← 11 Dec Sunday 12 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 13 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,081 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 gas explosion in Italy, protests in Vienna (Austria) and people injured in Palestine. Austria's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 51 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostItaly 43 in 100 of its 275 stories, usually 20
RegionEast Asia 28 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

117 of its 275 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Ravanusa accounted for 52 of Italy's 117 stories about harm, carried by 182 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Gas explosion was named in 29 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with building collapse. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Ravanusa stories →
Protests & strikes

Austria

65 of its 95 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Vienna accounted for 54 of Austria's 65 stories about harm, carried by 179 outlets. 46 of Vienna's 54 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Austria over 30 days → its stories → Vienna stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

40 of its 60 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Japan

79 of its 323 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Earthquake was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tsunami and outbreaks.

Japan over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

UK

1,064 of its 2,960 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Tsunami was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

31 of its 67 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Guatemala

8 of its 11 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

New Caledonia

20 of its 36 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Noumea accounted for 20 of New Caledonia's 20 stories about harm, carried by 183 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Mexico

87 of its 241 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Singapore

30 of its 76 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tornadoes in US (789 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Spain (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in Canada (28 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in France (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); polio in Pakistan (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10013 Nov20 Nov27 Nov4 Dec12 Dec13 Nov: 26 in 10014 Nov: 24 in 10015 Nov: 25 in 10016 Nov: 24 in 10017 Nov: 24 in 10018 Nov: 24 in 10019 Nov: 24 in 10020 Nov: 25 in 10021 Nov: 25 in 10022 Nov: 25 in 10023 Nov: 25 in 10024 Nov: 25 in 10025 Nov: 25 in 10026 Nov: 26 in 10027 Nov: 27 in 10028 Nov: 28 in 10029 Nov: 27 in 10030 Nov: 26 in 1001 Dec: 26 in 1002 Dec: 25 in 1003 Dec: 26 in 1004 Dec: 27 in 1005 Dec: 27 in 1006 Dec: 26 in 1007 Dec: 25 in 1008 Dec: 25 in 1009 Dec: 25 in 10010 Dec: 25 in 10011 Dec: 27 in 10012 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 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 11,081 stories about harm among 41,091 counted on 12 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

In Italy, 43% of the news was about people being harmed, where 20% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 27 in every 100 of the day's 41,091 stories, above the usual 26. A year earlier, on 12 December 2020, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today. This week the news turned most often to Myanmar, on 3 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Austria68 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Palestine67 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Syria63 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Panama54 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 30 · mostly health Afghanistan54 in 100 of its 166 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Vienna Austria46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 54 Washington US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 334 Sydney Australia19 stories about protests or strikes, of its 56 London UK19 stories about protests or strikes, of its 244 Paris France17 stories about protests or strikes, of its 45

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-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: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessItaly: 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: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: 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: 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: 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 readMexico: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMexico City, Mexico -- health: 16 stories, carried by 167 outletsPulwama, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsMaine, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsDes Moines, US -- health: 21 stories, carried by 14 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 11 outletsCanberra, Australia -- health: 14 stories, carried by 54 outletsBerlin, Germany -- health: 14 stories, carried by 52 outletsRome, Italy -- health: 12 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

● Mexico City Mexico about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Pulwama Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Des Moines US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health51% 5,626 stories · less than usual (usually 56%) Disasters & accidents18% 1,990 stories · much more than usual (usually 9%) Rights & justice14% 1,497 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence8% 850 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 324 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 304 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 222 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 168 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 killed3,069 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,035 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Italy Stories reporting arrests615 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured510 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees73 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations70 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting people displaced69 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Italy and the US Stories reporting abductions66 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill5 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as 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.