← 4 Jan Monday 5 January 2026 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,875 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 protests in Tehran (Iran), violence in Havana and illness in South Korea. Cuba's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostLebanon 61 in 100 of its 59 stories, usually 33
RegionEurope 21 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
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

Iran

203 of its 336 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Tehran accounted for 141 of Iran's 203 stories about harm, carried by 155 outlets. 128 of Tehran's 141 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Conflict & violence

Cuba

115 of its 224 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Havana accounted for 76 of Cuba's 115 stories about harm, carried by 242 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (94 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
Health

South Korea

74 of its 387 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Illness was named in 40 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Lebanon

36 of its 59 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

Kyiv accounted for 42 of Ukraine's 72 stories about harm, carried by 62 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Switzerland

95 of its 222 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Germany

85 of its 351 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Power cuts were named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Zimbabwe

24 of its 71 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

83 of its 309 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hepatitis in Denmark (21 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); power cuts in Germany (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Spain (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Japan (10 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in Israel (16 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
21 in 10017 in 1007 Dec14 Dec21 Dec28 Dec5 Jan7 Dec: 17 in 1008 Dec: 18 in 1009 Dec: 17 in 10010 Dec: 17 in 10011 Dec: 17 in 10012 Dec: 17 in 10013 Dec: 18 in 10014 Dec: 21 in 10015 Dec: 20 in 10016 Dec: 19 in 10017 Dec: 18 in 10018 Dec: 18 in 10019 Dec: 18 in 10020 Dec: 18 in 10021 Dec: 18 in 10022 Dec: 18 in 10023 Dec: 19 in 10024 Dec: 19 in 10025 Dec: 18 in 10026 Dec: 19 in 10027 Dec: 20 in 10028 Dec: 20 in 10029 Dec: 19 in 10030 Dec: 19 in 10031 Dec: 19 in 1001 Jan: 18 in 1002 Jan: 19 in 1003 Jan: 20 in 1004 Jan: 19 in 1005 Jan: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 12,875 stories about harm among 71,946 counted on 5 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the sixth day running, the news turned to Iran. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 71,946 stories, as usual. Mentions of hepatitis ran about 5 times their usual in Denmark's news. A year earlier, on 5 January 2025, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 today. Iran stood out: 60% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 47%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Lebanon61 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 33 · mostly conflict & violence Iran60 in 100 of its 336 stories · usually 47 · mostly rights & justice Palestine56 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Cuba51 in 100 of its 224 stories · usually 35 · mostly conflict & violence Syria44 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Caracas Venezuela242 stories about protests or strikes, of its 640 Tehran Iran128 stories about protests or strikes, of its 141 Delhi India115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 251 Washington US109 stories about protests or strikes, of its 504 Cincinnati US24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 50

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 lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: 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 lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: 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 lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 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 lessIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea-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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: 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: too little coverage to readChile: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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 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: 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 readVenezuela: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualNew Forest, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsGlasgow, UK -- disasters & accidents: 32 stories, carried by 26 outletsMichigan, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 18 outletsNorth Carolina, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 23 outletsBeijing, China -- rights & justice: 28 stories, carried by 34 outletsSeoul, South Korea -- health: 45 stories, carried by 95 outletsKharkiv, Ukraine -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsOttawa, Canada -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 18 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

● New Forest UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 32 stories ● Michigan US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● North Carolina US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Beijing China about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 28 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 3,346 stories · more than usual (usually 24%) Health26% 3,317 stories · more than usual (usually 24%) Disasters & accidents19% 2,457 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 1,817 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 636 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 443 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 412 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 231 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 killed3,349 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,163 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured875 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions249 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Venezuela and the US Stories reporting people displaced116 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees78 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill11 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about India 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

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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.