← 19 Dec Saturday 20 December 2025 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
8,676 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 protests in Dhaka (Bangladesh), violence in Taipei and people killed in Saudi Arabia. Bangladesh's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostTaiwan 49 in 100 of its 137 stories, usually 12
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 31
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 →
Protests & strikes

Bangladesh

215 of its 434 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Dhaka accounted for 129 of Bangladesh's 215 stories about harm, carried by 137 outlets. 86 of Dhaka's 129 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (73 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Dhaka stories →
Conflict & violence

Taiwan

67 of its 137 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Taipei accounted for 64 of Taiwan's 67 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Taiwan over 30 days → its stories → Taipei stories →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

21 of its 83 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

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

Ukraine

96 of its 258 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (70 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Pakistan

Adiala accounted for 66 of Pakistan's 152 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (56 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

164 of its 211 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malta

14 of its 47 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

South Africa

54 of its 161 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Denmark

12 of its 35 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: train derailment in India (56 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in US (48 of its stories, about three times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 17; 18 the day before
21 in 10016 in 10021 Nov28 Nov5 Dec12 Dec20 Dec21 Nov: 16 in 10022 Nov: 16 in 10023 Nov: 16 in 10024 Nov: 16 in 10025 Nov: 17 in 10026 Nov: 17 in 10027 Nov: 17 in 10028 Nov: 17 in 10029 Nov: 19 in 10030 Nov: 19 in 1001 Dec: 18 in 1002 Dec: 17 in 1003 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 17 in 1005 Dec: 16 in 1006 Dec: 18 in 1007 Dec: 17 in 1008 Dec: 18 in 1009 Dec: 17 in 10010 Dec: 17 in 10011 Dec: 17 in 10012 Dec: 17 in 10013 Dec: 18 in 10014 Dec: 21 in 10015 Dec: 20 in 10016 Dec: 19 in 10017 Dec: 18 in 10018 Dec: 18 in 10019 Dec: 18 in 10020 Dec: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 8,676 stories about harm among 48,009 counted on 20 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of train derailment ran more than ten times their usual in India's news. of the day's 48,009 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. the news turned to Bangladesh for the second day running. Bangladesh's news was 50% about people being harmed, against a usual 35%. On 20 December 2024, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria78 in 100 of its 211 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine54 in 100 of its 145 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka53 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 53 · mostly disasters & accidents Israel52 in 100 of its 263 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan52 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 53 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Dhaka Bangladesh86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 129 Washington US81 stories about protests or strikes, of its 419 Bondi Beach Australia36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 139 Mymensingh Bangladesh17 stories about protests or strikes, of its 41 London UK16 stories about protests or strikes, of its 104

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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readTonga: 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: 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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth 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: too little coverage to readLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: too little coverage to readBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: 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: 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualRiyadh, Saudi Arabia -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsColorado, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 24 outletsTokyo, Japan -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsQuetta, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsKordofan, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 24 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsLagos, Nigeria -- shelter & services: 24 stories, carried by 21 outletsIdlib, Syria -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 53 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

● Riyadh Saudi Arabia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Tokyo Japan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Quetta Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Kordofan Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 2,212 stories · about as usual Health23% 1,945 stories · less than usual (usually 26%) Disasters & accidents18% 1,523 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 1,488 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 519 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 421 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 237 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 162 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 killed2,431 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,061 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected828 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured810 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Ukraine Stories reporting people displaced111 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees66 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting abductions65 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations49 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting people falling ill6 at about half 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than 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.