← 14 Dec Saturday 15 December 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,015 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 day's news pointed at protests in Paris (France), violence in Pulwama and abductions in Russia. Kashmir's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostKashmir 70 in 100 of its 387 stories, usually 37
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
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

France

976 of its 1,953 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Paris accounted for 837 of France's 976 stories about harm, carried by 690 outlets. 797 of Paris' 837 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (616 stories). Extreme cold was named in 70 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hunger, flu and plague. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

France over 30 days → its stories → Paris stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

269 of its 387 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Pulwama accounted for 176 of Kashmir's 269 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (101 stories). Snowstorms were named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Pulwama stories →
Rights & justice

Russia

332 of its 1,190 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Russia over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

UK

1,053 of its 4,935 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (20 stories). Snowstorms were named in 121 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with house fires.

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

South Sudan

101 of its 108 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Bentiu accounted for 87 of South Sudan's 101 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 10 times the usual rate (90 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Somalia

229 of its 283 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Baidoa accounted for 124 of Somalia's 229 stories about harm, carried by 110 outlets. 120 of Baidoa's 124 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (130 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

1,017 of its 1,467 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Ramallah accounted for 912 of Palestine's 1,017 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

105 of its 147 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Ethiopia

83 of its 179 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (25 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

40 of its 50 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. 24 of Managua's 31 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Australia (125 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); wildfires in Greece (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Israel (67 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); poisoning in India (140 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in Ireland (24 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10016 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 Dec15 Dec16 Nov: 20 in 10017 Nov: 22 in 10018 Nov: 23 in 10019 Nov: 20 in 10020 Nov: 20 in 10021 Nov: 20 in 10022 Nov: 20 in 10023 Nov: 20 in 10024 Nov: 21 in 10025 Nov: 22 in 10026 Nov: 21 in 10027 Nov: 19 in 10028 Nov: 19 in 10029 Nov: 19 in 10030 Nov: 19 in 1001 Dec: 23 in 1002 Dec: 19 in 1003 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 18 in 1005 Dec: 18 in 1006 Dec: 19 in 1007 Dec: 18 in 1008 Dec: 19 in 1009 Dec: 19 in 10010 Dec: 18 in 10011 Dec: 19 in 10012 Dec: 18 in 10013 Dec: 18 in 10014 Dec: 19 in 10015 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 22,015 stories about harm among 111,216 counted on 15 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to France. of the day's 111,216 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. France stood out: 50% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 32%. A year earlier, on 15 December 2017, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Sudan94 in 100 of its 108 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia81 in 100 of its 283 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Nicaragua80 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 62 · mostly rights & justice Iraq71 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir70 in 100 of its 387 stories · usually 37 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Paris France797 stories about protests or strikes, of its 837 Ramallah Palestine204 stories about protests or strikes, of its 912 Washington US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 911 Baidoa Somalia120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 124 Indianapolis US102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 113

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUkraine: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRomania: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: too little coverage to readLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. 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: feelings about like the world'sZambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUK: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about twice as warm as the world'sSouth Korea: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sSierra Leone: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sQatar: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNicaragua: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLibya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJapan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuatemala: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGreece: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sFrance: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● South Sudan about twice as warm as the world's · 101 stories about harm ● Kashmir about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 269 stories about harm ● Türkiye about twice as fearful as the world's · 113 stories about harm ● Syria about twice as angry as the world's · 127 stories about harm ● France about twice as angry as the world's · 976 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 233 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 6,124 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence22% 4,760 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Health21% 4,529 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 3,512 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 956 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 633 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 602 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 395 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 killed6,647 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,215 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and France Stories reporting people affected2,112 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,954 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced259 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees231 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Palestine and the US Stories reporting evacuations156 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting abductions152 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting people falling ill44 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India

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 much harsher than 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.