← 14 Dec Sunday 15 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
9,934 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 protests in Beirut (Lebanon), deaths in Kathmandu and a disaster in Durres. Nepal's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostLebanon 71 in 100 of its 163 stories, usually 25
RegionSoutheast Asia 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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

Lebanon

115 of its 163 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Beirut accounted for 104 of Lebanon's 115 stories about harm, carried by 359 outlets. 101 of Beirut's 104 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (99 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Nepal

50 of its 87 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Kathmandu accounted for 35 of Nepal's 50 stories about harm, carried by 84 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Albania

18 of its 19 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Durres accounted for 17 of Albania's 18 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Health

Malaysia

94 of its 302 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (9 stories). Flooding was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with polio and heavy rain.

6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Sudan

48 of its 58 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Darfur accounted for 27 of Sudan's 48 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. 21 of Darfur's 27 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

59 of its 109 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Hong Kong Island accounted for 40 of Hong Kong's 59 stories about harm, carried by 154 outlets. 35 of Hong Kong Island's 40 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (29 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Protests & strikes

India

1,138 of its 3,476 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 276 of Delhi's 396 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (197 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Philippines

263 of its 574 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (78 stories). Earthquake was named in 176 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami and building collapse.

Conflict & violence

Türkiye

76 of its 190 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 38 of Iraq's 54 stories about harm, carried by 106 outlets. 33 of Baghdad's 38 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Philippines (176 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Australia (67 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); landslides in Kashmir (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in France (21 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in Mexico (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
21 in 10016 in 10016 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 Dec15 Dec16 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 1008 Dec: 19 in 1009 Dec: 18 in 10010 Dec: 18 in 10011 Dec: 18 in 10012 Dec: 17 in 10013 Dec: 16 in 10014 Dec: 18 in 10015 Dec: 19 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 9,934 stories about harm among 53,431 counted on 15 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Lebanon stood out: 71% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 25%. 19 in every 100 of the day's 53,431 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In the Philippines' news, mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual. On 15 December 2018, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 19 today. This week the news turned most often to New Zealand, on 6 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where it happened

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Dublin, Ireland -- accidents & disasters: 36 stories, carried by 99 outlets; harsh wording in 67 in 100Dhaka, Bangladesh -- attacks & violence: 55 stories, carried by 62 outlets; harsh wording in 84 in 100Darfur, Sudan -- protests & strikes: 27 stories, carried by 27 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Ngala, Nigeria -- attacks & violence: 8 stories, carried by 22 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Mannheim, Germany -- protests & strikes: 6 stories, carried by 23 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Whakatane, New Zealand -- accidents & disasters: 18 stories, carried by 36 outlets; harsh wording in 89 in 100Beijing, China -- protests & strikes: 40 stories, carried by 73 outlets; harsh wording in 90 in 100Heathrow, UK -- people displaced: 14 stories, carried by 61 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100White Island, Australia -- accidents & disasters: 31 stories, carried by 45 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Davao, Philippines -- accidents & disasters: 42 stories, carried by 51 outlets; harsh wording in 93 in 100Kathmandu, Nepal -- deaths, cause not given: 35 stories, carried by 84 outlets; harsh wording in 94 in 100Sydney, Australia -- accidents & disasters: 126 stories, carried by 136 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Kabul, Afghanistan -- attacks & violence: 54 stories, carried by 79 outlets; harsh wording in 94 in 100Madrid, Spain -- protests & strikes: 33 stories, carried by 107 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Tripoli, Libya -- attacks & violence: 20 stories, carried by 81 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Guwahati, India -- protests & strikes: 101 stories, carried by 96 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Baghdad, Iraq -- protests & strikes: 38 stories, carried by 106 outlets; harsh wording in 97 in 100Drakes Beach, US -- accidents & disasters: 24 stories, carried by 145 outlets; harsh wording in 92 in 100Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong -- protests & strikes: 40 stories, carried by 154 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Jersey City, US -- attacks & violence: 133 stories, carried by 317 outlets; harsh wording in 93 in 100Delhi, India -- protests & strikes: 396 stories, carried by 339 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Philippine, Philippines -- accidents & disasters: 139 stories, carried by 339 outlets; harsh wording in 95 in 100Beirut, Lebanon -- protests & strikes: 104 stories, carried by 359 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100White Island, New Zealand -- accidents & disasters: 143 stories, carried by 471 outlets; harsh wording in 94 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.

● 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?

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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.