← 24 Dec Tuesday 25 December 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 26 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,479 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 Tunis (Tunisia), people displaced in Indonesia and violence in Tripoli. Libya's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much harsher than usual.

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 4 times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 87 in 100 of its 316 stories, usually 25
RegionSoutheast Asia 59 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 →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

120 of its 149 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Tunis accounted for 101 of Tunisia's 120 stories about harm, carried by 99 outlets. 94 of Tunis' 101 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

1,329 of its 1,483 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (77 stories). Heavy rain was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with drownings. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

323 of its 351 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Tripoli accounted for 298 of Libya's 323 stories about harm, carried by 267 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (217 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

274 of its 316 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Food poisoning was named in 172 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with poisoning. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Cameroon

60 of its 68 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Yaounde accounted for 43 of Cameroon's 60 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. 43 of Yaounde's 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (51 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bosnia

66 of its 96 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Banja Luka accounted for 64 of Bosnia's 66 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. 35 of Banja Luka's 64 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (50 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

270 of its 359 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Khartoum accounted for 241 of Sudan's 270 stories about harm, carried by 224 outlets. 241 of Khartoum's 241 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (113 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

228 of its 529 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 192 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bangladesh

144 of its 277 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 50 of Dhaka's 69 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (76 stories). Landslides were named in 27 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

563 of its 708 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Kabul accounted for 505 of Afghanistan's 563 stories about harm, carried by 596 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (220 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Italy (192 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hiv in Jersey (79 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); helicopter crash in Mexico (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Canada (49 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hiv in South Africa (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10026 Nov3 Dec10 Dec17 Dec25 Dec26 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 10025 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 25 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 17,479 stories about harm among 86,481 counted on 25 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of volunteers ran at about 4 times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 86,481 stories, above the usual 19. Mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual in Italy's news. In Tunisia, 81% of the news was about people being harmed, where 28% is usual. Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Afghanistan and Australia.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya92 in 100 of its 351 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia90 in 100 of its 1,483 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents Cameroon88 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 37 · mostly rights & justice North Korea87 in 100 of its 316 stories · usually 25 · mostly rights & justice Tunisia81 in 100 of its 149 stories · usually 28 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Khartoum Sudan241 stories about protests or strikes, of its 241 Ramallah Palestine111 stories about protests or strikes, of its 216 Kabul Afghanistan111 stories about protests or strikes, of its 505 Tunis Tunisia94 stories about protests or strikes, of its 101 Jerusalem Israel66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 282

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: too little coverage to readVietnam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-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 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 lessSri Lanka: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLiberia: 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 readKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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 lessIraq: 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 readGhana: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: 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 readDR 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: 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 readBelgium: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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 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 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 lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualBedford, US -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 23 outletsNew Haven, US -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 20 outletsSanaa, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsBhopal, India -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsRome, Italy -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 14 outletsHodeida, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- rights & justice: 241 stories, carried by 224 outletsPerth, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 23 stories, carried by 170 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

● Italy warmth about one and a half times usual ● Libya warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bedford US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 20 stories ● New Haven US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 20 stories ● Sanaa Yemen about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Bhopal India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Rome Italy about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 4,684 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Disasters & accidents22% 3,741 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence20% 3,374 stories · about as usual Health16% 2,664 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 978 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 711 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 523 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 402 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 killed5,565 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,224 at about twice the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people injured2,763 at about twice the usual rate · most about Indonesia and Afghanistan Stories reporting arrests2,598 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees364 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting evacuations318 at about twice the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and Australia Stories reporting people displaced268 at about twice the usual rate · most about Indonesia and Yemen Stories reporting abductions166 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill24 at about half the usual rate · most about Canada and the US

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
● 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 →

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.