← 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.

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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 lessTunisia: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: too little coverage to readPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 readSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualNicaragua: warmth about its own usualWest Midlands, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsMclean County, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsIowa, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 43 outletsLisbon, Portugal -- health: 15 stories, carried by 146 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 58 outletsKankara, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 64 stories, carried by 31 outletsKatsina, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 65 stories, carried by 71 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

● West Midlands UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Mclean County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Iowa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Lisbon Portugal about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories

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.