← 8 Jan Wednesday 9 January 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 10 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
32,753 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 rights and justice in Caracas, protests in Libreville (Gabon) and a disaster in Valletta. Belgium's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostMalta 69 in 100 of its 292 stories, usually 21
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Rights & justice

Venezuela

129 of its 270 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Caracas accounted for 89 of Venezuela's 129 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (68 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Protests & strikes

Gabon

54 of its 79 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Libreville accounted for 42 of Gabon's 54 stories about harm, carried by 39 outlets. 30 of Libreville's 42 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (45 stories).

Gabon over 30 days → its stories → Libreville stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malta

201 of its 292 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Valletta accounted for 130 of Malta's 201 stories about harm, carried by 111 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (92 stories).

Malta over 30 days → its stories → Valletta stories →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

91 of its 296 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Colombia

60 of its 143 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 15 of Bogota's 20 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Croatia

62 of its 176 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 4%. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (28 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Lebanon

92 of its 240 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Extreme cold was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with snowstorms and storms.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Palestine

524 of its 831 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Ramallah accounted for 301 of Palestine's 524 stories about harm, carried by 13 outlets. Storms were named in 115 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Austria

83 of its 396 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Poland

117 of its 396 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 68 of Warsaw's 92 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in Haiti (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Palestine (115 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); overdoses in Mexico (50 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in Lebanon (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Congo (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10011 Dec18 Dec25 Dec1 Jan9 Jan11 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 1005 Jan: 19 in 1006 Jan: 19 in 1007 Jan: 18 in 1008 Jan: 18 in 1009 Jan: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 9 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 32,753 stories about harm among 186,683 counted on 9 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

In Palestine's news, mentions of storms ran more than ten times their usual. On 9 January 2018, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 18 today. Venezuela's news was 48% about people being harmed, against a usual 28%. of the day's 186,683 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 →

Sudan78 in 100 of its 224 stories · usually 73 · mostly rights & justice Malta69 in 100 of its 292 stories · usually 21 · mostly disasters & accidents Gabon68 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 49 · mostly rights & justice Palestine63 in 100 of its 831 stories · usually 52 · mostly rights & justice Yemen59 in 100 of its 155 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US175 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2235 Houston US163 stories about protests or strikes, of its 490 Bangkok Thailand147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 253 Leesburg US112 stories about protests or strikes, of its 145 Khartoum Sudan110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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 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 lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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 lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: too little coverage to readMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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 lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: too little coverage to readGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: 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: 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: 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 lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina 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 lessBrazil: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGabon: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualStockholm, Sweden -- conflict & violence: 46 stories, carried by 45 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 22 outletsDenver, US -- health: 170 stories, carried by 152 outletsPhoenix, US -- health: 555 stories, carried by 554 outletsLibreville, Gabon -- rights & justice: 42 stories, carried by 39 outletsFrench Riviera, France -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 27 stories, carried by 29 outletsHodeida, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 38 stories, carried by 27 outletsSouth Shields, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 15 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

● Sweden warmth about one and a half times usual ● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Gabon warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Stockholm Sweden about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 46 stories ● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Denver US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 170 stories ● Phoenix US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 555 stories ● Libreville Gabon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 42 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice32% 10,452 stories · more than usual (usually 29%) Health23% 7,366 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents15% 4,916 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence14% 4,514 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,883 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,186 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,079 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 773 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 killed8,044 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests4,995 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,311 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Malta Stories reporting people injured1,631 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting refugees632 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions340 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced230 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Bangladesh Stories reporting evacuations130 at about half the usual rate · most about Australia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill111 at about one and a half times 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 much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout two-thirds of 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.