← 12 Dec Sunday 13 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 14 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,257 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 protests in Minsk (Belarus), rights and justice in Tehran and people injured in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostFiji 50 in 100 of its 50 stories, usually 25
RegionCentral Asia 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

22 of its 32 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Minsk accounted for 22 of Belarus' 22 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. 22 of Minsk's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories).

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

125 of its 205 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tehran accounted for 82 of Iran's 125 stories about harm, carried by 143 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

32 of its 44 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Armenia

20 of its 32 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

376 of its 911 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (85 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Italy

79 of its 244 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (40 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

25 of its 50 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Cyclone was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

75 of its 169 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Seoul accounted for 58 of South Korea's 75 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

10 of its 13 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Australia (59 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Fiji (13 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); wildfires in France (19 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); poisoning in Russia (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in US (43 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
30 in 10024 in 10011 Nov21 Nov28 Nov5 Dec13 Dec11 Nov: 25 in 10012 Nov: 26 in 10013 Nov: 27 in 10015 Nov: 30 in 10018 Nov: 26 in 10019 Nov: 26 in 10020 Nov: 26 in 10021 Nov: 26 in 10022 Nov: 28 in 10023 Nov: 26 in 10024 Nov: 25 in 10025 Nov: 25 in 10026 Nov: 25 in 10027 Nov: 25 in 10028 Nov: 26 in 10029 Nov: 26 in 10030 Nov: 25 in 1001 Dec: 25 in 1002 Dec: 25 in 1003 Dec: 25 in 1004 Dec: 25 in 1005 Dec: 27 in 1006 Dec: 26 in 1007 Dec: 25 in 1008 Dec: 25 in 1009 Dec: 25 in 10010 Dec: 24 in 10011 Dec: 25 in 10012 Dec: 27 in 10013 Dec: 27 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 12,257 stories about harm among 44,691 counted on 13 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 44,691 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US. On 14 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 27 today. In Belarus, 69% of the news was about people being harmed, where 39% is usual. This week the news turned most often to Ethiopia, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 3 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ethiopia69 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 61 · mostly displacement Afghanistan66 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia64 in 100 of its 113 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Iran61 in 100 of its 205 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice Syria52 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US171 stories about protests or strikes, of its 610 Delhi India102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 258 Tehran Iran37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 82 Paris France32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 83 Manhattan US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 103

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 lessYemen: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: no storiesUzbekistan: 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: near the world's share or lessUnited 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 lessTurkey: near the world's share or lessTunisia: 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: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: no storiesTaiwan: 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 lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSomalia: 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: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: no storiesSt. 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 lessNorth Korea: 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 lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: no storiesMongolia: 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: 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 lessIsrael: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIraq: 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 lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: no storiesGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: no storiesGreece: 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: near the world's share or lessFrench Polynesia: no storiesNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: 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 lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: no storiesGreenland: 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 lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: 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 lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: no storiesBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: 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 lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBangladesh: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAustria: 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: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessSiachen Glacier: near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: no storiesTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: no storiesJersey: 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: no storiesNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: no storiesNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesSyria: 52 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Sudan: 73 in 100 of its 11 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)South Korea: 44 in 100 of its 169 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)South Africa: 37 in 100 of its 341 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Philippines: 43 in 100 of its 338 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Pakistan: 36 in 100 of its 607 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Nigeria: 41 in 100 of its 911 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Niger: 77 in 100 of its 13 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Lebanon: 57 in 100 of its 42 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Iran: 61 in 100 of its 205 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Indonesia: 64 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Germany: 39 in 100 of its 378 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Fiji: 50 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Ethiopia: 69 in 100 of its 78 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Canada: 36 in 100 of its 913 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Brazil: 41 in 100 of its 111 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Belarus: 69 in 100 of its 32 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Azerbaijan: 73 in 100 of its 44 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Armenia: 62 in 100 of its 32 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Albania: 50 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Afghanistan: 66 in 100 of its 130 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)Palestine: 61 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 27)
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 27 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

● Afghanistan 66 in 100 of its 130 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Iran 61 in 100 of its 205 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Ethiopia 69 in 100 of its 78 stories · mostly displacement ● Indonesia 64 in 100 of its 113 stories · mostly health ● Philippines 43 in 100 of its 338 stories · mostly health ● Nigeria 41 in 100 of its 911 stories · mostly conflict & violence

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

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 6,802 stories · less than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice17% 2,078 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,077 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,073 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 614 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 240 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 161 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 105 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 killed3,818 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,015 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected864 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured806 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions142 at about twice the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees76 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced44 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ethiopia and the US Stories reporting evacuations30 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Australia and New Zealand Stories reporting people falling ill30 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Russia

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

● Angera little more than 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

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.