← 14 Dec Friday 15 December 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,235 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 rights and justice in Copenhagen, violence in Tehran and snowstorms in China. Iran's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostCzechia 36 in 100 of its 103 stories, usually 11
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 →
Rights & justice

Denmark

56 of its 149 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Copenhagen accounted for 35 of Denmark's 56 stories about harm, carried by 186 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 10 times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Denmark over 30 days → its stories → Copenhagen stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

92 of its 153 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Tehran accounted for 35 of Iran's 92 stories about harm, carried by 89 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Health

China

Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (20 stories). Snowstorms were named in 36 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with extreme cold and storms.

China over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Djibouti

52 of its 101 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. the Red Sea accounted for 52 of Djibouti's 52 stories about harm, carried by 87 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Hong Kong

57 of its 183 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Czechia

37 of its 103 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Prague accounted for 33 of the Czechia's 37 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bosnia

6 of its 7 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Senegal

14 of its 35 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Chile

17 of its 67 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Indonesia (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); drownings in France (10 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); hunger in Nigeria (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Canada (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); drownings in US (83 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10016 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 Dec15 Dec16 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 10013 Dec: 18 in 10014 Dec: 18 in 10015 Dec: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 18,235 stories about harm among 103,409 counted on 15 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 103,409 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 19. For the second day running, the news turned to Denmark. Denmark stood out: 38% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 21%. On 15 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 →

Israel69 in 100 of its 1,770 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine63 in 100 of its 452 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Iran60 in 100 of its 153 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan60 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Djibouti51 in 100 of its 101 stories · usually 30 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US103 stories about protests or strikes, of its 577 Delhi India73 stories about protests or strikes, of its 232 Jerusalem Israel53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 326 Gaza Palestine39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 214 Chicago US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 154

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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 readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: too little coverage to readChile: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: too little coverage to readGaza: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSint 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 readSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBrussels, Belgium -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsNenagh, Ireland -- health: 20 stories, carried by 22 outletsOregon, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- displacement: 25 stories, carried by 26 outletsPerth, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 38 outletsOklahoma City, US -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 17 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsIbadan, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 11 stories, carried by 11 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

● Brussels Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Nenagh Ireland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 25 stories ● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 5,366 stories · more than usual (usually 28%) Rights & justice25% 4,524 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence16% 2,820 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,373 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 869 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 778 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 684 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 425 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 killed4,374 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,954 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured990 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions689 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting refugees293 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced271 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting evacuations118 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting people falling ill28 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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.