← 12 Dec Wednesday 13 December 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 14 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
45,581 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 news turned to violence in Dhaka and Brussels and deaths in Bucharest. Romania's coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostRomania 44 in 100 of its 378 stories, usually 10
RegionEast Asia 19 in 100 of its stories, usually 16
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Bangladesh

476 of its 776 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Dhaka accounted for 251 of Bangladesh's 476 stories about harm, carried by 232 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (56 stories). Diphtheria was named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Dhaka stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Romania

165 of its 378 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Bucharest accounted for 159 of Romania's 165 stories about harm, carried by 148 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (156 stories). Its coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Romania over 30 days → its stories → Bucharest stories →
Health

Belgium

197 of its 470 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Brussels accounted for 175 of Belgium's 197 stories about harm, carried by 144 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (49 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Belgium over 30 days → its stories → Brussels stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Yemen

284 of its 338 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 75%. Sanaa accounted for 235 of Yemen's 284 stories about harm, carried by 197 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (97 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

China

804 of its 3,765 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (381 stories). Polio was named in 133 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with poisoning. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

527 of its 958 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Ramallah accounted for 310 of Palestine's 527 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Burundi

61 of its 85 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Bujumbura accounted for 36 of Burundi's 61 stories about harm, carried by 41 outlets. 36 of Bujumbura's 36 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Congo

98 of its 122 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Measles was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Ethiopia

48 of its 132 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 8 of Chelenko's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (33 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: road crashes in Indonesia (91 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Ghana (44 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Tonga (12 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); polio in China (133 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Kashmir (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 21 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10014 Nov21 Nov28 Nov5 Dec13 Dec14 Nov: 20 in 10015 Nov: 20 in 10016 Nov: 19 in 10017 Nov: 19 in 10018 Nov: 21 in 10019 Nov: 21 in 10020 Nov: 19 in 10021 Nov: 20 in 10022 Nov: 20 in 10023 Nov: 20 in 10024 Nov: 21 in 10025 Nov: 24 in 10026 Nov: 23 in 10027 Nov: 20 in 10028 Nov: 20 in 10029 Nov: 19 in 10030 Nov: 19 in 1001 Dec: 20 in 1002 Dec: 21 in 1003 Dec: 20 in 1004 Dec: 19 in 1005 Dec: 20 in 1006 Dec: 20 in 1007 Dec: 19 in 1008 Dec: 20 in 1009 Dec: 23 in 10010 Dec: 24 in 10011 Dec: 22 in 10012 Dec: 21 in 10013 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 13 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 45,581 stories about harm among 223,827 counted on 13 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Indonesia's news mentioned road crashes more than ten times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 223,827 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Bangladesh, 61% of the news was about people being harmed, where 50% is usual. On 13 December 2016, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen84 in 100 of its 338 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Congo80 in 100 of its 122 stories · usually 70 · mostly rights & justice Myanmar76 in 100 of its 166 stories · usually 58 · mostly rights & justice Sudan72 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Burundi72 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 56 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel443 stories about protests or strikes, of its 933 Washington US314 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2848 London UK130 stories about protests or strikes, of its 771 Ramallah Palestine124 stories about protests or strikes, of its 310 Boston US101 stories about protests or strikes, of its 439

Stories, not people.

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: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: near the world's share or lessCayman 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 lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: 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: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: 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 lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: 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 lessRussia: 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: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: near the world's share or lessNetherlands: 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: no storiesMontenegro: 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 lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: 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 storiesKenya: 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 lessIreland: 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 lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: 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 lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench 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 lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. 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 lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessComoros: near the world's share or lessColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: 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 lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): no storiesWestern Sahara (Free Zone): no storiesVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican 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: near the world's share or lessTurks & 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: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: near the world's share or lessGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 84 in 100 of its 338 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Venezuela: 31 in 100 of its 527 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Puerto Rico: 50 in 100 of its 167 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 30 in 100 of its 363 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Uganda: 33 in 100 of its 267 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Türkiye: 33 in 100 of its 610 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Trinidad & Tobago: 38 in 100 of its 80 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Tonga: 92 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Togo: 58 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Tanzania: 30 in 100 of its 148 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Syria: 59 in 100 of its 418 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Sudan: 62 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sudan: 72 in 100 of its 141 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Somalia: 46 in 100 of its 175 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Rwanda: 32 in 100 of its 99 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Romania: 44 in 100 of its 378 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Philippines: 37 in 100 of its 2,048 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Pakistan: 34 in 100 of its 1,335 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Niger: 52 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Morocco: 41 in 100 of its 198 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Mali: 68 in 100 of its 76 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)North Macedonia: 38 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Libya: 64 in 100 of its 139 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Latvia: 38 in 100 of its 58 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kiribati: 60 in 100 of its 10 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Israel: 33 in 100 of its 3,917 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 55 in 100 of its 958 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iraq: 57 in 100 of its 228 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iran: 41 in 100 of its 489 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Indonesia: 35 in 100 of its 495 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Honduras: 48 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Haiti: 47 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)France: 35 in 100 of its 2,587 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ethiopia: 36 in 100 of its 132 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)El Salvador: 38 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Egypt: 40 in 100 of its 459 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Dominica: 55 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Djibouti: 80 in 100 of its 5 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Congo: 80 in 100 of its 122 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Central African Republic: 62 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cameroon: 39 in 100 of its 87 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Myanmar: 76 in 100 of its 166 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Burundi: 72 in 100 of its 85 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Belgium: 42 in 100 of its 470 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bangladesh: 61 in 100 of its 776 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Austria: 48 in 100 of its 314 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Armenia: 36 in 100 of its 242 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Albania: 56 in 100 of its 63 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Afghanistan: 53 in 100 of its 244 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 37 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 55 in 100 of its 958 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 55 in 100 of its 958 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 37 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 37 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 30 in 100 of its 363 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 55 in 100 of its 958 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 37 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)
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 20 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Yemen 84 in 100 of its 338 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Myanmar 76 in 100 of its 166 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Congo 80 in 100 of its 122 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Bangladesh 61 in 100 of its 776 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Sudan 72 in 100 of its 141 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Syria 59 in 100 of its 418 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 12,272 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Health20% 8,911 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 8,153 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents17% 7,530 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,621 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood6% 2,576 stories · more than usual (usually 2%) Shelter & services3% 1,505 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 1,068 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 killed12,241 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,489 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,225 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,716 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations670 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees601 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the Czechia and Greece Stories reporting people displaced572 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions441 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill37 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and France

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

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than 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.