← 17 Dec Wednesday 18 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,998 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 day's news pointed at protests in Lima (Peru), rights and justice in Panama City and people displaced in Türkiye. Türkiye's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPanama 53 in 100 of its 58 stories, usually 14
RegionCentral Asia 24 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Peru

41 of its 108 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Lima accounted for 32 of Peru's 41 stories about harm, carried by 83 outlets. 20 of Lima's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (28 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Peru over 30 days → its stories → Lima stories →
Rights & justice

Panama

31 of its 58 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Panama City accounted for 28 of Panama's 31 stories about harm, carried by 166 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Panama over 30 days → its stories → Panama City stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

173 of its 423 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Türkiye over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

95 of its 323 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Flooding was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Lebanon

66 of its 164 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Beirut accounted for 47 of Lebanon's 66 stories about harm, carried by 85 outlets. 44 of Beirut's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (28 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

India

397 of Delhi's 636 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (43 stories). Extreme cold was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Thailand

81 of its 292 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 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.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Malaysia

151 of its 589 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Heavy rain was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Chad

11 of its 30 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Idlib accounted for 41 of Syria's 123 stories about harm, carried by 50 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heatwave in Australia (142 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); earthquake in Haiti (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Dominican Republic (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); natural hazards in Somalia (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in Pakistan (38 of its stories, about three times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 17 the day before
21 in 10016 in 10019 Nov26 Nov3 Dec10 Dec18 Dec19 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 10017 Dec: 17 in 10018 Dec: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 19,998 stories about harm among 120,009 counted on 18 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 17 in every 100 of the day's 120,009 stories, below the usual 18. A year earlier, on 18 December 2018, 18 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 →

South Sudan69 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Syria64 in 100 of its 191 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan54 in 100 of its 215 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Panama53 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 14 · mostly rights & justice Sudan51 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India397 stories about protests or strikes, of its 636 Washington US123 stories about protests or strikes, of its 536 Aligarh India54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 55 Paris France52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 84 Beirut Lebanon44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 47

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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: 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 lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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 readSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: 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: 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 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 readCuraçao: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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 lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDR 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: 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 lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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 readSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualBarbados: warmth about its own usualBahamas: warmth about its own usualJuba, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 19 outletsWhite Haven, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 13 outletsWisconsin, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 22 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- displacement: 32 stories, carried by 44 outletsGreat Yarmouth, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 83 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 45 stories, carried by 39 outletsMerthyr Tydfil, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsTehran, Iran -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 27 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

● Juba South Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● White Haven US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Wisconsin US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 32 stories ● Great Yarmouth UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice32% 6,175 stories · about as usual Health24% 4,752 stories · more than usual (usually 22%) Disasters & accidents17% 3,371 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 2,264 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,164 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 906 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 482 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 472 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 killed4,955 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,766 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,422 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,225 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees376 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions257 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced178 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations102 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people falling ill52 at about the usual rate

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 softer 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

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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.