← 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.

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
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.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories → Kathmandu stories →
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.

Albania over 30 days → its stories → Durres stories →
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.

Malaysia over 30 days → its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →

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 harm was most of the news all →

Sudan83 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon71 in 100 of its 163 stories · usually 25 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq60 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 67 · mostly rights & justice Nepal57 in 100 of its 87 stories · usually 25 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Hong Kong54 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 41 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India276 stories about protests or strikes, of its 396 Beirut Lebanon101 stories about protests or strikes, of its 104 Guwahati India86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 101 Hong Kong Island Hong Kong35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 40 Baghdad Iraq33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 38

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: too little coverage to readUnited 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 lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: 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: too little coverage to readMali: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: 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 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: 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 lessJamaica: 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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 readChina: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 lessAfghanistan: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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 readMalta: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualMerseyside, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 20 outletsMichigan, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- conflict & violence: 104 stories, carried by 359 outletsNewport, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsGeorgia, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 17 outletsEnugu, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 23 stories, carried by 11 outletsCairo, Egypt -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 11 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

● Merseyside UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Michigan US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Beirut Lebanon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 104 stories ● Newport UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Georgia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 2,850 stories · less than usual (usually 32%) Disasters & accidents22% 2,203 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Health17% 1,709 stories · less than usual (usually 22%) Conflict & violence16% 1,573 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 606 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 347 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 294 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 227 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 killed2,864 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,106 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,006 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting people affected970 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions132 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Pakistan Stories reporting refugees120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations115 at about twice the usual rate · most about Australia and the US Stories reporting people displaced73 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill11 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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 · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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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.