← 14 Dec Tuesday 15 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,697 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 →

Violence in Kabul, abductions in Nigeria and people affected in Jamaica drew the news. Afghanistan's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US → Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 63 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostFiji 55 in 100 of its 84 stories, usually 26
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

130 of its 184 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Kabul accounted for 102 of Afghanistan's 130 stories about harm, carried by 191 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (75 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Rights & justice

Nigeria

574 of its 1,323 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (220 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Niger

29 of its 31 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

Tehran accounted for 63 of Iran's 107 stories about harm, carried by 100 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 7 times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bahrain

25 of its 72 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Jordan

30 of its 101 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Puerto Rico

15 of its 36 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Botswana

16 of its 42 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Chile (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); helicopter crash in New Zealand (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Russia (28 of its stories, about three times its usual); plague in France (16 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); snowstorms in US (224 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 26 the day before
30 in 10024 in 10013 Nov23 Nov30 Nov7 Dec15 Dec13 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 10015 Dec: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 24,697 stories about harm among 98,338 counted on 15 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of vaccination, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. 25 in every 100 of the day's 98,338 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US. Chile's news mentioned volcanic eruption about three times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 16 December 2019, 17 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan71 in 100 of its 184 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Syria56 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Fiji55 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 26 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq55 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Iran52 in 100 of its 207 stories · usually 52 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US198 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1096 Delhi India126 stories about protests or strikes, of its 359 London UK48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 694 Katsina Nigeria41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 164 Paris France33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 103

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: 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'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: 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'sSingapore: 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: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIraq: feelings about like the world'sIndia: 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: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench 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 readDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sCongo: 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'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sAustria: 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 readAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: 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: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sZambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than 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 about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sEswatini: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times 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'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSt. Lucia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPoland: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPhilippines: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMoldova: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMalta: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLuxembourg: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLibya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLesotho: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKiribati: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJapan: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIsrael: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIran: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGhana: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFiji: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCzechia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCyprus: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little angrier than the world'sColombia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCambodia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than 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'sBelarus: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBarbados: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlbania: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about 4 times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as 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

● Afghanistan about 4 times as angry as the world's · 130 stories about harm ● Japan about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 208 stories about harm ● Bahrain few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 25 stories about harm ● Sudan few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 43 stories about harm ● Niger few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 29 stories about harm ● Pakistan about twice as angry as the world's · 249 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health63% 15,389 stories · more than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice15% 3,744 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 2,097 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence5% 1,335 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 885 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 594 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 252 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 204 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 killed6,206 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,651 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,620 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,186 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions314 at about twice the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees138 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people displaced128 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations72 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill39 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 much 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

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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.