← 16 Jan Thursday 17 January 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
35,222 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 protests in Harare (Zimbabwe), violence in Bogota and gas explosion in Georgia. Colombia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostColombia 82 in 100 of its 401 stories, usually 28
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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

522 of its 793 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Harare accounted for 405 of Zimbabwe's 522 stories about harm, carried by 240 outlets. 354 of Harare's 405 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (291 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Colombia

327 of its 401 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Bogota accounted for 286 of Colombia's 327 stories about harm, carried by 279 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (304 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Bogota stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Georgia

25 of its 51 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (17 stories). Gas explosion was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Georgia over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mozambique

30 of its 53 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (16 stories). Drownings were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Tunisia

93 of its 134 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Tunis accounted for 82 of Tunisia's 93 stories about harm, carried by 69 outlets. 82 of Tunis' 82 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kenya

911 of its 1,232 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Nairobi accounted for 815 of Kenya's 911 stories about harm, carried by 564 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (180 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

505 of its 666 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Manbij accounted for 347 of Syria's 505 stories about harm, carried by 306 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (213 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

186 of its 227 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (72 stories). Malaria was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 124 of Sudan's 185 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. 117 of Khartoum's 124 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Paraguay

22 of its 39 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 3 of Asuncion's 4 stories were about protests or strikes. Wildfires were named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Japan (127 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Paraguay (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); ebola in Switzerland (34 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in Spain (36 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Papua New Guinea (12 of its stories, about three times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10019 Dec26 Dec2 Jan9 Jan17 Jan19 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 10016 Jan: 18 in 10017 Jan: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 35,222 stories about harm among 194,708 counted on 17 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual in Japan's news. of the day's 194,708 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 19. the news turned to Zimbabwe for the third day running. On 17 January 2018, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 18 today. In Zimbabwe, 66% of the news was about people being harmed, where 36% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burkina Faso82 in 100 of its 227 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Colombia82 in 100 of its 401 stories · usually 28 · mostly conflict & violence Syria76 in 100 of its 666 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Kenya74 in 100 of its 1,232 stories · usually 40 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen73 in 100 of its 303 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Harare Zimbabwe354 stories about protests or strikes, of its 405 Chicago US247 stories about protests or strikes, of its 496 Washington US200 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1592 Nairobi Kenya183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 815 Boston US135 stories about protests or strikes, of its 421

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 lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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 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 lessUnited Arab Emirates: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: 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: 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 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: 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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 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 lessRwanda: 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 lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: 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 readOman: 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: too little coverage to readNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: too little coverage to readLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech 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: 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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 lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: 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 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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 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: 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: 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 usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about its own usualTajikistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBolivia: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualBritish Virgin Islands: warmth about its own usualPennsylvania State Police, US -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 29 outletsEau Claire, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 19 stories, carried by 27 outletsMopti, Mali -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 19 outletsBaluni, India -- health: 28 stories, carried by 24 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 44 stories, carried by 31 outletsMenaka, Mali -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 17 outletsGreat Barrier Reef, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsNaushera, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 17 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

● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Tajikistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Pennsylvania State Police US about three times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 20 stories ● Eau Claire US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 19 stories ● Mopti Mali about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Baluni India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 28 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 44 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 10,687 stories · about as usual Health20% 6,920 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 6,697 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence15% 5,181 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,905 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,208 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,046 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 852 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 killed9,597 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,838 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,582 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,419 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions539 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Burkina Faso Stories reporting refugees307 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Pakistan Stories reporting evacuations287 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced278 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill51 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria

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

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.