← 30 Dec Saturday 31 December 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,812 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 protests in Pyongyang (North Korea), violence in Baghdad and arrests in Brazil. Brazil's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 79 in 100 of its 200 stories, usually 25
RegionEast Asia 25 in 100 of its stories, usually 14
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 →
Protests & strikes

North Korea

158 of its 200 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Pyongyang accounted for 156 of North Korea's 158 stories about harm, carried by 189 outlets. 149 of Pyongyang's 156 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 10 times the usual rate (152 stories). Cholera was named in 146 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories → Pyongyang stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

1,457 of its 1,630 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Baghdad accounted for 739 of Iraq's 1,457 stories about harm, carried by 783 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (236 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Brazil

349 of its 926 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (259 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Brazil over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ireland

472 of its 1,147 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (330 stories). Road crashes were named in 276 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flu and bird flu.

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

Venezuela

215 of its 311 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Caracas accounted for 157 of Venezuela's 215 stories about harm, carried by 136 outlets. 141 of Caracas' 157 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (163 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

South Korea

500 of its 1,242 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 178 of Seoul's 206 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (77 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

120 of its 357 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (62 stories). Drownings were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Egypt

273 of its 482 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Cairo accounted for 202 of Egypt's 273 stories about harm, carried by 178 outlets. 111 of Cairo's 202 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

China

613 of its 3,199 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. 283 of Shanghai's 296 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (129 stories). Tornadoes were named in 60 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Greece

77 of its 222 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (23 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Costa Rica (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tropical storm in Bahamas (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tornadoes in China (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Iran (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Canada (40 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 21 the day before
25 in 10020 in 1002 Dec9 Dec16 Dec23 Dec31 Dec2 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 10025 Dec: 22 in 10026 Dec: 22 in 10027 Dec: 23 in 10028 Dec: 23 in 10029 Dec: 22 in 10030 Dec: 21 in 10031 Dec: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 30,812 stories about harm among 133,366 counted on 31 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

North Korea's news was 79% about people being harmed, against a usual 25%. of the day's 133,366 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. North Korea's news mentioned the cholera more than ten times as often as usual. Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. On 1 January 2016, a year earlier, the share was 24 in every 100, against 23 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq89 in 100 of its 1,630 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea79 in 100 of its 200 stories · usually 25 · mostly rights & justice Congo77 in 100 of its 128 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Syria70 in 100 of its 1,720 stories · usually 79 · mostly conflict & violence Venezuela69 in 100 of its 311 stories · usually 41 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Damascus Syria506 stories about protests or strikes, of its 753 Shanghai China283 stories about protests or strikes, of its 296 Seoul South Korea178 stories about protests or strikes, of its 206 Pyongyang North Korea149 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156 Caracas Venezuela141 stories about protests or strikes, of its 157

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: 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: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: 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: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little warmer than the world'sVenezuela: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sThailand: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSpain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Korea: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSlovakia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRussia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPanama: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMexico: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sJapan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIreland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHungary: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGermany: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCzechia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChile: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBurundi: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBrazil: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBahamas: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Germany about three times as fearful as the world's · 656 stories about harm ● Türkiye about twice as fearful as the world's · 190 stories about harm ● Mexico about twice as fearful as the world's · 171 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 423 stories about harm ● Syria about twice as angry as the world's · 1,205 stories about harm ● Brazil about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 349 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 8,238 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence24% 7,204 stories · about as usual Health17% 5,142 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 4,552 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given8% 2,522 stories · more than usual (usually 6%) Shelter & services4% 1,339 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 757 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 479 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 killed12,012 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Iraq Stories reporting arrests4,446 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,524 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,229 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees465 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced415 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions398 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations296 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Singapore Stories reporting people falling ill38 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Canada and the US

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
● Griefa little more than usual
● Feara little less 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.