← 14 Dec Thursday 15 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
55,545 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 plane crash in Egypt, protests in Vientiane (Laos) and storms in Azerbaijan. Egypt's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Syria and the UK → Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 25 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostLaos 83 in 100 of its 86 stories, usually 16
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 55 in 100 of its stories, usually 46
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 →
Conflict & violence

Egypt

727 of its 1,052 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Cairo accounted for 637 of Egypt's 727 stories about harm, carried by 635 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (640 stories). Plane crash was named in 79 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Egypt over 30 days → its stories → Cairo stories →
Protests & strikes

Laos

71 of its 86 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 15 of Vientiane's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Laos over 30 days → its stories → Vientiane stories →
Disasters & accidents

Azerbaijan

229 of its 421 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (215 stories). Storms were named in 187 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Somalia

411 of its 493 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Mogadishu accounted for 344 of Somalia's 411 stories about harm, carried by 303 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (327 stories). Building collapse was named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Aleppo accounted for 3,729 of Syria's 4,066 stories about harm, carried by 1,608 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (1,163 stories). Train derailment was named in 280 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with ebola. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Palestine

574 of its 963 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Ramallah accounted for 374 of Palestine's 574 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Extreme cold was named in 71 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

104 of its 253 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Power cuts were named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malawi

77 of its 157 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (28 stories). Drought was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

South Sudan

158 of its 206 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drought in Malawi (38 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); respiratory illness in Portugal (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Chile (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); bird flu in South Korea (37 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); natural hazards in Ethiopia (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
23 in 10020 in 10016 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 Dec15 Dec16 Nov: 20 in 10017 Nov: 20 in 10018 Nov: 20 in 10019 Nov: 22 in 10020 Nov: 22 in 10021 Nov: 21 in 10022 Nov: 22 in 10023 Nov: 20 in 10024 Nov: 21 in 10025 Nov: 21 in 10026 Nov: 23 in 10027 Nov: 23 in 10028 Nov: 20 in 10029 Nov: 20 in 10030 Nov: 20 in 1001 Dec: 20 in 1002 Dec: 20 in 1003 Dec: 22 in 1004 Dec: 22 in 1005 Dec: 20 in 1006 Dec: 20 in 1007 Dec: 21 in 1008 Dec: 20 in 1009 Dec: 21 in 10010 Dec: 23 in 10011 Dec: 22 in 10012 Dec: 20 in 10013 Dec: 20 in 10014 Dec: 20 in 10015 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 55,545 stories about harm among 271,409 counted on 15 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Azerbaijan's news mentioned storms more than ten times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 271,409 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Syria and the UK. Egypt's news was 69% about people being harmed, against a usual 51%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia83 in 100 of its 493 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Laos83 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 16 · mostly rights & justice Syria82 in 100 of its 4,944 stories · usually 78 · mostly conflict & violence Central African Republic78 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 65 · mostly rights & justice South Sudan77 in 100 of its 206 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Aleppo Syria1306 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3729 Washington US225 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2035 Fang Hong China194 stories about protests or strikes, of its 197 Des Moines US92 stories about protests or strikes, of its 159 Delhi India86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 389

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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 lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 readKenya: 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 lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: too little coverage to readPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: too little coverage to readIran: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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 lessDjibouti: 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 lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina 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 lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia 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 lessBelgium: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: 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: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualPanama: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCosta Rica: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChad: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBelize: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about its own usualVatican City: warmth about its own usualBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 23 outletsTucson, US -- other: 19 stories, carried by 16 outletsMonrovia, Liberia -- health: 19 stories, carried by 15 outletsBatesville, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsKyoto, Japan -- health: 19 stories, carried by 15 outletsBulandshahr, India -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsBalaka, Central African Republic -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsCamperdown, Australia -- health: 23 stories, carried by 20 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

● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual ● Costa Rica warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories ● Tucson US about twice as warm as the day's news · other · 19 stories ● Monrovia Liberia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Batesville US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Kyoto Japan about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice25% 13,770 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Health20% 11,126 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence20% 11,064 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 8,804 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 2,835 stories · about as usual Displacement5% 2,730 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 2,362 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,837 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 killed15,400 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected7,432 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,859 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,163 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations1,459 at about twice the usual rate · most about Syria and the UK Stories reporting refugees1,109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced924 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and Nigeria Stories reporting abductions527 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill49 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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

Read the week →

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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.