← 18 Dec Tuesday 19 December 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,853 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 train derailment in Bangladesh, protests in Kampala (Uganda) and people falling ill in Ecuador. Uganda's coverage was about one and a half times as angry 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 mostIceland 93 in 100 of its 455 stories, usually 37
RegionEast Asia 21 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

97 of its 220 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Dhaka accounted for 62 of Bangladesh's 97 stories about harm, carried by 57 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (65 stories). Train derailment was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Dhaka stories →
Protests & strikes

Uganda

41 of its 108 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 6 of Kampala's 11 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Uganda over 30 days → its stories → Kampala stories →
Health

Ecuador

38 of its 59 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (15 stories). Poisoning was named in 24 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

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

Iceland

421 of its 455 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Grindavik accounted for 347 of Iceland's 421 stories about harm, carried by 896 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 8 times the usual rate (98 stories). Outbreaks were named in 36 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

China

671 of its 2,138 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (356 stories). Earthquake was named in 459 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with extreme cold, power cuts and volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Guinea

39 of its 51 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Conakry accounted for 35 of Guinea's 39 stories about harm, carried by 96 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (34 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

3 of Sweida's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Philippines

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Tropical storm was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with cyclone and heavy rain. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Romania

28 of its 153 stories (18%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in China (459 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tuberculosis in Rwanda (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Zimbabwe (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Iceland (36 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); illness in Russia (13 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10020 Nov27 Nov4 Dec11 Dec19 Dec20 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 10018 Dec: 19 in 10019 Dec: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 19,853 stories about harm among 106,012 counted on 19 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in China's news. of the day's 106,012 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Bangladesh stood out: 44% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 31%. A year earlier, on 19 December 2022, 20 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 →

Iceland93 in 100 of its 455 stories · usually 37 · mostly disasters & accidents Guinea76 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 37 · mostly disasters & accidents Sudan71 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 64 · mostly displacement Israel70 in 100 of its 1,768 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Ecuador64 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 28 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 600 Jerusalem Israel48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 179 Tel Aviv Israel43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156 Delhi India40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 162 Hollywood US37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 195

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 lessVanuatu: 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: 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 lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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 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 lessPhilippines: 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: 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: 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: too little coverage to readIceland: too little coverage to readHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: too little coverage to readEl 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 lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: 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 readBotswana: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 readTanzania: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualDjibouti: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualLanarkshire, UK -- health: 30 stories, carried by 51 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 22 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 45 stories, carried by 172 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsZurich, Switzerland -- health: 42 stories, carried by 88 outletsAlaska, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 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

● Djibouti warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Lanarkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 30 stories ● Tennessee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Saskatchewan Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Edinburgh UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 45 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health31% 6,053 stories · more than usual (usually 28%) Rights & justice22% 4,371 stories · less than usual (usually 25%) Disasters & accidents19% 3,700 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence13% 2,473 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Food & livelihood4% 799 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 787 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 782 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 killed4,604 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,575 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,016 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,268 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions689 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced375 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees346 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations310 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iceland and the US Stories reporting people falling ill43 at about twice the usual rate · most about Ecuador and the US

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
● Griefa little less 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.