← 6 Dec Saturday 7 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 8 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,837 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 news turned to gas explosion in Slovakia, protests in Baghdad (Iraq) and abductions in India. India's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 35 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 51 in 100 of its 512 stories, usually 17
RegionSouth Asia 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Slovakia

19 of its 27 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Presov accounted for 15 of Slovakia's 19 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories). Gas explosion was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

Slovakia over 30 days → its stories → Presov stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

185 of its 218 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Baghdad accounted for 131 of Iraq's 185 stories about harm, carried by 319 outlets. 125 of Baghdad's 131 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

India

1,386 of its 4,313 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (59 stories). Tsunami was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with poisoning. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

India over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

263 of its 512 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (159 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Kenya

105 of its 251 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (66 stories). Building collapse was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drownings. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

90 of its 331 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with heavy rain.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Taiwan

30 of its 76 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

56 of its 348 stories (16%) were about people being harmed, usually 6%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Myanmar

11 of its 17 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Kyrgyzstan

9 of its 22 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Armenia (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in New Zealand (21 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); road crashes in Thailand (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in Spain (16 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); storms in Ireland (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 17; 18 the day before
21 in 10016 in 1008 Nov15 Nov22 Nov29 Nov7 Dec8 Nov: 16 in 1009 Nov: 17 in 10010 Nov: 18 in 10011 Nov: 17 in 10012 Nov: 17 in 10013 Nov: 17 in 10014 Nov: 17 in 10015 Nov: 17 in 10016 Nov: 18 in 10017 Nov: 18 in 10018 Nov: 17 in 10019 Nov: 17 in 10020 Nov: 16 in 10021 Nov: 16 in 10022 Nov: 16 in 10023 Nov: 17 in 10024 Nov: 19 in 10025 Nov: 17 in 10026 Nov: 18 in 10027 Nov: 18 in 10028 Nov: 18 in 10029 Nov: 17 in 10030 Nov: 20 in 1001 Dec: 21 in 1002 Dec: 18 in 1003 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 16 in 1005 Dec: 17 in 1006 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 7 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 12,837 stories about harm among 65,295 counted on 7 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Slovakia's news was 70% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. For the second day running, the news turned to Slovakia. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 65,295 stories, above the usual 17. On 7 December 2018, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq85 in 100 of its 218 stories · usually 65 · mostly rights & justice Samoa85 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 73 · mostly health Syria60 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan56 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Saudi Arabia51 in 100 of its 512 stories · usually 17 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Baghdad Iraq125 stories about protests or strikes, of its 131 Unnao India84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 264 Abuja Nigeria68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 82 Hyderabad India59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 217 Washington US51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 365

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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: too little coverage to readFaroe 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: 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: 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 readUkraine: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMinnesota, US -- disasters & accidents: 34 stories, carried by 59 outletsYenagoa, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsFort Rucker, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 25 stories, carried by 159 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 66 outletsDonbas, Ukraine -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 13 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 67 stories, carried by 152 outletsBexhill, UK -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsManila, Philippines -- disasters & accidents: 18 stories, carried by 15 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

● Minnesota US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 34 stories ● Yenagoa Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Fort Rucker US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 25 stories ● Stockholm Sweden about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Donbas Ukraine about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice35% 4,471 stories · more than usual (usually 31%) Health18% 2,292 stories · much less than usual (usually 23%) Conflict & violence16% 2,078 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Disasters & accidents16% 2,063 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 779 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 454 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 302 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 200 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 killed4,374 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests1,788 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting people injured1,229 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Saudi Arabia Stories reporting people affected1,181 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions165 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees105 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced101 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations52 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people falling ill20 at about two-thirds of 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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.