← 22 Dec Wednesday 23 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,467 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 Baghdad, arrests in Türkiye and abductions in France drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 63 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostIraq 75 in 100 of its 200 stories, usually 49
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

150 of its 200 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Baghdad accounted for 123 of Iraq's 150 stories about harm, carried by 444 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (116 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Türkiye

138 of its 295 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Türkiye over 30 days → its stories →
Health

France

243 of its 649 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Central African Republic

40 of its 56 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Thailand

105 of its 231 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Bangkok accounted for 61 of Thailand's 105 stories about harm, carried by 147 outlets. Outbreaks were named in 64 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

Tigray accounted for 39 of Ethiopia's 84 stories about harm, carried by 40 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Chile

74 of its 120 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

United Arab Emirates

103 of its 302 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Dubai accounted for 91 of the United Arab Emirates' 103 stories about harm, carried by 48 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

74 of its 160 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Taipei accounted for 51 of Taiwan's 74 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Thailand (64 of its stories, about three times its usual); haemorrhagic fever in DR Congo (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in Nigeria (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); snowstorms in Canada (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in UK (26 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10024 Nov1 Dec8 Dec15 Dec23 Dec24 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 10020 Dec: 28 in 10021 Dec: 27 in 10022 Dec: 27 in 10023 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 23,467 stories about harm among 86,953 counted on 23 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 86,953 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. On 24 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq75 in 100 of its 200 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Central African Republic71 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan68 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia67 in 100 of its 126 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Chile62 in 100 of its 120 stories · usually 33 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US210 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1195 Los Angeles US52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 253 Delhi India42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 257 Dover UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 199 London UK37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 580

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: 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: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua 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'sNorth Korea: 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'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'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: 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: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: 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'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: 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'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: feelings about like the world'sColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: 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'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sAustria: 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: feelings about like the world'sAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai 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: 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 readBritish 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: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: feelings about like the world'sGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readZambia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sYemen: 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'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'sTajikistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSweden: 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 twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSingapore: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalawi: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMadagascar: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIraq: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGuyana: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGreece: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sFrance: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEcuador: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBotswana: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBolivia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBarbados: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little warmer 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 grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more fearful 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

● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 99 stories about harm ● Ethiopia about three times as angry as the world's · 84 stories about harm ● Iraq about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 150 stories about harm ● Türkiye about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 138 stories about harm ● UK about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 2,482 stories about harm ● France about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 243 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health63% 14,733 stories · more than usual (usually 61%) Rights & justice14% 3,231 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,984 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,430 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 887 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 507 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 274 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 244 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 killed6,364 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,573 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,495 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,267 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions157 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees156 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced127 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations69 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill50 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Chile

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

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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.