← 18 Dec Saturday 19 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
15,143 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 →

Illness in Bangkok, a disaster in Vanua Levu and violence in Kabul drew the news. Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US →
Part of lifeHealth 63 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostFiji 80 in 100 of its 56 stories, usually 39
RegionCentral Asia 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Health

Thailand

72 of its 137 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Bangkok accounted for 49 of Thailand's 72 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories). Outbreaks were named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Bangkok stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

45 of its 56 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Vanua Levu accounted for 19 of Fiji's 45 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (28 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Fiji over 30 days → its stories → Vanua Levu stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

France

147 of its 379 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Paris accounted for 105 of France's 147 stories about harm, carried by 180 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Türkiye

98 of its 187 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

373 of its 827 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (139 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

75 of its 145 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Philippines

167 of its 337 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Landslides were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain.

its stories →
Health

UK

1,412 of its 4,026 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Australia (96 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in Brazil (14 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); landslides in Philippines (20 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); extreme cold in India (18 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); hypothermia in US (27 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10020 Nov27 Nov4 Dec11 Dec19 Dec20 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 10016 Dec: 25 in 10017 Dec: 25 in 10018 Dec: 25 in 10019 Dec: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 15,143 stories about harm among 54,854 counted on 19 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Nigeria and the US. On 20 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 17 in every 100, against 28 today. Thailand stood out: 53% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 33%. 28 in every 100 of the day's 54,854 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 26.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Fiji80 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan73 in 100 of its 166 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia70 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 60 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Thailand53 in 100 of its 137 stories · usually 33 · mostly health Türkiye52 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 28 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US109 stories about protests or strikes, of its 842 Delhi India36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 269 Beijing China26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 148 New York US26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 181 Moscow Russia24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 117

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: 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'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: 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: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: 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 readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: 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'sGuinea: 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'sGambia: 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 readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: 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'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAksai Chin: 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'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSyria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSlovakia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSlovenia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSamoa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRussia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJordan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJamaica: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChile: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCambodia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBurundi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as 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'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as 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 three times as angry as the world's · 122 stories about harm ● UK about twice as fearful as the world's · 1,412 stories about harm ● Jamaica few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 43 stories about harm ● Somalia few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 30 stories about harm ● Nigeria about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 373 stories about harm ● Switzerland few stories a little warmer than the world's · 42 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health63% 9,505 stories · more than usual (usually 61%) Rights & justice14% 2,084 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 1,174 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 974 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 665 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 250 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 174 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 155 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 killed4,627 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,035 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests935 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured861 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions212 at about twice the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations53 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced52 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Mozambique and the US Stories reporting people falling ill22 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 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.