← 2 Jan Friday 3 January 2025 · to 23:59 UTC 4 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,520 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 Seoul (South Korea), the earthquake in Ethiopia and violence in Cetinje drew the news. Montenegro's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSouth Korea 40 in 100 of its 742 stories, usually 25
RegionEast Asia 22 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
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

South Korea

299 of its 742 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Seoul accounted for 184 of South Korea's 299 stories about harm, carried by 389 outlets. 131 of Seoul's 184 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (90 stories).

South Korea over 30 days → its stories → Seoul stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ethiopia

47 of its 88 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Earthquake was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with volcanic eruption.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories →
Health

China

367 of its 1,915 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Respiratory illness was named in 100 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks and flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

China over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Canada

Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Hypothermia was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Zambia

31 of its 66 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ireland

244 of its 921 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Accidents were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

75 of its 157 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Tehran accounted for 45 of Iran's 75 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets.

its stories →
Health

US

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (896 stories). Snowstorms were named in 330 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with plane crash.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Argentina

Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Ghana (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in UK (108 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in US (330 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); accidents in Ireland (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in Canada (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
22 in 10017 in 1005 Dec12 Dec19 Dec26 Dec3 Jan5 Dec: 17 in 1006 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 18 in 1008 Dec: 20 in 1009 Dec: 19 in 10010 Dec: 18 in 10011 Dec: 17 in 10012 Dec: 17 in 10013 Dec: 17 in 10014 Dec: 17 in 10015 Dec: 18 in 10016 Dec: 17 in 10017 Dec: 18 in 10018 Dec: 18 in 10019 Dec: 18 in 10020 Dec: 18 in 10021 Dec: 19 in 10022 Dec: 18 in 10023 Dec: 18 in 10024 Dec: 18 in 10025 Dec: 19 in 10026 Dec: 20 in 10027 Dec: 19 in 10028 Dec: 20 in 10029 Dec: 22 in 10030 Dec: 21 in 10031 Dec: 20 in 1001 Jan: 20 in 1002 Jan: 20 in 1003 Jan: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 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 16,520 stories about harm among 82,625 counted on 3 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of respiratory illness ran more than ten times their usual in China's news. of the day's 82,625 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. South Korea stood out: 40% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 25%. On 4 January 2024, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine68 in 100 of its 195 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Syria64 in 100 of its 296 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Israel63 in 100 of its 616 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia53 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 33 · mostly disasters & accidents Venezuela51 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 36 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Seoul South Korea131 stories about protests or strikes, of its 184 Washington US101 stories about protests or strikes, of its 554 Jerusalem Israel33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 150 Manchester UK26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 119 Bhopal India24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 31

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: 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 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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 readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: 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 readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualBermuda: warmth about its own usualWarsaw, Poland -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 14 outletsUtah, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 69 outletsAlaska, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 18 outletsSwindon, UK -- health: 30 stories, carried by 27 outletsCanberra, Australia -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsLagos, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 23 stories, carried by 12 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 22 stories, carried by 17 outletsCairo, Egypt -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 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

● Warsaw Poland about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 12 stories ● Utah US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Alaska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Swindon UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 30 stories ● Canberra Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health26% 4,248 stories · about as usual Rights & justice22% 3,551 stories · less than usual (usually 24%) Disasters & accidents21% 3,337 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence17% 2,683 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 940 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 604 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 510 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 350 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 killed4,538 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,737 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,607 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting people affected1,588 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions228 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced224 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations154 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting refugees143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.