← 16 Dec Saturday 17 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
34,896 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 day's news pointed at protests in Dinka (South Sudan), heavy rain in Vietnam and violence in Cairo. Vietnam's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Syria and the US →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPapua New Guinea 94 in 100 of its 533 stories, usually 23
RegionCentral Asia 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
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

South Sudan

169 of its 186 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Dinka accounted for 111 of South Sudan's 169 stories about harm, carried by 114 outlets. 104 of Dinka's 111 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (113 stories). Hunger was named in 113 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with malaria.

South Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Dinka stories →
Disasters & accidents

Vietnam

90 of its 308 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (44 stories). Heavy rain was named in 43 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. 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.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Egypt

273 of its 453 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Cairo accounted for 249 of Egypt's 273 stories about harm, carried by 200 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (144 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Egypt over 30 days → its stories → Cairo stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Netherlands

246 of its 433 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Amsterdam accounted for 226 of the Netherlands' 246 stories about harm, carried by 354 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (179 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Venezuela

233 of its 374 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 112 of Bolivar's 131 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (30 stories).

its stories →
Shelter & services

Romania

51 of its 97 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (42 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

74 of its 88 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

70 of its 163 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories). Heavy rain was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

416 of its 717 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (84 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Papua New Guinea (499 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in China (199 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Fiji (25 of its stories, about three times its usual); volcanic eruption in Solomon Islands (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Tanzania (13 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
23 in 10020 in 10018 Nov25 Nov2 Dec9 Dec17 Dec18 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 10016 Dec: 21 in 10017 Dec: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 34,896 stories about harm among 151,292 counted on 17 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 13 November 2016. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Syria and the US. Mentions of the tsunami ran more than ten times their usual in Papua New Guinea's news. of the day's 151,292 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 21.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Papua New Guinea94 in 100 of its 533 stories · usually 23 · mostly disasters & accidents Uruguay93 in 100 of its 133 stories · usually 23 · mostly rights & justice Montenegro92 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 27 · mostly conflict & violence South Sudan91 in 100 of its 186 stories · usually 66 · mostly rights & justice Burkina Faso84 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Aleppo Syria510 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1858 Carrboro US208 stories about protests or strikes, of its 210 Seoul South Korea179 stories about protests or strikes, of its 189 Washington US166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 841 Warsaw Poland151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: 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 Africa: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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 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 readOman: 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 readNamibia: 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 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readHong 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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 lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 lessAksai Chin: too little coverage to readGaza: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: 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 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about one and a half times its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualTajikistan: warmth about twice its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSenegal: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMontenegro: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualDakar, Senegal -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 18 outletsRausch Creek, US -- rights & justice: 33 stories, carried by 33 outletsKyoto, Japan -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsMasvingo, Zimbabwe -- food & livelihood: 70 stories, carried by 81 outletsLa Trobe, Australia -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsMeribel, France -- health: 15 stories, carried by 21 outletsChurwell, UK -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 12 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

● Tajikistan warmth about twice usual ● Zimbabwe warmth about one and a half times usual ● Montenegro warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Dakar Senegal about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Bogota Colombia about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Rausch Creek US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 33 stories ● Kyoto Japan about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Masvingo Zimbabwe about twice as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 70 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 9,898 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence20% 6,979 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 6,495 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Health15% 4,992 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Displacement6% 1,890 stories · more than usual (usually 3%) Shelter & services5% 1,743 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,719 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 612 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 killed10,018 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,606 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected4,186 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,361 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations876 at about twice the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting refugees687 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions288 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced287 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill19 at about a third of 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 much harsher 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.