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What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
57,769 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 Ankara (Türkiye), violence in Berlin and evacuations in South Africa drew the news. Germany's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Germany and the US → Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Germany and Türkiye → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGermany 78 in 100 of its 8,604 stories, usually 26
RegionEurope 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 18
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Türkiye

3,098 of its 4,282 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Ankara accounted for 2,633 of Türkiye's 3,098 stories about harm, carried by 1,442 outlets. 1,474 of Ankara's 2,633 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (1,417 stories). Train derailment was named in 46 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Germany

6,677 of its 8,604 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Berlin accounted for 6,310 of Germany's 6,677 stories about harm, carried by 2,477 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5,131 stories). Tornadoes were named in 278 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Rights & justice

South Africa

345 of its 1,223 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Hunger was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Jordan

677 of its 926 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (38 stories). Hurricane was named in 66 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cholera, extreme cold and volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Guinea

130 of its 206 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Conakry accounted for 112 of Guinea's 130 stories about harm, carried by 122 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (112 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Protests & strikes

South Sudan

245 of its 262 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Dinka accounted for 188 of South Sudan's 245 stories about harm, carried by 193 outlets. 105 of Dinka's 188 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Russia

1,377 of its 3,789 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (33 stories). Accidents were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Switzerland

661 of its 1,187 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Zurich accounted for 544 of Switzerland's 661 stories about harm, carried by 510 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (506 stories).

Conflict & violence

Austria

147 of its 325 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in Ukraine (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Kenya (36 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); road crashes in Lesotho (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Nepal (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Jordan (66 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10021 Nov28 Nov5 Dec12 Dec20 Dec21 Nov: 21 in 10022 Nov: 22 in 10023 Nov: 20 in 10024 Nov: 21 in 10025 Nov: 21 in 10026 Nov: 23 in 10027 Nov: 23 in 10028 Nov: 20 in 10029 Nov: 20 in 10030 Nov: 20 in 1001 Dec: 20 in 1002 Dec: 20 in 1003 Dec: 22 in 1004 Dec: 22 in 1005 Dec: 20 in 1006 Dec: 20 in 1007 Dec: 21 in 1008 Dec: 20 in 1009 Dec: 21 in 10010 Dec: 23 in 10011 Dec: 22 in 10012 Dec: 20 in 10013 Dec: 20 in 10014 Dec: 20 in 10015 Dec: 20 in 10016 Dec: 21 in 10017 Dec: 23 in 10018 Dec: 25 in 10019 Dec: 21 in 10020 Dec: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 Dec. 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 57,769 stories about harm among 253,762 counted on 20 Dec.

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 23 in every 100 of the day's 253,762 stories, above the usual 21. Mentions of power cuts ran more than ten times their usual in Ukraine's news. People injured were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Germany and the US. Türkiye stood out: 72% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 41%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where it happened

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Beijing, China -- attacks & violence: 256 stories, carried by 332 outlets; harsh wording in 81 in 100Inverness, UK -- accidents & disasters: 18 stories, carried by 94 outlets; harsh wording in 94 in 100Baghdad, Iraq -- attacks & violence: 97 stories, carried by 99 outlets; harsh wording in 95 in 100Paris, France -- attacks & violence: 205 stories, carried by 182 outlets; harsh wording in 88 in 100Sirte, Libya -- attacks & violence: 91 stories, carried by 93 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Anadolu, Türkiye -- attacks & violence: 66 stories, carried by 136 outlets; harsh wording in 95 in 100Brussels, Belgium -- attacks & violence: 173 stories, carried by 140 outlets; harsh wording in 91 in 100Cairo, Egypt -- attacks & violence: 233 stories, carried by 205 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Fort Mcmurray, Canada -- accidents & disasters: 77 stories, carried by 118 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Dinka, South Sudan -- protests & strikes: 188 stories, carried by 193 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Bogota, Colombia -- attacks & violence: 20 stories, carried by 127 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Salzburg, Austria -- attacks & violence: 100 stories, carried by 113 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Conakry, Guinea -- attacks & violence: 112 stories, carried by 122 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Toronto, Canada -- attacks & violence: 276 stories, carried by 304 outlets; harsh wording in 88 in 100Karak, Jordan -- attacks & violence: 257 stories, carried by 170 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Kaliningrad, Russia -- protests & strikes: 92 stories, carried by 170 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Amman, Jordan -- attacks & violence: 249 stories, carried by 203 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Washington, US -- attacks & violence: 1,404 stories, carried by 973 outlets; harsh wording in 83 in 100Palm Beach, US -- protests & strikes: 329 stories, carried by 331 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Moscow, Russia -- attacks & violence: 753 stories, carried by 501 outlets; harsh wording in 94 in 100Zurich, Switzerland -- attacks & violence: 544 stories, carried by 510 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Aleppo, Syria -- attacks & violence: 1,685 stories, carried by 1,089 outlets; harsh wording in 96 in 100Ankara, Türkiye -- protests & strikes: 2,633 stories, carried by 1,442 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Berlin, Germany -- attacks & violence: 6,310 stories, carried by 2,477 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersPeople displacedDeaths, cause not givenProtests & strikesDisease & outbreaks

The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its stories.

The day in three measures

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than usual
● Fearabout one and a half times usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

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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.