← 22 Dec Monday 23 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,780 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 rights and justice in Riyadh, violence in Caracas and protests in Algiers (Algeria). Saudi Arabia's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 55 in 100 of its 726 stories, usually 23
RegionSoutheast Asia 28 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
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 →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

397 of its 726 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Riyadh accounted for 240 of Saudi Arabia's 397 stories about harm, carried by 768 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (178 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Riyadh stories →
Conflict & violence

Venezuela

43 of its 68 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Caracas accounted for 26 of Venezuela's 43 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

15 of Algiers' 19 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (21 stories). Illness was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

Algeria over 30 days → its stories → Algiers stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

90 of its 224 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (12 stories). Flooding was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heavy rain and storms.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Honduras

49 of its 60 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Tegucigalpa accounted for 45 of Honduras' 49 stories about harm, carried by 307 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (40 stories). Its coverage was about three 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 →
Conflict & violence

Syria

193 of its 275 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Idlib accounted for 103 of Syria's 193 stories about harm, carried by 216 outlets. Flooding was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Philippines

287 of its 684 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (76 stories). Poisoning was named in 50 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tropical storm.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

633 of its 2,066 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

India

206 of Delhi's 393 stories were about protests or strikes. Landslides were named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 41 of Iraq's 64 stories about harm, carried by 134 outlets. 24 of Baghdad's 41 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heatstroke in Jordan (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Fiji (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Philippines (50 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); oil spill in Ecuador (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in China (53 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 20 the day before
21 in 10016 in 10024 Nov1 Dec8 Dec15 Dec23 Dec24 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 10019 Dec: 17 in 10020 Dec: 17 in 10021 Dec: 19 in 10022 Dec: 20 in 10023 Dec: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 16,780 stories about harm among 89,940 counted on 23 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 89,940 stories, as usual. Saudi Arabia's news was 55% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. In Sri Lanka's news, mentions of flooding ran about 6 times their usual. A year earlier, on 23 December 2018, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Honduras82 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 44 · mostly rights & justice Syria70 in 100 of its 275 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Venezuela63 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 27 · mostly conflict & violence Ecuador62 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia58 in 100 of its 169 stories · usually 37 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India206 stories about protests or strikes, of its 393 Riyadh Saudi Arabia84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 240 Washington US82 stories about protests or strikes, of its 360 Lucknow India57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 63 Tehran Iran40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 51

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: 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 readKazakhstan: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readUganda: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualWisconsin, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsNashville, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 26 stories, carried by 17 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 35 stories, carried by 82 outletsCairo, Egypt -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 15 outletsNadda, India -- rights & justice: 24 stories, carried by 19 outletsNairobi, Kenya -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 14 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

● Wisconsin US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Nashville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Brussels Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 26 stories ● Edinburgh UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 35 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 4,873 stories · about as usual Health24% 3,888 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 3,145 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 1,948 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 1,119 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 694 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 399 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 378 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 killed5,051 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,356 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,073 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,294 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced234 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting refugees225 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions196 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations102 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill29 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 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

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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.