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

90 of its 102 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Mogadishu accounted for 84 of Somalia's 90 stories about harm, carried by 66 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Japan

298 of its 1,006 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (241 stories). Heatwave was named in 39 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

France

427 of its 1,002 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 165 of Paris' 309 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Morocco

115 of its 163 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (105 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Russia

345 of its 940 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (186 stories). Accidents were named in 120 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: snowstorms in Norway (64 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); accidents in Russia (120 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); food poisoning in Türkiye (50 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); heavy rain in Sri Lanka (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Nepal (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 21 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10024 Nov1 Dec8 Dec15 Dec23 Dec24 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 10018 Dec: 18 in 10019 Dec: 17 in 10020 Dec: 18 in 10021 Dec: 19 in 10022 Dec: 21 in 10023 Dec: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 18,075 stories about harm among 86,012 counted on 23 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Nicaragua for the second day running. A year earlier, on 23 December 2017, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today. of the day's 86,012 news stories, 21 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. Nicaragua stood out: 94% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 73%. This week the news turned most often to Morocco, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Nicaragua94 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 73 · mostly rights & justice Indonesia88 in 100 of its 2,735 stories · usually 38 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia88 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Congo81 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan80 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Paris France165 stories about protests or strikes, of its 309 Jerusalem Israel119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 338 Khartoum Sudan102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 103 Riverchase US93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 96 Washington US71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 439

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 lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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 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 lessSomalia: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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 lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: 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 lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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 lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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 lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: 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: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about twice its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualBamako, Mali -- conflict & violence: 46 stories, carried by 52 outletsDamascus, Syria -- conflict & violence: 86 stories, carried by 83 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 99 stories, carried by 92 outletsHodeida, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 84 stories, carried by 71 outletsYeovil, UK -- health: 40 stories, carried by 148 outletsKarachi, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 33 stories, carried by 16 outletsChennai, India -- rights & justice: 73 stories, carried by 40 outletsGrand Canyon, US -- shelter & services: 49 stories, carried by 66 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

● Mali warmth about twice usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● Guatemala warmth about one and a half times usual ● Egypt warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bamako Mali about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 46 stories ● Damascus Syria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 86 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 99 stories ● Hodeida Yemen about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 84 stories ● Yeovil UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 40 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Disasters & accidents27% 4,841 stories · much more than usual (usually 17%) Rights & justice24% 4,313 stories · much less than usual (usually 30%) Conflict & violence20% 3,563 stories · about as usual Health15% 2,583 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,021 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 576 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 484 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 418 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 killed6,537 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people affected2,997 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people injured2,750 at about twice the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting arrests2,575 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations264 at about twice the usual rate · most about Russia and Canada Stories reporting people displaced250 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Syria Stories reporting refugees247 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions111 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Greece and the US Stories reporting people falling ill23 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Türkiye

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.

● 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.