← 17 Dec Saturday 18 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,672 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 →

Gas explosion in Pakistan, the typhoon in the Philippines and people killed in the Netherlands drew the news. Pakistan's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPhilippines 64 in 100 of its 396 stories, usually 45
RegionSoutheast Asia 50 in 100 of its stories, usually 39
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

274 of its 654 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Karachi accounted for 112 of Pakistan's 274 stories about harm, carried by 164 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (102 stories). Gas explosion was named in 32 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Philippines

254 of its 396 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Philippine accounted for 86 of the Philippines' 254 stories about harm, carried by 193 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Typhoon was named in 180 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with storms, power cuts and flooding.

Health

Netherlands

74 of its 164 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Outbreaks were named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Malaysia

137 of its 283 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 74 of Malaysia's 137 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Flooding was named in 44 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain.

Conflict & violence

Morocco

19 of its 33 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Health

UK

1,159 of its 3,169 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Tsunami was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with house fires. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Central African Republic

8 of its 8 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Palestine

Homesh accounted for 17 of Palestine's 31 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Health

Egypt

53 of its 135 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories).

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (44 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Türkiye (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in UK (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); poisoning in India (14 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 26 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10019 Nov26 Nov3 Dec10 Dec18 Dec19 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 10016 Dec: 26 in 10017 Dec: 26 in 10018 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 12,672 stories about harm among 47,008 counted on 18 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 47,008 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 18 December 2020, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: no storiesSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: no storiesGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: no storiesNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessJammu & Kashmir: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessSiachen Glacier: near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: no storiesNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: no storiesAruba: no storiesNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: no storiesMayotte: no storiesYemen: 72 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Vietnam: 38 in 100 of its 115 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)UK: 37 in 100 of its 3,169 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Türkiye: 38 in 100 of its 164 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Thailand: 45 in 100 of its 92 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Syria: 44 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Sudan: 58 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)South Africa: 49 in 100 of its 385 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Philippines: 64 in 100 of its 396 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Pakistan: 42 in 100 of its 654 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Netherlands: 45 in 100 of its 164 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Nepal: 64 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Morocco: 58 in 100 of its 33 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Malaysia: 48 in 100 of its 283 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Lebanon: 43 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Laos: 67 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Israel: 38 in 100 of its 201 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Iraq: 53 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Indonesia: 53 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Haiti: 62 in 100 of its 37 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Greece: 37 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Fiji: 42 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Ethiopia: 59 in 100 of its 69 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Egypt: 39 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Denmark: 45 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Cuba: 46 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Central African Republic: 100 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Myanmar: 53 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Bangladesh: 42 in 100 of its 133 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Austria: 46 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Afghanistan: 49 in 100 of its 221 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 27 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were harsher 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

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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.