← 15 Dec Monday 16 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,759 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 Beirut (Lebanon), the earthquake in the Philippines and refugees in Uganda. Pakistan's coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostLebanon 55 in 100 of its 269 stories, usually 26
RegionSouth Asia 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 24
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Lebanon

148 of its 269 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Beirut accounted for 124 of Lebanon's 148 stories about harm, carried by 299 outlets. 116 of Beirut's 124 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (101 stories).

Lebanon over 30 days → its stories → Beirut stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

252 of its 782 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (82 stories). Earthquake was named in 129 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with tsunami, power cuts and building collapse.

Philippines over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Uganda

67 of its 155 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Uganda over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

250 of its 751 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

India

1,898 of its 5,960 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 708 of Delhi's 884 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (344 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iran

29 of Tehran's 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Outbreaks were named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 44 of Iraq's 73 stories about harm, carried by 164 outlets. 29 of Baghdad's 44 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Ethiopia

87 of its 142 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 4 of Tigray's 7 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (70 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

51 of its 78 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Darfur accounted for 22 of Sudan's 51 stories about harm, carried by 17 outlets. 12 of Darfur's 22 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malaysia

145 of its 613 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (15 stories). Flooding was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (35 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Italy (19 of its stories, about three times its usual); heatwave in Australia (90 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in Iran (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Thailand (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 19 the day before
21 in 10016 in 10017 Nov24 Nov1 Dec8 Dec16 Dec17 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 10016 Dec: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 17,759 stories about harm among 102,058 counted on 16 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Lebanon. of the day's 102,058 news stories, 17 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Lebanon stood out: 55% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 26%. A year earlier, on 16 December 2018, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan65 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia61 in 100 of its 142 stories · usually 34 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Afghanistan57 in 100 of its 272 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Syria55 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon55 in 100 of its 269 stories · usually 26 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India708 stories about protests or strikes, of its 884 Beirut Lebanon116 stories about protests or strikes, of its 124 Washington US75 stories about protests or strikes, of its 390 Beijing China66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 111 Kolkata India62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 73

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 lessUkraine: 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: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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: too little coverage to readPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: 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 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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 lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern 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: too little coverage to readAzad 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSyria: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualPennsylvania, US -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 28 outletsMexico City, Mexico -- health: 17 stories, carried by 70 outletsWrexham, UK -- rights & justice: 22 stories, carried by 14 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 21 stories, carried by 14 outletsOttawa, Canada -- disasters & accidents: 26 stories, carried by 20 outletsDetroit, US -- health: 26 stories, carried by 35 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- displacement: 39 stories, carried by 41 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 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

● Pennsylvania US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 17 stories ● Mexico City Mexico about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Wrexham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 22 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Ottawa Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 26 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 5,373 stories · about as usual Health23% 3,960 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 3,309 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence13% 2,272 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,028 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 647 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 434 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 402 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 killed4,600 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,133 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,879 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,338 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees307 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions262 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced146 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill19 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 about as 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.