← 14 Dec Wednesday 15 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,460 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 a disaster in Port-au-Prince, illness in Kuala Lumpur and protests in Yangon (Myanmar). Haiti's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostHaiti 91 in 100 of its 89 stories, usually 63
RegionSoutheast Asia 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 39
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Haiti

81 of its 89 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 27 of Haiti's 81 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Haiti over 30 days → its stories → Port-au-Prince stories →
Health

Malaysia

183 of its 447 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 100 of Malaysia's 183 stories about harm, carried by 70 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (36 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Malaysia over 30 days → its stories → Kuala Lumpur stories →
Rights & justice

Colombia

30 of its 74 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Russia

268 of its 831 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Heatwave was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Dhaka accounted for 65 of Bangladesh's 106 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Outbreaks were named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Hong Kong

121 of its 240 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Causeway Bay accounted for 73 of Hong Kong's 121 stories about harm, carried by 210 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (37 stories).

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Flooding was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain and storms. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Switzerland

79 of its 242 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

57 of its 92 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Bangladesh (30 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); typhoon in Philippines (66 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Spain (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); flooding in New Zealand (23 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tornadoes in US (778 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10016 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 Dec15 Dec16 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 10014 Dec: 27 in 10015 Dec: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 23,460 stories about harm among 89,291 counted on 15 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Haiti. Stories about people being harmed made up 26 in every 100 of the day's 89,291 stories, as usual. Mentions of outbreaks ran about 8 times their usual in Bangladesh's news. In Haiti, 91% of the news was about people being harmed, where 63% is usual. On 15 December 2020, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 26 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti91 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 63 · mostly disasters & accidents Kashmir62 in 100 of its 92 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Rwanda57 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Sudan57 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 64 · mostly rights & justice Yemen51 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US235 stories about protests or strikes, of its 967 London UK49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 462 New York US30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 304 Moscow Russia24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 138 Beijing China23 stories about protests or strikes, of its 118

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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: too little coverage to readCzech 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readChile: 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: 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: 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 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 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 readEast 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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 readUkraine: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualGeorgia: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualArizona, US -- health: 37 stories, carried by 61 outletsMaine, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 19 outletsKampala, Uganda -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 13 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 20 outletsPulwama, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 24 stories, carried by 19 outletsBerkshire, UK -- health: 31 stories, carried by 75 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 41 stories, carried by 22 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 48 stories, carried by 25 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

● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Kampala Uganda about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 16 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 25 stories ● Pulwama Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 24 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 13,126 stories · about as usual Rights & justice15% 3,603 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 2,877 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Conflict & violence6% 1,395 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 722 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 648 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 589 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 289 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 killed4,950 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,522 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,420 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured944 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees140 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations122 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions105 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced78 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Sudan Stories reporting people falling ill10 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Qatar

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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.