← 15 Dec Saturday 16 December 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,851 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 day's news pointed at protests in Jerusalem (Israel), the earthquake in Indonesia and homes and services in Bucharest. Romania's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostRomania 84 in 100 of its 470 stories, usually 14
RegionSoutheast Asia 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 31
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

Israel

787 of its 1,689 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Jerusalem accounted for 684 of Israel's 787 stories about harm, carried by 336 outlets. 458 of Jerusalem's 684 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (400 stories). Cholera was named in 63 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks and train derailment. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

461 of its 627 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Jakarta accounted for 302 of Indonesia's 461 stories about harm, carried by 239 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (139 stories). Earthquake was named in 425 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with tsunami. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Jakarta stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Romania

397 of its 470 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Bucharest accounted for 237 of Romania's 397 stories about harm, carried by 328 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 9 times the usual rate (396 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Gabon

44 of its 49 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Polio was named in 33 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Gabon over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Honduras

75 of its 114 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Tegucigalpa accounted for 66 of Honduras' 75 stories about harm, carried by 57 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (63 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Czechia

36 of its 100 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 31 of Prague's 34 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

118 of its 141 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Tripoli accounted for 94 of Libya's 118 stories about harm, carried by 79 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (88 stories).

its stories →
Health

Ethiopia

48 of its 91 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (23 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Mexico

164 of its 517 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 14 of Mexico City's 28 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (82 stories).

its stories →
Health

Sierra Leone

31 of its 57 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Ebola was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with outbreaks.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Philippines (246 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); ebola in Sierra Leone (27 of its stories, about three times its usual); landslides in Chile (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Ethiopia (22 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); extreme cold in Netherlands (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10017 Nov24 Nov1 Dec8 Dec16 Dec17 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 10014 Dec: 20 in 10015 Dec: 19 in 10016 Dec: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 22,851 stories about harm among 108,800 counted on 16 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Israel for the second day running. 21 in every 100 of the day's 108,800 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Indonesia's news, mentions of the earthquake ran about 5 times their usual. Israel stood out: 47% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 35%. On 16 December 2016, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen86 in 100 of its 116 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Romania84 in 100 of its 470 stories · usually 14 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Libya84 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Syria74 in 100 of its 291 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia74 in 100 of its 627 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel458 stories about protests or strikes, of its 684 Gaza Palestine150 stories about protests or strikes, of its 155 Washington US95 stories about protests or strikes, of its 934 North Dakota US92 stories about protests or strikes, of its 95 Ramallah Palestine86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 96

Stories, not people.

Where it happened

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Amsterdam, Netherlands -- attacks & violence: 51 stories, carried by 59 outlets; harsh wording in 73 in 100Peshawar, Pakistan -- attacks & violence: 76 stories, carried by 33 outlets; harsh wording in 93 in 100Philippine, Philippines -- accidents & disasters: 164 stories, carried by 46 outlets; harsh wording in 90 in 100Islamabad, Pakistan -- attacks & violence: 78 stories, carried by 44 outlets; harsh wording in 92 in 100Tripoli, Libya -- attacks & violence: 94 stories, carried by 79 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Tegucigalpa, Honduras -- deaths, cause not given: 66 stories, carried by 57 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Moscow, Russia -- attacks & violence: 86 stories, carried by 68 outlets; harsh wording in 87 in 100Marikana, South Africa -- protests & strikes: 37 stories, carried by 35 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Brussels, Belgium -- attacks & violence: 27 stories, carried by 41 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Leyte, Philippines -- accidents & disasters: 45 stories, carried by 41 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Dalwhinnie, UK -- accidents & disasters: 5 stories, carried by 52 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Sanaa, Yemen -- attacks & violence: 45 stories, carried by 51 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Lake Chad, Nigeria -- attacks & violence: 60 stories, carried by 56 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Qiam, Iran -- attacks & violence: 7 stories, carried by 66 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Toronto, Canada -- deaths, cause not given: 365 stories, carried by 294 outlets; harsh wording in 86 in 100Idlib, Syria -- attacks & violence: 83 stories, carried by 81 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Maiduguri, Nigeria -- attacks & violence: 102 stories, carried by 110 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Pyongyang, North Korea -- attacks & violence: 110 stories, carried by 158 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100Curtea, Romania -- deaths, cause not given: 146 stories, carried by 219 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100Tasikmalaya, Indonesia -- accidents & disasters: 103 stories, carried by 195 outlets; harsh wording in 99 in 100San Diego, US -- accidents & disasters: 162 stories, carried by 304 outlets; harsh wording in 94 in 100Jerusalem, Israel -- protests & strikes: 684 stories, carried by 336 outlets; harsh wording in 96 in 100Jakarta, Indonesia -- accidents & disasters: 302 stories, carried by 239 outlets; harsh wording in 98 in 100Montecito, US -- accidents & disasters: 540 stories, carried by 561 outlets; harsh wording in 100 in 100
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersPeople displacedDeaths, cause not givenProtests & strikesDisease & outbreaks

The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its stories.

Biggest events

● Montecito US accidents & disasters · 540 stories, 561 outlets ● Jakarta Indonesia accidents & disasters · 302 stories, 239 outlets ● Jerusalem Israel protests & strikes · 684 stories, 336 outlets ● San Diego US accidents & disasters · 162 stories, 304 outlets ● Tasikmalaya Indonesia accidents & disasters · 103 stories, 195 outlets ● Curtea Romania deaths, cause not given · 146 stories, 219 outlets ● Pyongyang North Korea attacks & violence · 110 stories, 158 outlets ● Maiduguri Nigeria attacks & violence · 102 stories, 110 outlets

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 6,378 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence20% 4,411 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 4,254 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Health18% 4,013 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 1,492 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 805 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 546 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 491 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 killed7,119 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,080 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,889 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,915 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees366 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions285 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations248 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines Stories reporting people displaced246 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill40 at about the usual rate

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
● 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

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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.