← 23 Dec Monday 24 December 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 25 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,149 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 news turned to landslides in Indonesia, protests in Dhaka (Bangladesh) and people killed in North Korea. Somalia's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Indonesia and Syria → Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and Australia → Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostIndonesia 90 in 100 of its 2,663 stories, usually 48
RegionSoutheast Asia 65 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

2,386 of its 2,663 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. the Sunda Strait accounted for 1,245 of Indonesia's 2,386 stories about harm, carried by 899 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (112 stories). Landslides were named in 1,040 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with drownings and power cuts. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Sunda Strait stories →
Protests & strikes

Bangladesh

214 of its 496 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Dhaka accounted for 150 of Bangladesh's 214 stories about harm, carried by 158 outlets. 95 of Dhaka's 150 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (112 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Dhaka stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

137 of its 194 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Food poisoning was named in 39 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

141 of its 150 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Mogadishu accounted for 124 of Somalia's 141 stories about harm, carried by 126 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (76 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Yemen

60 of Masam's 63 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (62 stories). Cholera was named in 62 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Jamaica

112 of its 274 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (66 stories). Storms were named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Myanmar

57 of its 71 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Yangon accounted for 51 of Myanmar's 57 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (49 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Poland

50 of its 154 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (32 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

518 of its 2,121 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). HIV was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

295 of its 839 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cholera in Yemen (62 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hunger in Germany (26 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Jamaica (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Canada (55 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); road crashes in Ireland (14 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 21 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10025 Nov2 Dec9 Dec16 Dec24 Dec25 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 10024 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 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 23,149 stories about harm among 117,759 counted on 24 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 117,759 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Indonesia and Syria. It was the second day running that the news turned to Indonesia. In Indonesia's news, mentions of landslides ran about three times their usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia94 in 100 of its 150 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia90 in 100 of its 2,663 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents Myanmar80 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Costa Rica75 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 38 · mostly disasters & accidents North Korea71 in 100 of its 194 stories · usually 22 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kabul Afghanistan160 stories about protests or strikes, of its 413 Washington US127 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1329 Jerusalem Israel121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 250 Paris France117 stories about protests or strikes, of its 164 Memphis US110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 116

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: 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 lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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 readCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: 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 lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: 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 lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: 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 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTogo: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGuernsey: warmth about its own usualIllinois, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 21 outletsPwllheli, UK -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 115 outletsGeorgia, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsHanover, Germany -- health: 19 stories, carried by 21 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 11 outletsCairo, Egypt -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 26 outletsHodeida, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 26 outletsMilan, Italy -- disasters & accidents: 74 stories, carried by 83 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

● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual ● Spain warmth about one and a half times usual ● Egypt warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Illinois US about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Pwllheli UK about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 17 stories ● Georgia US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Hanover Germany about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Glasgow UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 6,257 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Disasters & accidents25% 5,645 stories · much more than usual (usually 17%) Health17% 3,799 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence16% 3,636 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,395 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 770 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 728 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 514 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 killed7,285 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,813 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting arrests3,148 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,885 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people displaced425 at about twice the usual rate · most about Indonesia and Syria Stories reporting evacuations375 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and Australia Stories reporting refugees219 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting abductions129 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill35 at about half 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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than 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.