← 19 Dec Wednesday 20 December 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
38,885 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 people injured in Mexico, protests in Baghdad (Iraq) and violence in Tehran. Iraq's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMexico 58 in 100 of its 1,678 stories, usually 21
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

978 of its 1,678 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (726 stories). Road crashes were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

515 of its 667 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. 74 of Baghdad's 120 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

267 of its 581 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Tehran accounted for 194 of Iran's 267 stories about harm, carried by 145 outlets. Flooding was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

North Macedonia

35 of its 50 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. 29 of Skopje's 29 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Congo

86 of its 104 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (49 stories). Cholera was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

Riyadh accounted for 298 of Saudi Arabia's 348 stories about harm, carried by 209 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (26 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Senegal

45 of its 80 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Dakar accounted for 42 of Senegal's 45 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

183 of its 558 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about 9 times the usual rate (95 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Somalia

175 of its 216 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Mogadishu accounted for 132 of Somalia's 175 stories about harm, carried by 133 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Switzerland (26 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in Greece (40 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); accidents in Albania (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Japan (26 of its stories, about three times its usual); cholera in Congo (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10021 Nov28 Nov5 Dec12 Dec20 Dec21 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 10017 Dec: 22 in 10018 Dec: 22 in 10019 Dec: 21 in 10020 Dec: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 38,885 stories about harm among 197,627 counted on 20 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the hurricane ran more than ten times their usual in Switzerland's news. of the day's 197,627 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Mexico stood out: 58% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 21%. A year earlier, on 20 December 2016, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo83 in 100 of its 104 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia81 in 100 of its 216 stories · usually 74 · mostly disasters & accidents Myanmar81 in 100 of its 167 stories · usually 58 · mostly rights & justice Iraq77 in 100 of its 667 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen76 in 100 of its 255 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel392 stories about protests or strikes, of its 644 Washington US205 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1360 Ramallah Palestine115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 283 New York US96 stories about protests or strikes, of its 396 Hollywood US93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 446

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 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 lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: 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: 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 lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: 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: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: 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: 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 lessMorocco: 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 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 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 lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: 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 lessIndonesia: 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 lessHaiti: 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 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 lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: 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 lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: no storiesEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesCzech 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 lessComoros: no storiesChina: 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 lessBurundi: 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 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 lessBahrain: 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 lessAustralia: 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: 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): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): 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: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: 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: no storiesJersey: 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 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: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: near the world's share or lessSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 76 in 100 of its 255 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Vietnam: 25 in 100 of its 467 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Venezuela: 26 in 100 of its 216 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Puerto Rico: 37 in 100 of its 300 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 33 in 100 of its 309 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Uganda: 34 in 100 of its 331 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Türkiye: 32 in 100 of its 785 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Trinidad & Tobago: 28 in 100 of its 67 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Syria: 71 in 100 of its 556 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)South Sudan: 59 in 100 of its 169 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sudan: 46 in 100 of its 87 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Somalia: 81 in 100 of its 216 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Sierra Leone: 31 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Senegal: 56 in 100 of its 80 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Saudi Arabia: 41 in 100 of its 857 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)St Vincent: 72 in 100 of its 18 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Philippines: 35 in 100 of its 1,684 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Pakistan: 33 in 100 of its 1,281 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)North Korea: 33 in 100 of its 558 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Niger: 54 in 100 of its 13 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Mexico: 58 in 100 of its 1,678 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Malawi: 35 in 100 of its 71 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)North Macedonia: 70 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Libya: 50 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Lebanon: 36 in 100 of its 199 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kuwait: 29 in 100 of its 86 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kenya: 32 in 100 of its 590 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Israel: 26 in 100 of its 2,731 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 49 in 100 of its 1,119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iraq: 77 in 100 of its 667 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Iran: 46 in 100 of its 581 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Honduras: 60 in 100 of its 67 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Guyana: 31 in 100 of its 75 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Greece: 31 in 100 of its 479 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)New Caledonia: 80 in 100 of its 5 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Egypt: 32 in 100 of its 451 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Dominica: 67 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Denmark: 32 in 100 of its 196 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)DR Congo: 47 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Congo: 83 in 100 of its 104 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Colombia: 36 in 100 of its 137 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Central African Republic: 67 in 100 of its 18 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cameroon: 42 in 100 of its 107 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Myanmar: 81 in 100 of its 167 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bosnia: 50 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Bangladesh: 48 in 100 of its 483 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Albania: 46 in 100 of its 57 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Afghanistan: 36 in 100 of its 200 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 49 in 100 of its 1,119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 49 in 100 of its 1,119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Ukraine: 33 in 100 of its 309 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Palestine: 49 in 100 of its 1,119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 20)Cook Islands: 50 in 100 of its 10 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

● Iraq 77 in 100 of its 667 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Somalia 81 in 100 of its 216 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Syria 71 in 100 of its 556 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Myanmar 81 in 100 of its 167 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Yemen 76 in 100 of its 255 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Congo 83 in 100 of its 104 stories · mostly conflict & violence

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

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 11,045 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents21% 7,833 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Health19% 7,307 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 6,297 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,215 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,459 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,064 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 667 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 killed12,753 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,154 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,332 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,331 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Mexico Stories reporting refugees622 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting evacuations567 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions515 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced391 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill43 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia

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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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.