← 3 Jan Thursday 4 January 2024 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,635 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to violence in Baghdad, evacuations in Japan and extreme cold in Sweden. Iraq's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostIran 84 in 100 of its 650 stories, usually 51
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 53 in 100 of its stories, usually 47
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 →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

103 of its 138 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Baghdad accounted for 85 of Iraq's 103 stories about harm, carried by 295 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (66 stories). Outbreaks were named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Disasters & accidents

Japan

534 of its 1,326 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (126 stories). Heavy rain was named in 39 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with flooding and extreme cold.

Japan over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Sweden

58 of its 185 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Extreme cold was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Sweden over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Iran

545 of its 650 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tehran accounted for 234 of Iran's 545 stories about harm, carried by 433 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (346 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

101 of its 155 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Beirut accounted for 87 of Lebanon's 101 stories about harm, carried by 156 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

267 of its 609 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sierra Leone

41 of its 58 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Freetown accounted for 30 of Sierra Leone's 41 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Tunisia

15 of its 49 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Myanmar

7 of Aung Hlaing's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in Russia (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in Philippines (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
20 in 10018 in 1006 Dec13 Dec20 Dec27 Dec4 Jan6 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 19 in 1008 Dec: 18 in 1009 Dec: 19 in 10010 Dec: 20 in 10011 Dec: 18 in 10012 Dec: 18 in 10013 Dec: 18 in 10014 Dec: 18 in 10015 Dec: 18 in 10016 Dec: 19 in 10017 Dec: 19 in 10018 Dec: 19 in 10019 Dec: 19 in 10020 Dec: 19 in 10021 Dec: 18 in 10022 Dec: 18 in 10023 Dec: 19 in 10024 Dec: 19 in 10025 Dec: 19 in 10026 Dec: 19 in 10027 Dec: 20 in 10028 Dec: 20 in 10029 Dec: 20 in 10030 Dec: 20 in 10031 Dec: 20 in 1001 Jan: 20 in 1002 Jan: 20 in 1003 Jan: 20 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 19,635 stories about harm among 100,819 counted on 4 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

In Iraq's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about 4 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 100,819 stories, as usual. Iraq's news was 75% about people being harmed, against a usual 47%. A year earlier, on 4 January 2023, 20 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 →

Iran84 in 100 of its 650 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq75 in 100 of its 138 stories · usually 47 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan72 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Sierra Leone71 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 41 · mostly conflict & violence Israel67 in 100 of its 1,496 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US194 stories about protests or strikes, of its 623 Jerusalem Israel47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 223 San Francisco US47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156 Newark US38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 205 London UK36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 294

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readUnited 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 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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 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: 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: 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 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 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 lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: 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 lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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: 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: 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 readBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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 lessAfghanistan: 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readBangladesh: warmth about its own usualCanberra, Australia -- health: 13 stories, carried by 73 outletsZurich, Switzerland -- health: 17 stories, carried by 10 outletsWyoming, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- rights & justice: 21 stories, carried by 40 outletsDavidson County, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 40 stories, carried by 164 outletsTaipei, Taiwan -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsHolyhead, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 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

● Canberra Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Zurich Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Wyoming US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Saskatchewan Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 21 stories ● Davidson County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health29% 5,636 stories · about as usual Rights & justice24% 4,554 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 3,312 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 3,034 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 887 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 760 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 580 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 568 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 killed5,185 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,115 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,957 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,559 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions410 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting evacuations299 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Japan and the US Stories reporting people displaced214 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting refugees175 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people falling ill9 at about half the usual rate · most about Canada and the US

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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.