← 20 Dec Tuesday 21 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,937 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 flooding in Malaysia, protests in Khartoum (Sudan) and rights and justice in Oecusse. Sudan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 49 in 100 of its 445 stories, usually 32
RegionSoutheast Asia 48 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

Malaysia

219 of its 445 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 152 of Malaysia's 219 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Flooding was named in 142 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heavy rain.

Malaysia over 30 days → its stories → Kuala Lumpur stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 29 of Sudan's 47 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. 27 of Khartoum's 29 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (27 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

60 of its 156 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Libya

41 of its 86 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (29 stories). Drownings were named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Switzerland

137 of its 393 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (34 stories). Flu was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with tuberculosis.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

368 of its 630 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (30 stories). Typhoon was named in 261 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Guatemala

9 of its 14 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 6 of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

46 of its 74 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Sanaa accounted for 30 of Yemen's 46 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Madagascar

19 of its 25 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Philippines (261 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); drownings in Libya (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Switzerland (13 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); power cuts in South Africa (11 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); power cuts in Australia (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10025 in 10022 Nov29 Nov6 Dec13 Dec21 Dec22 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 10021 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 21,937 stories about harm among 80,569 counted on 21 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 80,569 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. A year earlier, on 21 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 →

Sudan70 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 62 · mostly rights & justice Haiti69 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 70 · mostly rights & justice Yemen62 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines58 in 100 of its 630 stories · usually 47 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine58 in 100 of its 92 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US156 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1119 Beijing China45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 131 London UK33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 403 Boston US33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 Khartoum Sudan27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 29

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'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: 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: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: 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: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: 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: too little coverage to readFrench 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: feelings about like the world'sEl 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech 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: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR 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'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: 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: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: 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: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: 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: feelings about like the world'sGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sUruguay: coverage a little more grief-stricken than 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'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTimor-Leste: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sOman: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMongolia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMoldova: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMauritius: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMadagascar: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sJapan: coverage about three times as grief-stricken 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 angry 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 angry as the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHonduras: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGuatemala: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sGreece: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCameroon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCambodia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMyanmar: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBurundi: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times 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'sAlbania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: 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'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times 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

● Japan about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 209 stories about harm ● Sudan few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 47 stories about harm ● Kashmir few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 35 stories about harm ● Libya few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 41 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 46 stories about harm ● Mozambique few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 23 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 13,414 stories · much more than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice14% 3,013 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Disasters & accidents10% 2,207 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,339 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 556 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 482 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 477 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 224 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 killed4,460 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,605 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,389 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured985 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions180 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Haiti Stories reporting people displaced163 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the Philippines and Malaysia Stories reporting refugees125 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations102 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill10 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.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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.