← 19 Dec Tuesday 20 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
57,769 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 Ankara (Türkiye), violence in Berlin and evacuations in South Africa drew the news. Germany's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Germany and the US → Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Germany and Türkiye → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGermany 78 in 100 of its 8,604 stories, usually 26
RegionEurope 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 18
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

Türkiye

3,098 of its 4,282 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Ankara accounted for 2,633 of Türkiye's 3,098 stories about harm, carried by 1,442 outlets. 1,474 of Ankara's 2,633 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (1,417 stories). Train derailment was named in 46 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Germany

6,677 of its 8,604 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Berlin accounted for 6,310 of Germany's 6,677 stories about harm, carried by 2,477 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5,131 stories). Tornadoes were named in 278 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Rights & justice

South Africa

345 of its 1,223 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Hunger was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Jordan

677 of its 926 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (38 stories). Hurricane was named in 66 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cholera, extreme cold and volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Guinea

130 of its 206 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Conakry accounted for 112 of Guinea's 130 stories about harm, carried by 122 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (112 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Protests & strikes

South Sudan

245 of its 262 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Dinka accounted for 188 of South Sudan's 245 stories about harm, carried by 193 outlets. 105 of Dinka's 188 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Russia

1,377 of its 3,789 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (33 stories). Accidents were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Switzerland

661 of its 1,187 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Zurich accounted for 544 of Switzerland's 661 stories about harm, carried by 510 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (506 stories).

Conflict & violence

Austria

147 of its 325 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Also named far more than usual: power cuts in Ukraine (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Kenya (36 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); road crashes in Lesotho (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Nepal (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Jordan (66 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10021 Nov28 Nov5 Dec12 Dec20 Dec21 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 10020 Dec: 23 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 57,769 stories about harm among 253,762 counted on 20 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 253,762 stories, above the usual 21. Mentions of power cuts ran more than ten times their usual in Ukraine's news. People injured were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Germany and the US. Türkiye stood out: 72% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 41%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: near the world's share or lessCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessPalestine: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBangladesh: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessJammu & Kashmir: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessGaza: near the world's share or lessWest Bank: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessSiachen Glacier: near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 66 in 100 of its 125 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Venezuela: 53 in 100 of its 278 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Uzbekistan: 43 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ukraine: 30 in 100 of its 407 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Türkiye: 72 in 100 of its 4,282 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Tunisia: 74 in 100 of its 124 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Trinidad & Tobago: 34 in 100 of its 95 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Togo: 56 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Syria: 81 in 100 of its 2,406 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Switzerland: 56 in 100 of its 1,187 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)South Sudan: 94 in 100 of its 262 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Sudan: 68 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Somalia: 66 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Solomon Islands: 93 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Rwanda: 43 in 100 of its 96 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Russia: 36 in 100 of its 3,789 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Philippines: 30 in 100 of its 1,565 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)North Korea: 45 in 100 of its 121 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Niger: 74 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Nepal: 38 in 100 of its 209 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Mozambique: 36 in 100 of its 67 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Mali: 36 in 100 of its 56 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Malaysia: 36 in 100 of its 1,030 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Malawi: 37 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Libya: 58 in 100 of its 217 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Lesotho: 42 in 100 of its 67 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Jordan: 73 in 100 of its 926 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Israel: 37 in 100 of its 1,306 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Iraq: 65 in 100 of its 523 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Haiti: 39 in 100 of its 96 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Guinea: 63 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Germany: 78 in 100 of its 8,604 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Fiji: 52 in 100 of its 207 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Eritrea: 80 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Egypt: 41 in 100 of its 720 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ecuador: 81 in 100 of its 129 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Djibouti: 83 in 100 of its 6 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Greenland: 43 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Denmark: 38 in 100 of its 197 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Côte d’Ivoire: 41 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)DR Congo: 66 in 100 of its 90 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Congo: 61 in 100 of its 474 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Colombia: 34 in 100 of its 171 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Central African Republic: 80 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Myanmar: 39 in 100 of its 108 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Burundi: 50 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Burkina Faso: 70 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Belgium: 31 in 100 of its 618 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Austria: 45 in 100 of its 325 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Afghanistan: 68 in 100 of its 520 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ukraine: 30 in 100 of its 407 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)British Virgin Islands: 50 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 23 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

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 one and a half times 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.