← 28 Dec Sunday 29 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 30 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
10,290 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 hunger in Somalia, protests in Kiev (Ukraine) and drownings in Fiji drew the news. Somalia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Somalia → Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Fiji and Syria → Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostUkraine 52 in 100 of its 279 stories, usually 10
RegionCentral Asia 53 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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 →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

170 of its 181 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Mogadishu accounted for 162 of Somalia's 170 stories about harm, carried by 324 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (13 stories). Hunger was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Protests & strikes

Ukraine

145 of its 279 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. 44 of Kiev's 73 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (118 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Ukraine over 30 days → its stories → Kiev stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

56 of its 74 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (29 stories). Drownings were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Fiji over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Syria

114 of its 139 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Idlib accounted for 92 of Syria's 114 stories about harm, carried by 85 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Netherlands

32 of its 82 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Egypt

74 of its 200 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (51 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Australia

468 of its 1,346 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Storms were named in 70 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Russia

101 of its 403 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Morocco

13 of its 36 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 6 of Rabat's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Papua New Guinea (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); avalanche in Italy (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Spain (19 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); extreme cold in Bangladesh (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Puerto Rico (11 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 21 the day before
22 in 10016 in 10030 Nov7 Dec14 Dec21 Dec29 Dec30 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 10024 Dec: 18 in 10025 Dec: 19 in 10026 Dec: 19 in 10027 Dec: 20 in 10028 Dec: 21 in 10029 Dec: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 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 10,290 stories about harm among 47,606 counted on 29 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 21 September 2019. Stories about people being harmed made up 22 in every 100 of the day's 47,606 stories, above the usual 18. Mentions of the avalanche ran more than ten times their usual in Italy's news. On the side of help, reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Somalia. This week the news turned most often to Fiji, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 5 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia94 in 100 of its 181 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Syria82 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Fiji76 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 32 · mostly disasters & accidents Yemen68 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq66 in 100 of its 261 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India77 stories about protests or strikes, of its 190 Lucknow India46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 62 Kiev Ukraine44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 73 Washington US39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 204 Kirkuk Iraq37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 96

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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: 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 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 lessPhilippines: 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 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: too little coverage to readMalaysia: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: 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: too little coverage to readItaly: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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: too little coverage to readAksai 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: too little coverage to readSiachen Glacier: too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: too little coverage to readVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSudan: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRussia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualDammam, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 24 outletsKremlin, Russia -- conflict & violence: 49 stories, carried by 185 outletsGlasgow, UK -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 19 stories, carried by 154 outletsPetersburg, Russia -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 39 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 37 stories, carried by 37 outletsBerkshire, UK -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsSan Joaquin County, US -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsHawaii, US -- disasters & accidents: 16 stories, carried by 37 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

● Saudi Arabia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Russia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Dammam Saudi Arabia about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 22 stories ● Kremlin Russia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 49 stories ● Glasgow UK about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 19 stories ● Petersburg Russia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 37 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 2,712 stories · less than usual (usually 31%) Disasters & accidents22% 2,211 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence20% 1,980 stories · much more than usual (usually 14%) Health18% 1,818 stories · less than usual (usually 22%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 656 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 327 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 219 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 191 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 killed3,696 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured1,297 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Somalia Stories reporting arrests1,291 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,224 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting evacuations152 at about three times the usual rate · most about Fiji and Syria Stories reporting people displaced129 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting refugees100 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions88 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill7 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh

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.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than 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.