← 14 Jan Tuesday 15 January 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,921 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 Harare (Zimbabwe), violence in Nairobi and rights and justice in Warsaw drew the news. Poland's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Nigeria → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostKenya 76 in 100 of its 1,641 stories, usually 20
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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

Zimbabwe

556 of its 830 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Harare accounted for 471 of Zimbabwe's 556 stories about harm, carried by 290 outlets. 435 of Harare's 471 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 10 times the usual rate (312 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Zimbabwe over 30 days → its stories → Harare stories →
Conflict & violence

Kenya

1,245 of its 1,641 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Nairobi accounted for 1,150 of Kenya's 1,245 stories about harm, carried by 666 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Kenya over 30 days → its stories → Nairobi stories →
Rights & justice

Poland

159 of its 320 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Warsaw accounted for 125 of Poland's 159 stories about harm, carried by 118 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (88 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Poland over 30 days → its stories → Warsaw stories →
Health

Hong Kong

51 of its 176 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Flu was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with bird flu and outbreaks. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

South Korea

122 of its 604 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. 56 of Seoul's 90 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (82 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

306 of its 447 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Kabul accounted for 262 of Afghanistan's 306 stories about harm, carried by 180 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (231 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

South Sudan

68 of its 83 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Juba accounted for 53 of South Sudan's 68 stories about harm, carried by 55 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 8 times the usual rate (59 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

283 of its 624 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Poisoning was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. 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.

its stories →
Rights & justice

United Arab Emirates

78 of its 418 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Jordan

49 of its 200 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heatwave in Australia (160 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); accidents in Zambia (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); haemorrhagic fever in DR Congo (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); heavy rain in Palestine (75 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Switzerland (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10017 Dec24 Dec31 Dec7 Jan15 Jan17 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 10010 Jan: 17 in 10011 Jan: 19 in 10012 Jan: 20 in 10013 Jan: 19 in 10014 Jan: 19 in 10015 Jan: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 33,921 stories about harm among 184,056 counted on 15 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 184,056 stories, as usual. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Nigeria. In Hong Kong's news, mentions of the flu ran more than ten times their usual. Zimbabwe stood out: 67% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 30%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Sudan82 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 52 · mostly displacement Kenya76 in 100 of its 1,641 stories · usually 20 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan68 in 100 of its 447 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Zimbabwe67 in 100 of its 830 stories · usually 30 · mostly rights & justice Gabon61 in 100 of its 100 stories · usually 51 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Harare Zimbabwe435 stories about protests or strikes, of its 471 Washington US414 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1775 Nairobi Kenya165 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1150 Chapel Hill US160 stories about protests or strikes, of its 161 San Francisco US108 stories about protests or strikes, of its 454

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: 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: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: 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: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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 readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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 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 lessIsrael: 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 lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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 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 lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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 lessAfghanistan: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualYemen: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSweden: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualParaguay: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- shelter & services: 20 stories, carried by 21 outletsAndalusia, Spain -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 24 outletsMilledgeville, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsAmman, Jordan -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 26 outletsKitimat, Canada -- disasters & accidents: 24 stories, carried by 72 outletsSuwannee County, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 117 stories, carried by 141 outletsHangzhou, China -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- health: 27 stories, carried by 28 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

● Paraguay warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual ● Türkiye warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● United Arab Emirates warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates about three times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 20 stories ● Andalusia Spain about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 23 stories ● Milledgeville US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Amman Jordan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories ● Kitimat Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 24 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice36% 11,994 stories · much more than usual (usually 30%) Health19% 6,327 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 5,204 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence15% 5,083 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,852 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,175 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 776 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 731 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 killed9,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,998 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,266 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people injured1,971 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions857 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations500 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Palestine Stories reporting refugees412 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Palestine and the US Stories reporting people displaced255 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill40 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Congo

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
● Griefa little less 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

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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.