← 22 Dec Friday 23 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
47,935 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 violence in Milan, protests in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) and people falling ill in Guinea. Italy's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about three times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGuinea 97 in 100 of its 521 stories, usually 27
RegionOceania 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Italy

2,293 of its 4,144 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Milan accounted for 1,989 of Italy's 2,293 stories about harm, carried by 1,451 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (1,292 stories). Plague was named in 300 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

Italy over 30 days → its stories → Milan stories →
Protests & strikes

Mongolia

58 of its 80 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Ulaanbaatar accounted for 52 of Mongolia's 58 stories about harm, carried by 19 outlets. 35 of Ulaanbaatar's 52 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Extreme cold was named in 51 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Mongolia over 30 days → its stories → Ulaanbaatar stories →
Health

Guinea

503 of its 521 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Wildfires were named in 32 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with haemorrhagic fever.

Guinea over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

39 of its 98 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Extreme cold was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Romania

101 of its 262 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 84 of Bucharest's 93 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (78 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Australia

2,690 of its 7,424 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (142 stories). Tropical storm was named in 11 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.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Germany

1,828 of its 3,455 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Berlin accounted for 1,532 of Germany's 1,828 stories about harm, carried by 1,041 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (812 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Zimbabwe

132 of its 416 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 37 of Harare's 66 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories). Drownings were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Sierra Leone

66 of its 108 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (43 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Congo

226 of its 267 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (55 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: gas explosion in Ghana (67 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in China (144 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (176 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Spain (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Sudan (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10024 Nov1 Dec8 Dec15 Dec23 Dec24 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 10022 Dec: 21 in 10023 Dec: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 47,935 stories about harm among 216,089 counted on 23 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

In Italy, 55% of the news was about people being harmed, where 14% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 22 in every 100 of the day's 216,089 stories, above the usual 21. Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about three times the usual rate. In Mongolia's news, mentions of extreme cold ran more than ten times their usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Guinea97 in 100 of its 521 stories · usually 27 · mostly health Yemen91 in 100 of its 291 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Congo85 in 100 of its 267 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Syria79 in 100 of its 2,144 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence Mongolia72 in 100 of its 80 stories · usually 18 · mostly shelter & services

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Aleppo Syria247 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1520 Washington US179 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1714 Tripoli Libya155 stories about protests or strikes, of its 593 Albuquerque US104 stories about protests or strikes, of its 118 Jerusalem Israel93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 359

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 lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readCayman 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: 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 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: 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 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 readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: too little coverage to readNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNiger: 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 readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: too little coverage to readMalaysia: 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 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 lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: too little coverage to readIreland: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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 readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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 readGreenland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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: 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: 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 lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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 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 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 lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readVietnam: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualColumbia River, US -- disasters & accidents: 140 stories, carried by 122 outletsMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 16 outletsDinka, South Sudan -- rights & justice: 52 stories, carried by 64 outletsIngelheim, Germany -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsCosta Mesa, US -- conflict & violence: 224 stories, carried by 27 outletsBasingstoke, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 19 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- health: 15 stories, carried by 27 outletsPanaji, India -- health: 11 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

● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Bulgaria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Columbia River US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 140 stories ● Mogadishu Somalia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Dinka South Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 52 stories ● Ingelheim Germany about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Costa Mesa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 224 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 12,673 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence26% 12,398 stories · more than usual (usually 22%) Health20% 9,303 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 6,370 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 2,280 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 1,678 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,590 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 860 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 killed15,765 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests9,716 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people affected5,535 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,992 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,101 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions696 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Australia and the US Stories reporting evacuations600 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people displaced371 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill47 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Guinea

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Feara little more than 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.