← 20 Dec Wednesday 21 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
55,846 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 violence in Berlin, illness in Kathmandu and protests in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). Nepal's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much harsher than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Jamaica →
Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostMexico 74 in 100 of its 3,400 stories, usually 21
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
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

Germany

3,768 of its 5,643 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Berlin accounted for 3,492 of Germany's 3,768 stories about harm, carried by 1,755 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (944 stories). Tornadoes were named in 222 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Germany over 30 days → its stories → Berlin stories →
Health

Nepal

526 of its 680 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Kathmandu accounted for 467 of Nepal's 526 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (169 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories → Kathmandu stories →
Protests & strikes

Ethiopia

162 of its 290 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 55 of Addis Ababa's 96 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (123 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories → Addis Ababa stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

2,521 of its 3,400 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Tultepec accounted for 2,088 of Mexico's 2,521 stories about harm, carried by 1,397 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (1,828 stories).

Mexico over 30 days → its stories → Tultepec stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

DR Congo

66 of its 96 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Kinshasa accounted for 60 of the DR Congo's 66 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. 50 of Kinshasa's 60 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Indonesia

709 of its 1,103 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Jakarta accounted for 533 of Indonesia's 709 stories about harm, carried by 645 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (40 stories). Its coverage was about twice 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

Syria

Aleppo accounted for 1,781 of Syria's 2,137 stories about harm, carried by 956 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (1,005 stories). Extreme cold was named in 195 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with snowstorms. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mongolia

123 of its 223 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (119 stories). Storms were named in 60 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with snowstorms.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bahrain

199 of its 286 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. 20 of Manama's 28 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (133 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Tunisia

214 of its 324 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (135 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Mongolia (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in Greenland (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Timor-Leste (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Kenya (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Hong Kong (12 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 23 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10022 Nov29 Nov6 Dec13 Dec21 Dec22 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 10021 Dec: 22 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 55,846 stories about harm among 258,965 counted on 21 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mongolia's news mentioned storms more than ten times as often as usual. 22 in every 100 of the day's 258,965 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Jamaica. the news turned to Germany for the second day running. Germany's news was 67% about people being harmed, against a usual 33%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria83 in 100 of its 2,572 stories · usually 79 · mostly conflict & violence Nepal77 in 100 of its 680 stories · usually 34 · mostly health South Sudan77 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Mexico74 in 100 of its 3,400 stories · usually 21 · mostly disasters & accidents Bahrain70 in 100 of its 286 stories · usually 28 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Aleppo Syria829 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1781 Washington US407 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2073 Ankara Türkiye397 stories about protests or strikes, of its 828 Jerusalem Israel249 stories about protests or strikes, of its 425 Berlin Germany198 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3492

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: too little coverage to readSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 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 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: 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 lessLibya: too little coverage to readLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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 lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: 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 lessIsrael: 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 lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: 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 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: 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 lessEl Salvador: 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 readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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 lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad 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 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSolomon Islands: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualPanama: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualKyrgyzstan: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualGuyana: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualGreenland: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCroatia: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMinsk, Belarus -- health: 37 stories, carried by 23 outletsSevier County, US -- disasters & accidents: 34 stories, carried by 32 outletsChattanooga, US -- rights & justice: 85 stories, carried by 99 outletsDinka, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 23 outletsBamenda, Cameroon -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsBalochistan, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsKurdistan, Iran -- conflict & violence: 26 stories, carried by 26 outletsShimabara, Japan -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 24 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

● Belarus warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Ethiopia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Pakistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Minsk Belarus about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories ● Sevier County US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 34 stories ● Chattanooga US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 85 stories ● Dinka South Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 29 stories ● Bamenda Cameroon about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 14,404 stories · less than usual (usually 28%) Conflict & violence24% 13,339 stories · more than usual (usually 22%) Health19% 10,359 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 7,084 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,950 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 2,416 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 2,215 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,219 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 killed22,099 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Germany Stories reporting people injured9,156 at about twice the usual rate · most about Germany and Mexico Stories reporting arrests8,094 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,979 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,405 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Germany and Syria Stories reporting evacuations1,256 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting abductions571 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced540 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill238 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Jamaica

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.