← 11 Dec Tuesday 12 December 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 13 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,031 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 →

Deaths in Stockholm, violence in Dera Ismail Khan and people affected in Bolivia drew the news. Pakistan's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostEthiopia 65 in 100 of its 51 stories, usually 34
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Sweden

70 of its 218 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Stockholm accounted for 46 of Sweden's 70 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sweden over 30 days → its stories → Stockholm stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

336 of its 923 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Dera Ismail Khan accounted for 132 of Pakistan's 336 stories about harm, carried by 248 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (113 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories → Dera Ismail Khan stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Zambia

Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (16 stories). Outbreaks were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Ethiopia

33 of its 51 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nicaragua

26 of its 38 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Managua accounted for 20 of Nicaragua's 26 stories about harm, carried by 29 outlets.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Norway

30 of its 128 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Rwanda

97 of its 253 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

43 of its 71 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: poisoning in Russia (33 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); outbreaks in Zambia (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in New Zealand (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); cyclone in Australia (50 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); power cuts in Kenya (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10013 Nov20 Nov27 Nov4 Dec12 Dec13 Nov: 19 in 10014 Nov: 19 in 10015 Nov: 19 in 10016 Nov: 18 in 10017 Nov: 18 in 10018 Nov: 19 in 10019 Nov: 20 in 10020 Nov: 18 in 10021 Nov: 18 in 10022 Nov: 19 in 10023 Nov: 19 in 10024 Nov: 18 in 10025 Nov: 19 in 10026 Nov: 20 in 10027 Nov: 19 in 10028 Nov: 19 in 10029 Nov: 19 in 10030 Nov: 19 in 1001 Dec: 19 in 1002 Dec: 20 in 1003 Dec: 19 in 1004 Dec: 18 in 1005 Dec: 18 in 1006 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 19 in 1008 Dec: 18 in 1009 Dec: 19 in 10010 Dec: 20 in 10011 Dec: 18 in 10012 Dec: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 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 19,031 stories about harm among 107,509 counted on 12 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 2 October 2023. 18 in every 100 of the day's 107,509 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 19. In Sweden, 32% of the news was about people being harmed, where 18% is usual. On 12 December 2022, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Israel71 in 100 of its 1,946 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan70 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia65 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 34 · mostly health Palestine64 in 100 of its 578 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen61 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 622 Gaza Palestine67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 286 Tel Aviv Israel35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156 Kerem Shalom Israel31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 94 Jerusalem Israel31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 133

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: 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 lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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 lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: 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 lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 lessIndonesia: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 lessAfghanistan: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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 readVanuatu: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualBoise, US -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 14 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- displacement: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsSpringfield, US -- other: 10 stories, carried by 13 outletsDoha, Qatar -- shelter & services: 13 stories, carried by 16 outletsLagos, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 63 stories, carried by 39 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- rights & justice: 21 stories, carried by 36 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 32 stories, carried by 21 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 20 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

● Boise US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 12 stories ● Khartoum Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 12 stories ● Springfield US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · other · 10 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 13 stories ● Lagos Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 63 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health31% 5,731 stories · more than usual (usually 28%) Rights & justice23% 4,354 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence16% 3,036 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,415 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood6% 1,028 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 853 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 745 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 499 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 killed4,533 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,038 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,985 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,063 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions661 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced371 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees323 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations120 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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 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 · 19 Oct – 25 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.