← 18 Dec Monday 19 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
50,025 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 house fires in Jordan, protests in Hanoi (Vietnam) and the earthquake in Ecuador. Jordan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Syria and Germany →
Part of lifeRights & justice 25 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostJordan 76 in 100 of its 1,048 stories, usually 26
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 52 in 100 of its stories, usually 47
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 →
Conflict & violence

Jordan

793 of its 1,048 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Karak accounted for 465 of Jordan's 793 stories about harm, carried by 411 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (485 stories). House fires were named in 260 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Jordan over 30 days → its stories → Karak stories →
Protests & strikes

Vietnam

203 of its 561 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 101 of Hanoi's 123 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (10 stories). Tropical storm was named in 30 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories → Hanoi stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ecuador

119 of its 155 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (97 stories). Earthquake was named in 97 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tsunami and power cuts.

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

Türkiye

1,715 of its 3,038 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Ankara accounted for 1,355 of Türkiye's 1,715 stories about harm, carried by 1,015 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (835 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

South Korea

413 of its 1,484 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 247 of Seoul's 344 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (27 stories). Hypothermia was named in 29 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hunger.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

197 of its 252 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Qoryooley accounted for 112 of Somalia's 197 stories about harm, carried by 158 outlets. Building collapse was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with measles. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

125 of its 212 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (23 stories). Heavy rain was named in 57 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with landslides.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Germany

1,583 of its 3,183 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Berlin accounted for 1,347 of Germany's 1,583 stories about harm, carried by 1,033 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (133 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

DR Congo

40 of its 53 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. 25 of Kinshasa's 28 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heavy rain in Fiji (57 of its stories, about three times its usual); train derailment in Cuba (26 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Myanmar (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Russia (256 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in France (58 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 25 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10020 Nov27 Nov4 Dec11 Dec19 Dec20 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 10018 Dec: 25 in 10019 Dec: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 50,025 stories about harm among 236,594 counted on 19 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Jordan's news was 76% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%. of the day's 236,594 news stories, 21 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Evacuations were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about Syria and Germany. It was the second day running that the news turned to Jordan. In Ecuador's news, mentions of the earthquake ran about 4 times their usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Burkina Faso85 in 100 of its 133 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice Syria82 in 100 of its 3,595 stories · usually 79 · mostly displacement Somalia78 in 100 of its 252 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Congo78 in 100 of its 400 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice Ecuador77 in 100 of its 155 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Aleppo Syria746 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2707 Ankara Türkiye454 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1355 Washington US299 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1367 Seoul South Korea247 stories about protests or strikes, of its 344 Bolivar Venezuela136 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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 lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: 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 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 readSri 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: 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 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 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 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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 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 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 lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: 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 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: 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: 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: 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): 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about its own usualTrinidad & Tobago: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualLesotho: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGambia: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualEl Salvador: warmth about its own usualCôte d’Ivoire: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualAlgeria: warmth about its own usualAbidjan, Côte d’Ivoire -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 26 outletsAndover, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsMadison County, US -- health: 49 stories, carried by 44 outletsSeeiso, Lesotho -- health: 24 stories, carried by 21 outletsYorkshire, Australia -- health: 24 stories, carried by 24 outletsGuwahati, India -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 26 outletsMonrovia, Liberia -- health: 20 stories, carried by 12 outletsLake Chad, Nigeria -- displacement: 13 stories, carried by 10 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

● Côte d’Ivoire warmth about one and a half times usual ● Bulgaria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire about three times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 27 stories ● Andover US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Madison County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 49 stories ● Seeiso Lesotho about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories ● Yorkshire Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice25% 12,432 stories · less than usual (usually 29%) Conflict & violence23% 11,153 stories · about as usual Health19% 9,481 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 7,010 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,577 stories · about as usual Displacement6% 2,975 stories · more than usual (usually 3%) Shelter & services3% 1,664 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 804 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 killed17,299 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured7,285 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people affected6,140 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,876 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations1,833 at about three times the usual rate · most about Syria and Germany Stories reporting refugees847 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced419 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Iraq and Syria Stories reporting abductions339 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill32 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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
● 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.