← 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.

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 lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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 lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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 lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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 lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: 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 lessIreland: 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 lessHonduras: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: 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 lessAustria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: 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 readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readTunisia: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualGlasgow, UK -- health: 45 stories, carried by 74 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 24 stories, carried by 17 outletsTowie, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 10 outletsParemoremo, New Zealand -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 15 stories, carried by 23 outletsNubble, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsKansas, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 27 outletsNanjing, China -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 15 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 45 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 24 stories ● Towie UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Paremoremo New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 15 stories ● Brussels Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

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 · 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.