← 13 Dec Monday 14 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 15 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,595 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to a disaster in Jeddah, rights and justice in Tehran and people affected in Switzerland. Niger's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were softer than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and Iran →
Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSingapore 45 in 100 of its 325 stories, usually 24
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 37 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Saudi Arabia

180 of its 310 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Jeddah accounted for 130 of Saudi Arabia's 180 stories about harm, carried by 258 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 8 times the usual rate (11 stories). Oil spill was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Jeddah stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

193 of its 304 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tehran accounted for 92 of Iran's 193 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Nigeria

539 of its 1,210 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (169 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

27 of its 61 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Cyclone was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Venezuela

45 of its 90 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (39 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

58 of its 106 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Beirut accounted for 44 of Lebanon's 58 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Rwanda

26 of its 52 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Austria

28 of its 74 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Fiji (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Australia (94 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); poisoning in Russia (45 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); nipah virus in Brazil (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Netherlands (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
30 in 10024 in 10012 Nov22 Nov29 Nov6 Dec14 Dec12 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 10014 Dec: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 14 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 21,595 stories about harm among 82,952 counted on 14 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Abductions were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and Iran. Stories about people being harmed made up 26 in every 100 of the day's 82,952 stories, as usual. On 15 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 26 today. In Saudi Arabia, 58% of the news was about people being harmed, where 39% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iran63 in 100 of its 304 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan61 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan59 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Saudi Arabia58 in 100 of its 310 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Mozambique58 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US201 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1025 Delhi India119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 291 Katsina Nigeria44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 121 Tehran Iran34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 92 London UK32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 571

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & 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 readMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUruguay: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sThailand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEswatini: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSudan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSingapore: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMorocco: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLiberia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIndia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage a little angrier than the world'sFinland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sFiji: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCôte d’Ivoire: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDR Congo: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCongo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sColombia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBosnia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBenin: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sAustria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlbania: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sGibraltar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Sudan about twice as fearful as the world's · 86 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 66 stories about harm ● Sri Lanka about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 72 stories about harm ● Kashmir few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 43 stories about harm ● Azerbaijan few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 29 stories about harm ● Niger few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 19 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 13,196 stories · about as usual Rights & justice15% 3,187 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 1,687 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,611 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 827 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 456 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 279 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 199 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 killed5,815 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,480 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,413 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,008 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions315 at about three times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Iran Stories reporting refugees133 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced98 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations45 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia 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 softer than 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.