← 18 Dec Sunday 19 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
10,589 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 flooding in Malaysia, violence in Homesh and people injured in Guatemala. Palestine's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Malaysia and the Philippines →
Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 61 in 100 of its 342 stories, usually 29
RegionSoutheast Asia 57 in 100 of its stories, usually 40
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

Malaysia

208 of its 342 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 97 of Malaysia's 208 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (26 stories). Flooding was named in 121 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain and landslides. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Malaysia over 30 days → its stories → Kuala Lumpur stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

65 of its 88 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Homesh accounted for 34 of Palestine's 65 stories about harm, carried by 20 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Homesh stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Guatemala

15 of its 21 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Guatemala over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Iran

46 of its 112 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

295 of its 441 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Philippine accounted for 109 of the Philippines' 295 stories about harm, carried by 83 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (62 stories). Typhoon was named in 216 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with storms, flooding and landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

216 of its 525 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (57 stories). Gas explosion was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Japan

88 of its 324 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Netherlands

68 of its 181 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (16 stories). Outbreaks were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

China

209 of its 661 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. 43 of Beijing's 84 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 10 times the usual rate (18 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Armenia

11 of its 23 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. 4 of Yerevan's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Philippines (216 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); outbreaks in Netherlands (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); road crashes in Ireland (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); plane crash in Australia (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Pakistan (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10025 in 10020 Nov27 Nov4 Dec11 Dec19 Dec20 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 10019 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 10,589 stories about harm among 38,784 counted on 19 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Malaysia and the Philippines. 27 in every 100 of the day's 38,784 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. In Malaysia, 61% of the news was about people being harmed, where 29% is usual. A year earlier, on 19 December 2020, 28 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. This week the news turned most often to Palestine, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine74 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan69 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 62 · mostly rights & justice Philippines67 in 100 of its 441 stories · usually 45 · mostly disasters & accidents Indonesia62 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 47 · mostly disasters & accidents Malaysia61 in 100 of its 342 stories · usually 29 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 381 Beijing China43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 84 Khartoum Sudan42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 44 London UK42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 341 Northern Ireland UK20 stories about protests or strikes, of its 103

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth 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 Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: 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 readYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUganda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSudan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSingapore: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMalta: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJordan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJapan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJamaica: coverage a little warmer than the world'sItaly: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIreland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuatemala: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGreenland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChile: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBotswana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBosnia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Kashmir few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 45 stories about harm ● Pakistan about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 216 stories about harm ● Palestine about twice as angry as the world's · 65 stories about harm ● Iraq few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 49 stories about harm ● Sudan about twice as angry as the world's · 52 stories about harm ● Iran few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 46 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health54% 5,704 stories · about as usual Rights & justice14% 1,516 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents13% 1,370 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Conflict & violence9% 914 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 356 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 269 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 213 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 177 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 killed2,767 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people affected790 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests775 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured647 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines Stories reporting evacuations103 at about twice the usual rate · most about Malaysia and the Philippines Stories reporting refugees83 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced82 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Afghanistan and the US Stories reporting abductions55 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.