← 23 Dec Saturday 24 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 25 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,896 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 →

Protests in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), violence in Bethlehem and people killed in Spain drew the news. Cambodia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostMalta 71 in 100 of its 391 stories, usually 18
RegionEurope 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Cambodia

149 of its 180 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Phnom Penh accounted for 142 of Cambodia's 149 stories about harm, carried by 131 outlets. 134 of Phnom Penh's 142 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (131 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Cambodia over 30 days → its stories → Phnom Penh stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

586 of its 996 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Bethlehem accounted for 496 of Palestine's 586 stories about harm, carried by 278 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (77 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Bethlehem stories →
Health

Spain

272 of its 870 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (212 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

912 of its 1,854 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (84 stories). Cyclone was named in 203 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with landslides, storm surge and tropical storm.

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

Tunisia

281 of its 323 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tunis accounted for 207 of Tunisia's 281 stories about harm, carried by 211 outlets. 109 of Tunis' 207 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (122 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Romania

37 of its 62 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 37 of Bucharest's 37 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

167 of its 187 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Sanaa accounted for 121 of Yemen's 167 stories about harm, carried by 118 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (107 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Ireland

409 of its 1,442 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 128 of Dublin's 239 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (204 stories). Ebola was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flu.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

France

255 of its 815 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (158 stories). Drownings were named in 151 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Italy

995 of its 1,815 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (597 stories). 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.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drownings in France (151 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Ghana (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Mongolia (11 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); malaria in Nigeria (130 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Netherlands (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 22 the day before
25 in 10020 in 10025 Nov2 Dec9 Dec16 Dec24 Dec25 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 10024 Dec: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 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 30,896 stories about harm among 133,293 counted on 24 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

France's news mentioned drownings more than ten times as often as usual. 23 in every 100 of the day's 133,293 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 21. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. Abductions were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US. Cambodia's news was 83% about people being harmed, against a usual 34%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Guinea92 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Yemen89 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Congo89 in 100 of its 214 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Mali87 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia87 in 100 of its 323 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US175 stories about protests or strikes, of its 859 Phnom Penh Cambodia134 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142 Dublin Ireland128 stories about protests or strikes, of its 239 Warsaw Poland126 stories about protests or strikes, of its 143 Aleppo Syria120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 769

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: 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: 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: 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 lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: 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 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: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: 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 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 lessSouth Korea: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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 lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: too little coverage to readOman: too little coverage to readNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNiger: 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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 lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea-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 readGhana: 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 readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: 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: too little coverage to readAksai Chin: 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: too little coverage to readSiachen Glacier: too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: too little coverage to readVatican 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readWallis & 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 readYemen: warmth about one and a half times its own usualVenezuela: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualTrinidad & Tobago: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMalta: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualLiberia: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIceland: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRhode Island, US -- shelter & services: 18 stories, carried by 17 outletsFederation Square, Australia -- conflict & violence: 31 stories, carried by 24 outletsMadison County, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 15 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- rights & justice: 143 stories, carried by 134 outletsSirte, Libya -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 26 outletsParis, France -- conflict & violence: 195 stories, carried by 256 outletsKiev, Ukraine -- conflict & violence: 23 stories, carried by 16 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

● Yemen warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● France warmth about one and a half times usual ● Poland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Rhode Island US about three times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 18 stories ● Federation Square Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 31 stories ● Madison County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Warsaw Poland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 143 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence31% 9,565 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Rights & justice23% 6,897 stories · much less than usual (usually 28%) Health18% 5,625 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 4,720 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,513 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 973 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 852 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 384 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 killed10,426 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,529 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,480 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,227 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees814 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Malta and Israel Stories reporting abductions681 at about twice the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations407 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced345 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill45 at about two-thirds of 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 about as 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.