← 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 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 lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: 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 lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: 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 lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: too little coverage to readGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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 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: too little coverage to readCape 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 readBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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 lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readVenezuela: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about twice its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKhorasan, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsVienna, Austria -- rights & justice: 46 stories, carried by 32 outletsWest des Moines, US -- disasters & accidents: 136 stories, carried by 170 outletsColumbia River, Canada -- disasters & accidents: 48 stories, carried by 67 outletsPrague, Czechia -- rights & justice: 34 stories, carried by 31 outletsSalt Lake City, US -- other: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsCairo, Egypt -- rights & justice: 22 stories, carried by 18 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 41 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

● Austria warmth about twice usual ● North Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● South Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Khorasan Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Vienna Austria about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 46 stories ● West des Moines US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 136 stories ● Columbia River Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 48 stories ● Prague Czechia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 34 stories

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

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.