← 11 Dec Thursday 12 December 2024 · to 23:59 UTC 13 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,851 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 news turned to violence in Kabul, people affected in Tunisia and protests in Bratislava (Slovakia). Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostAfghanistan 63 in 100 of its 138 stories, usually 43
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

87 of its 138 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Kabul accounted for 53 of Afghanistan's 87 stories about harm, carried by 149 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (43 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Rights & justice

Ghana

Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Palestine

165 of its 243 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Gaza accounted for 128 of Palestine's 165 stories about harm, carried by 330 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (40 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Damascus accounted for 370 of Syria's 638 stories about harm, carried by 670 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Chile

18 of its 63 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 158 of Israel's 438 stories about harm, carried by 300 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Hunger was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hypothermia in Italy (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Congo (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); natural hazards in Philippines (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); malaria in Nigeria (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in Canada (23 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 17 the day before
20 in 10016 in 10013 Nov20 Nov27 Nov4 Dec12 Dec13 Nov: 16 in 10014 Nov: 17 in 10015 Nov: 17 in 10016 Nov: 17 in 10017 Nov: 18 in 10018 Nov: 18 in 10019 Nov: 18 in 10020 Nov: 17 in 10021 Nov: 18 in 10022 Nov: 17 in 10023 Nov: 17 in 10024 Nov: 18 in 10025 Nov: 18 in 10026 Nov: 18 in 10027 Nov: 18 in 10028 Nov: 17 in 10029 Nov: 17 in 10030 Nov: 17 in 1001 Dec: 18 in 1002 Dec: 17 in 1003 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 17 in 1005 Dec: 17 in 1006 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 18 in 1008 Dec: 20 in 1009 Dec: 19 in 10010 Dec: 18 in 10011 Dec: 17 in 10012 Dec: 17 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 17,851 stories about harm among 103,312 counted on 12 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Italy's news mentioned the hypothermia more than ten times as often as usual. 17 in every 100 of the day's 103,312 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. For the second day running, the news turned to Afghanistan. Afghanistan stood out: 63% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 43%. A year earlier, on 13 December 2023, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine68 in 100 of its 243 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan67 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Syria67 in 100 of its 959 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan63 in 100 of its 138 stories · usually 43 · mostly conflict & violence Israel60 in 100 of its 729 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US295 stories about protests or strikes, of its 829 Damascus Syria84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 370 London UK49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 265 Abuja Nigeria30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 79 Jerusalem Israel28 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: 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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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 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: 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 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 Africa: too little coverage to readSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 lessHaiti: 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 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 readFiji: too little coverage to readEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: 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 readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUganda: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualMacao: warmth about its own usualWinnipeg, Canada -- health: 75 stories, carried by 10 outletsKondagaon, India -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsSomaliland, Ethiopia -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 21 outletsMaiduguri, Nigeria -- disasters & accidents: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 18 stories, carried by 48 outletsMontana, US -- disasters & accidents: 19 stories, carried by 36 outletsAccra, Ghana -- rights & justice: 24 stories, carried by 14 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 48 stories, carried by 100 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

● Winnipeg Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 75 stories ● Kondagaon India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Somaliland Ethiopia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Maiduguri Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 16 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 5,262 stories · about as usual Rights & justice26% 4,565 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 2,582 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence13% 2,359 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 839 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 757 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 741 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 393 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 killed3,583 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,070 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,910 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured726 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting abductions288 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees276 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced238 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill20 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Congo

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 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

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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.