← 19 Dec Monday 20 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,841 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 the typhoon in the Philippines, arrests in Switzerland and protests in Khartoum (Sudan). Sudan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 60 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 55 in 100 of its 399 stories, usually 31
RegionSoutheast Asia 54 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

449 of its 679 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Philippine accounted for 186 of the Philippines' 449 stories about harm, carried by 128 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (50 stories). Typhoon was named in 338 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with flooding, landslides and power cuts. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Philippines over 30 days → its stories → Philippine stories →
Health

Switzerland

135 of its 371 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Outbreaks were named in 44 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Switzerland over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 43 of Sudan's 51 stories about harm, carried by 59 outlets. 39 of Khartoum's 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (25 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.

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

Malaysia

218 of its 399 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 135 of Malaysia's 218 stories about harm, carried by 74 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Flooding was named in 133 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with heavy rain and drownings.

its stories →
Health

Ireland

Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories). Hypothermia was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Somalia

Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Ukraine

43 of its 113 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Egypt

73 of its 188 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Health

Rwanda

29 of its 42 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (133 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); hunger in Somalia (12 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); power cuts in Australia (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in Ireland (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in India (19 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10025 in 10021 Nov28 Nov5 Dec12 Dec20 Dec21 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 10020 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 18,841 stories about harm among 70,670 counted on 20 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

27 in every 100 of the day's 70,670 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 20 December 2020, a year earlier, the share was 28 in every 100, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti75 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 69 · mostly rights & justice Sudan69 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines66 in 100 of its 679 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine61 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Malaysia55 in 100 of its 399 stories · usually 31 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US78 stories about protests or strikes, of its 749 Beijing China55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 163 Santiago Chile42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 62 Khartoum Sudan39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 43 London UK38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 410

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: 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: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: 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'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: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: 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: feelings about like the world'sKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: 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'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: 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'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: feelings about like the world'sMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: 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: feelings about like the world'sSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZambia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sYemen: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUganda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTanzania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSudan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSouth Korea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPhilippines: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNigeria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMongolia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMoldova: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMexico: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalaysia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sHonduras: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHaiti: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGuinea-Bissau: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuatemala: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGreece: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFiji: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCongo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChile: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCambodia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBurundi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBenin: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little angrier 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 one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as fearful 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 · 41 stories about harm ● Sudan about twice as angry as the world's · 51 stories about harm ● Philippines about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 449 stories about harm ● Somalia few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 25 stories about harm ● Ethiopia about twice as angry as the world's · 56 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 25 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health60% 11,245 stories · more than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice14% 2,630 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents11% 2,078 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,055 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 545 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 420 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 417 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 298 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 killed4,086 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,389 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,125 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured890 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions162 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Haiti and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced160 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the Philippines and Malaysia Stories reporting evacuations125 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the Philippines and Malaysia Stories reporting refugees124 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill12 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 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.