← 20 Dec Friday 21 December 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
33,497 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 Khartoum (Sudan), a disaster in Karvina and violence in Imlil. Morocco's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCzechia 78 in 100 of its 407 stories, usually 9
RegionCentral Asia 19 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

131 of its 161 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Khartoum accounted for 62 of Sudan's 131 stories about harm, carried by 45 outlets. 58 of Khartoum's 62 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (115 stories). Train derailment was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Disasters & accidents

Czechia

318 of its 407 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Karvina accounted for 260 of the Czechia's 318 stories about harm, carried by 322 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (235 stories). Gas explosion was named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Czechia over 30 days → its stories → Karvina stories →
Conflict & violence

Morocco

247 of its 289 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Imlil accounted for 137 of Morocco's 247 stories about harm, carried by 207 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Morocco over 30 days → its stories → Imlil stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Nepal

118 of its 195 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Kathmandu accounted for 79 of Nepal's 118 stories about harm, carried by 84 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (90 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories → Kathmandu stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Spain

400 of its 1,102 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 256 of Barcelona's 286 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (54 stories). Storms were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Argentina

56 of its 191 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 3 of Buenos Aires' 5 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Denmark

100 of its 283 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (26 stories). Ebola was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hiv.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Austria

102 of its 356 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

26 of its 71 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Volcanic eruption was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Jordan

60 of its 185 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (38 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Iceland (21 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); ebola in Rwanda (20 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); power cuts in Iraq (36 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Papua New Guinea (12 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); hepatitis in Vanuatu (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
23 in 10017 in 10022 Nov29 Nov6 Dec13 Dec21 Dec22 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 10016 Dec: 19 in 10017 Dec: 18 in 10018 Dec: 18 in 10019 Dec: 17 in 10020 Dec: 18 in 10021 Dec: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 33,497 stories about harm among 174,926 counted on 21 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of volcanic eruption ran about 5 times their usual in Iceland's news. of the day's 174,926 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Sudan stood out: 81% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 59%. A year earlier, on 21 December 2017, 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 →

Morocco85 in 100 of its 289 stories · usually 35 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen84 in 100 of its 407 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan81 in 100 of its 161 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Nicaragua79 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 69 · mostly rights & justice Czechia78 in 100 of its 407 stories · usually 9 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Barcelona Spain256 stories about protests or strikes, of its 286 Washington US235 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2510 Gatwick UK128 stories about protests or strikes, of its 999 Jordan Valley Israel104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 108 Paris France88 stories about protests or strikes, of its 220

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: too little coverage to readVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: 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 readTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: 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: 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: 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 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 lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: 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 lessDominica: 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 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: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualVanuatu: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSyria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualDominican Republic: warmth about its own usualDjibouti: warmth about its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualButte County, US -- disasters & accidents: 23 stories, carried by 25 outletsAtlanta, US -- health: 34 stories, carried by 31 outletsNorthumbria, UK -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 18 outletsEnniskillen, UK -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 12 stories, carried by 49 outletsChhattisgarh, India -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 18 outletsSalif, Yemen -- food & livelihood: 23 stories, carried by 15 outletsMeerut, India -- health: 21 stories, carried by 16 outletsLake Superior, Canada -- health: 14 stories, carried by 37 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

● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Jamaica warmth about one and a half times usual ● Syria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Türkiye warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Butte County US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 23 stories ● Atlanta US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories ● Northumbria UK about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Enniskillen UK about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 12 stories ● Chhattisgarh India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 10,209 stories · about as usual Health21% 6,745 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 5,871 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 4,543 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,903 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,253 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,073 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 865 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 killed8,255 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,766 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,289 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,930 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the Czechia Stories reporting refugees1,057 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Mexico Stories reporting abductions313 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced196 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting evacuations113 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill22 at less than a quarter of 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than 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.