← 2 Jan Thursday 3 January 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 4 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,212 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 →

Protests in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), a disaster in Funen and violence in Tunis drew the news. Saudi Arabia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostMarshall Islands 90 in 100 of its 61 stories, usually 18
RegionOceania 25 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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

Saudi Arabia

399 of its 888 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Riyadh accounted for 255 of Saudi Arabia's 399 stories about harm, carried by 412 outlets. 175 of Riyadh's 255 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (236 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Riyadh stories →
Disasters & accidents

Denmark

255 of its 398 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Funen accounted for 147 of Denmark's 255 stories about harm, carried by 252 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (190 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Denmark over 30 days → its stories → Funen stories →
Conflict & violence

Tunisia

49 of its 66 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Tunis accounted for 39 of Tunisia's 49 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (32 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
Displacement

Algeria

44 of its 56 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people affected ran at about 9 times the usual rate (27 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Algeria over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

55 of its 96 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Cyclone was named in 37 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

33 of its 38 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Diffa accounted for 23 of Niger's 33 stories about harm, carried by 18 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

482 of its 1,558 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (71 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 73 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Norway

63 of its 391 stories (16%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Avalanche was named in 49 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with snowstorms and storms. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Marshall Islands

55 of its 61 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Taka Atoll accounted for 55 of the Marshall Islands' 55 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (19 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Thailand

343 of its 561 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Tropical storm was named in 276 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storms, typhoon and drownings.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Thailand (276 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Norway (49 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Fiji (37 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Jamaica (39 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in Russia (182 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
23 in 10017 in 1005 Dec12 Dec19 Dec26 Dec3 Jan5 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 10026 Dec: 22 in 10027 Dec: 20 in 10028 Dec: 19 in 10029 Dec: 22 in 10030 Dec: 23 in 10031 Dec: 19 in 1001 Jan: 20 in 1002 Jan: 18 in 1003 Jan: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 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 30,212 stories about harm among 171,138 counted on 3 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Saudi Arabia. On 3 January 2018, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 18 today. Saudi Arabia's news was 45% about people being harmed, against a usual 32%. of the day's 171,138 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 19.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Marshall Islands90 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 18 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia88 in 100 of its 250 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan84 in 100 of its 201 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Algeria79 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 41 · mostly displacement Tunisia74 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 41 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Riyadh Saudi Arabia175 stories about protests or strikes, of its 255 Washington US166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1132 Houston US147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 293 Sabarimala India128 stories about protests or strikes, of its 134 Jerusalem Israel124 stories about protests or strikes, of its 192

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 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 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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 lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: too little coverage to readSomalia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: 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 lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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 lessN. Cyprus: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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 lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMadagascar: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualMarshall Islands: warmth about its own usualIndian Wells, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsArizona, US -- health: 246 stories, carried by 586 outletsMelbourne, Australia -- health: 155 stories, carried by 360 outletsBaghlan, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 30 outletsStatista, Greece -- health: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- rights & justice: 21 stories, carried by 16 outletsWest Suffolk, UK -- disasters & accidents: 14 stories, carried by 10 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 12 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

● Tunisia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Indian Wells US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Arizona US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 246 stories ● Melbourne Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 155 stories ● Baghlan Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories ● Statista Greece about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 7,968 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Health24% 7,137 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents20% 5,871 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence14% 4,271 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 1,933 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,208 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 656 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 620 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 killed8,857 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,297 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,315 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,044 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees329 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced241 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations173 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting abductions156 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill46 at about two-thirds 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.