← 22 Dec Thursday 23 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,971 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 helicopter crash in Madagascar, illness in Hong Kong and violence in Tigray. Ethiopia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 63 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 50 in 100 of its 354 stories, usually 33
RegionNorth America 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 31
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

Madagascar

28 of its 29 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (25 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Malaysia

176 of its 354 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 96 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Hurricane was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Myanmar

Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Landslides were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Africa

Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (30 stories). Flooding was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Qatar

34 of its 111 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Vatican City

21 of its 32 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (96 of its stories, about three times its usual); landslides in Myanmar (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); landslides in China (17 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); flooding in South Africa (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); extreme cold in Canada (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10025 in 10024 Nov1 Dec8 Dec15 Dec23 Dec24 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 10022 Dec: 27 in 10023 Dec: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 20,971 stories about harm among 74,986 counted on 23 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Madagascar. In Madagascar, 97% of the news was about people being harmed, where 45% is usual. On 23 December 2020, a year earlier, the share was 27 in every 100, against 28 today. 28 in every 100 of the day's 74,986 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 26.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ethiopia60 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Syria58 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine54 in 100 of its 127 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence South Africa53 in 100 of its 641 stories · usually 53 · mostly health Afghanistan50 in 100 of its 331 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US114 stories about protests or strikes, of its 908 Beijing China71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 London UK27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 448 Delhi India26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 289 Minneapolis US22 stories about protests or strikes, of its 105

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readCayman 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 lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: too little coverage to readEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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 lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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 lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: too little coverage to readChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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 lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGuyana: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualMuskogee, US -- disasters & accidents: 19 stories, carried by 69 outletsOrlando, US -- health: 32 stories, carried by 33 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 49 stories, carried by 25 outletsChatham, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 17 outletsAndover, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 80 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

● Muskogee US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 19 stories ● Orlando US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 32 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 49 stories ● Chatham Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Andover UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health63% 13,067 stories · much more than usual (usually 57%) Rights & justice14% 2,808 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Disasters & accidents10% 2,035 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,195 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 609 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 415 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 408 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 258 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 killed4,408 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,449 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,411 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,090 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees136 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced111 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions101 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations79 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting people falling ill17 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Spain

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
● 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

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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.