← 15 Dec Saturday 16 December 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,403 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 →

Violence in the Red Sea, people killed in Kuwait and refugees in Nigeria drew the news. Djibouti's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostDjibouti 57 in 100 of its 99 stories, usually 34
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 53 in 100 of its stories, usually 48
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Kuwait

54 of its 187 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about 10 times the usual rate (48 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Kuwait over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Nigeria

Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Iran

70 of its 124 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

172 of its 488 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (79 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

986 of its 1,254 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 73%. Jerusalem accounted for 350 of Israel's 986 stories about harm, carried by 759 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Hong Kong

26 of its 84 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Egypt

30 of its 106 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Cairo accounted for 17 of Egypt's 30 stories about harm, carried by 16 outlets.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Kazakhstan

9 of its 24 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Australia (34 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Canada (28 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in China (16 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); natural hazards in Pakistan (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in US (131 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 18 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10017 Nov24 Nov1 Dec8 Dec16 Dec17 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 10016 Dec: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 11,403 stories about harm among 59,483 counted on 16 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the cyclone ran about 4 times their usual in Australia's news. of the day's 59,483 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Djibouti stood out: 57% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 34%. On 16 December 2022, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Israel79 in 100 of its 1,254 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine62 in 100 of its 335 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Djibouti57 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 34 · mostly conflict & violence Iran56 in 100 of its 124 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan41 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 43 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel117 stories about protests or strikes, of its 350 Washington US66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 392 Delhi India61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 198 Gaza Palestine43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 171 London UK25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 161

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: 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: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readItaly: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKentucky, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 13 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsPeshawar, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 23 outletsLouisiana, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 16 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

● Kentucky US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Peshawar Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories ● Louisiana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 3,078 stories · more than usual (usually 25%) Health27% 3,064 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 1,855 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 1,557 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 546 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 442 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 387 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 277 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 killed2,920 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,336 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,206 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions772 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting people injured665 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced199 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees164 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations45 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting people falling ill25 at about twice 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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 · 19 Oct – 25 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.