← 16 Dec Sunday 17 December 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
9,517 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 drownings in Libya, people killed in Kuwait and people injured in Iran. Libya's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostLibya 92 in 100 of its 127 stories, usually 33
RegionCentral Asia 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

117 of its 127 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Tripoli accounted for 29 of Libya's 117 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (101 stories). Drownings were named in 79 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Kuwait

33 of its 112 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Kuwait over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

43 of its 74 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Djibouti

25 of its 53 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. the Red Sea accounted for 25 of Djibouti's 25 stories about harm, carried by 54 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

Tel Aviv accounted for 324 of Israel's 1,088 stories about harm, carried by 757 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (86 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 158 of Palestine's 205 stories about harm, carried by 159 outlets. Covid was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

24 of its 49 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malaysia

46 of its 180 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

Jammu accounted for 18 of Kashmir's 29 stories about harm, carried by 16 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Australia (54 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Palestine (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in US (112 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Nigeria (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in India (21 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10018 Nov25 Nov2 Dec9 Dec17 Dec18 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 10017 Dec: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 9,517 stories about harm among 50,065 counted on 17 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

In Libya, 92% of the news was about people being harmed, where 33% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 50,065 stories, as usual. Mentions of drownings ran more than ten times their usual in Libya's news. A year earlier, on 17 December 2022, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya92 in 100 of its 127 stories · usually 33 · mostly disasters & accidents Israel76 in 100 of its 1,441 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine62 in 100 of its 328 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan61 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 65 · mostly displacement Iran58 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 46 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tel Aviv Israel116 stories about protests or strikes, of its 324 Delhi India49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 128 Washington US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 217 Jerusalem Israel23 stories about protests or strikes, of its 98 Gaza Palestine18 stories about protests or strikes, of its 158

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 readKazakhstan: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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 readSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualConnecticut, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 20 outletsHawaii, US -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsTokyo, Japan -- health: 17 stories, carried by 17 outletsCambridge, UK -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsSistan, Iran -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 21 stories, carried by 74 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsSoweto, South Africa -- conflict & violence: 19 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

● Connecticut US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Hawaii US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 10 stories ● Tokyo Japan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Cambridge UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Sistan Iran about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health26% 2,418 stories · less than usual (usually 28%) Rights & justice24% 2,232 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence19% 1,780 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents16% 1,515 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 486 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 337 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 305 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 263 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 killed2,705 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,212 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,017 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured659 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions650 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people displaced265 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting refugees265 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting evacuations47 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people falling ill8 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Ecuador

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 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

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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.