← 20 Dec Sunday 21 December 2025 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
6,939 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 →

Protests in Dhaka (Bangladesh), violence in Bekkersdal and arrests in Singapore drew the news. Bangladesh'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 lifeRights & justice 25 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSouth Africa 64 in 100 of its 263 stories, usually 25
RegionOceania 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 24
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

207 of its 435 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Dhaka accounted for 113 of Bangladesh's 207 stories about harm, carried by 84 outlets. 70 of Dhaka's 113 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (70 stories). Its coverage was about twice 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 →
Conflict & violence

South Africa

168 of its 263 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Bekkersdal accounted for 108 of South Africa's 168 stories about harm, carried by 374 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (109 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

South Africa over 30 days → its stories → Bekkersdal stories →
Displacement

Singapore

20 of its 73 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Singapore over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

18 of its 90 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Taiwan

40 of its 100 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Taipei accounted for 37 of Taiwan's 40 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Australia

335 of its 904 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Bondi Beach accounted for 231 of Australia's 335 stories about harm, carried by 414 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (99 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

71 of its 215 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Kyiv accounted for 35 of Ukraine's 71 stories about harm, carried by 157 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 53 of Palestine's 87 stories about harm, carried by 139 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Cambodia

21 of its 30 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Sweden

18 of its 70 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Venezuela (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); power cuts in US (79 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); polio in India (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
21 in 10016 in 10022 Nov29 Nov6 Dec13 Dec21 Dec22 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 10021 Dec: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 6,939 stories about harm among 38,291 counted on 21 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

For the third day running, the news turned to Bangladesh. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 38,291 stories, as usual. Mentions of power cuts ran about 4 times their usual in the US's news. In Bangladesh, 48% of the news was about people being harmed, where 36% is usual. A year earlier, on 21 December 2024, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 today. This week the news turned most often to Australia, on 3 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Africa64 in 100 of its 263 stories · usually 25 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine59 in 100 of its 148 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Syria56 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Israel53 in 100 of its 324 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka50 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 54 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Dhaka Bangladesh70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 113 Bondi Beach Australia57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 231 Washington US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 230 Mymensingh Bangladesh22 stories about protests or strikes, of its 45 Islamabad Pakistan20 stories about protests or strikes, of its 47

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sYemen: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIraq: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt 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: too little coverage to readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: too little coverage to readAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readZambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sVenezuela: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sGuam: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTaiwan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKenya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIreland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEstonia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCambodia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Bangladesh about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 207 stories about harm ● South Africa about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 168 stories about harm ● Australia about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 335 stories about harm ● Kashmir few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 28 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 171 stories about harm ● Singapore few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 20 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice25% 1,671 stories · about as usual Health21% 1,455 stories · less than usual (usually 26%) Disasters & accidents19% 1,328 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence19% 1,269 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 400 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 321 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 198 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 177 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 killed2,020 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests765 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected755 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured643 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about South Africa and the US Stories reporting people displaced100 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions96 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations64 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees51 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Palestine Stories reporting people falling ill6 at about two-thirds of 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.