← 12 Dec Monday 13 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 14 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,807 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 violence in Nablus, people killed in Hong Kong and refugees in Denmark. Palestine's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostDenmark 46 in 100 of its 130 stories, usually 28
RegionEurope 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

61 of its 96 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Nablus accounted for 43 of Palestine's 61 stories about harm, carried by 65 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Nablus stories →
Health

Hong Kong

54 of its 118 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

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

Kashmir

75 of its 127 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Zewan accounted for 34 of Kashmir's 75 stories about harm, carried by 23 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (37 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

North Korea

20 of its 42 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Pyongyang accounted for 18 of North Korea's 20 stories about harm, carried by 146 outlets. Illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

34 of its 78 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees 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.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 87 of Afghanistan's 140 stories about harm, carried by 169 outlets. Polio 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 →
Disasters & accidents

Sweden

62 of its 181 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (36 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

66 of its 107 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tornadoes in US (1082 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); illness in North Korea (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); volcanic eruption in Spain (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); gas explosion in Italy (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in Pakistan (22 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 10014 Nov21 Nov28 Nov5 Dec13 Dec14 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 10013 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 13 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 19,807 stories about harm among 74,721 counted on 13 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Palestine for the second day running. 27 in every 100 of the day's 74,721 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Palestine, 64% of the news was about people being harmed, where 51% is usual. A year earlier, on 13 December 2020, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine64 in 100 of its 96 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Syria62 in 100 of its 107 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir59 in 100 of its 127 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia54 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan53 in 100 of its 266 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US117 stories about protests or strikes, of its 609 Beijing China41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 109 Boston US41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 179 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 504 Delhi India29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 152

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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: 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 lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: too little coverage to readEswatini: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: 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: 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: 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 lessPortugal: too little coverage to readPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: 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 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 lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualCumbria, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsNebraska, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 18 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsOklahoma, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsMexico City, Mexico -- health: 12 stories, carried by 68 outletsMandai, Singapore -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsCairo, Egypt -- health: 17 stories, carried by 11 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

● Cumbria UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Nebraska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Oklahoma US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Mexico City Mexico about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 11,025 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 2,830 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Rights & justice14% 2,799 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence6% 1,274 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 521 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 478 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 463 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 249 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 killed4,533 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,549 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,150 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured868 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees122 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions110 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations90 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced77 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Ethiopia Stories reporting people falling ill7 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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 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

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.