← 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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: no storiesU.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: no storiesCayman 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 lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: no storiesThailand: 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 lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: no storiesSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: 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 lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: 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: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNiger: 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 storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: 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 lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: 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 lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: 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 lessJordan: 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 lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: 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 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: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: 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 lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBrunei: 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 lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: 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 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 lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: no storiesTurks & 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: no storiesSt 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: 51 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Venezuela: 69 in 100 of its 311 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Türkiye: 46 in 100 of its 412 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Tunisia: 69 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Syria: 70 in 100 of its 1,720 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)South Korea: 40 in 100 of its 1,242 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Somalia: 46 in 100 of its 71 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Sierra Leone: 48 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Saudi Arabia: 44 in 100 of its 145 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Philippines: 36 in 100 of its 1,155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Pakistan: 31 in 100 of its 1,237 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)North Korea: 79 in 100 of its 200 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Nigeria: 37 in 100 of its 1,829 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Morocco: 39 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Lebanon: 45 in 100 of its 110 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Israel: 35 in 100 of its 1,222 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ireland: 41 in 100 of its 1,147 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Iraq: 89 in 100 of its 1,630 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Iran: 34 in 100 of its 357 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Indonesia: 38 in 100 of its 357 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Honduras: 60 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Haiti: 61 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Guinea: 64 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Greece: 35 in 100 of its 222 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Germany: 52 in 100 of its 1,268 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ethiopia: 44 in 100 of its 43 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Egypt: 57 in 100 of its 482 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Ecuador: 54 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Denmark: 36 in 100 of its 76 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Czechia: 52 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Costa Rica: 43 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)DR Congo: 67 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Congo: 77 in 100 of its 128 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Colombia: 33 in 100 of its 75 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Chile: 34 in 100 of its 116 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Burundi: 76 in 100 of its 42 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Bulgaria: 37 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Brazil: 38 in 100 of its 926 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Bangladesh: 39 in 100 of its 423 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Bahrain: 41 in 100 of its 59 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Australia: 33 in 100 of its 3,915 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Afghanistan: 47 in 100 of its 222 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 23)Kashmir: 34 in 100 of its 157 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 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 · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.