← 3 Jan Friday 4 January 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,248 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 Khartoum (Sudan), tropical storm in Thailand and illness in Uppsala. Myanmar's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostThailand 70 in 100 of its 907 stories, usually 25
RegionOceania 23 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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 →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

160 of its 192 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Khartoum accounted for 89 of Sudan's 160 stories about harm, carried by 71 outlets. 81 of Khartoum's 89 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Disasters & accidents

Thailand

638 of its 907 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Nakhon Si Thammarat accounted for 457 of Thailand's 638 stories about harm, carried by 559 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (150 stories). Tropical storm was named in 560 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with typhoon, storm surge and heavy rain.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Nakhon Si Thammarat stories →
Health

Sweden

173 of its 325 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Uppsala accounted for 148 of Sweden's 173 stories about harm, carried by 125 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (55 stories). Ebola was named in 149 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with haemorrhagic fever.

Sweden over 30 days → its stories → Uppsala stories →
Conflict & violence

Myanmar

69 of its 86 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Arakan accounted for 66 of Myanmar's 69 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Myanmar over 30 days → its stories → Arakan stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Papua New Guinea

28 of its 56 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 stories). HIV was named in 24 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. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

67 of its 69 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Ouagadougou accounted for 55 of Burkina Faso's 67 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Italy

437 of its 1,047 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Milan accounted for 353 of Italy's 437 stories about harm, carried by 366 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (362 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malta

40 of its 99 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (31 stories). Extreme cold was named in 18 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

201 of its 232 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (68 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bahrain

29 of its 72 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 6 of Manama's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Fiji (44 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in Papua New Guinea (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); dengue in Jamaica (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in Malta (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Ireland (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
23 in 10017 in 1006 Dec13 Dec20 Dec27 Dec4 Jan6 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 1004 Jan: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 30,248 stories about harm among 162,074 counted on 4 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 162,074 stories, as usual. A year earlier, on 4 January 2018, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burkina Faso97 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen87 in 100 of its 232 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan83 in 100 of its 192 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Myanmar80 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia76 in 100 of its 137 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Sabarimala India133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 151 Nakhon Si Thammarat Thailand118 stories about protests or strikes, of its 457 Washington US113 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1128 Paris France98 stories about protests or strikes, of its 135 Moscow Russia85 stories about protests or strikes, of its 254

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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 lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 lessJapan: 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGlasgow, UK -- health: 37 stories, carried by 159 outletsChiang Mai, Thailand -- health: 12 stories, carried by 19 outletsAlaska, US -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsNevada, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsKampala, Uganda -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsNorthern Ireland, UK -- disasters & accidents: 19 stories, carried by 11 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- rights & justice: 29 stories, carried by 22 outletsCeara, Brazil -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 23 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Glasgow UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories ● Chiang Mai Thailand about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Alaska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 13 stories ● Nevada US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Kampala Uganda about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 8,851 stories · about as usual Health21% 6,313 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents20% 5,978 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence12% 3,664 stories · much less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 2,181 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,186 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 910 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 512 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 killed9,518 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,425 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,219 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,190 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations289 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees281 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting people displaced212 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Sudan and Syria Stories reporting abductions160 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill48 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Guam

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.

● 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.