← 25 Dec Saturday 26 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 27 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,597 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 snowstorms in Iran, people injured in the Central African Republic and people displaced in Tigray. the Central African Republic's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK → Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Russia →
Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostCentral African Republic 88 in 100 of its 73 stories, usually 57
RegionCentral Asia 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Iran

66 of its 100 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tehran accounted for 50 of Iran's 66 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 7 times the usual rate (13 stories). Snowstorms were named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Displacement

Ethiopia

51 of its 61 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Tigray accounted for 29 of Ethiopia's 51 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories → Tigray stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Hungary

32 of its 39 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Budapest accounted for 31 of Hungary's 32 stories about harm, carried by 247 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Korea

77 of its 144 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Seoul accounted for 60 of South Korea's 77 stories about harm, carried by 183 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (48 stories).

its stories →
Health

Russia

195 of its 468 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Japan

139 of its 489 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Thailand

50 of its 100 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Bangkok accounted for 39 of Thailand's 50 stories about harm, carried by 71 outlets. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

81 of its 191 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Bangladesh (41 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); covid in Belarus (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); volcanic eruption in Italy (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Ireland (21 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); flooding in UK (103 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

30 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 28 the day before
30 in 10024 in 10027 Nov4 Dec11 Dec18 Dec26 Dec27 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 10024 Dec: 27 in 10025 Dec: 28 in 10026 Dec: 30 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 26 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 11,597 stories about harm among 39,201 counted on 26 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 15 November 2020. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK. Mentions of snowstorms ran more than ten times their usual in Iran's news. of the day's 39,201 news stories, 30 in every 100 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 →

Central African Republic88 in 100 of its 73 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia84 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 61 · mostly displacement Afghanistan74 in 100 of its 125 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq69 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Iran66 in 100 of its 100 stories · usually 51 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 321 Delhi India42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 195 Moscow Russia35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 126 Los Angeles US21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 118 London UK15 stories about protests or strikes, of its 241

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: no storiesU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: no storiesGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: no storiesFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: no storiesEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: no storiesBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: no storiesAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: no storiesTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook Islands: no storiesAruba: no storiesNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: no storiesNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: near the world's share or lessZimbabwe: 50 in 100 of its 70 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Yemen: 67 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Uganda: 55 in 100 of its 65 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Turkmenistan: 100 in 100 of its 6 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Türkiye: 46 in 100 of its 189 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Tunisia: 68 in 100 of its 37 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Thailand: 50 in 100 of its 100 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Taiwan: 47 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Syria: 50 in 100 of its 38 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Sudan: 52 in 100 of its 33 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)South Korea: 53 in 100 of its 144 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Saudi Arabia: 47 in 100 of its 92 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Russia: 42 in 100 of its 468 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Philippines: 55 in 100 of its 301 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Pakistan: 38 in 100 of its 539 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Nigeria: 42 in 100 of its 665 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Mexico: 42 in 100 of its 151 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Mali: 74 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Israel: 41 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 83 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Iraq: 69 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Iran: 66 in 100 of its 100 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Indonesia: 48 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Hungary: 82 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Germany: 43 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Fiji: 76 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Ethiopia: 84 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Egypt: 45 in 100 of its 91 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Central African Republic: 88 in 100 of its 73 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Bangladesh: 56 in 100 of its 134 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Afghanistan: 74 in 100 of its 125 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 191 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 83 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 83 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 191 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 191 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Palestine: 59 in 100 of its 83 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)Kashmir: 42 in 100 of its 191 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 30)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 30 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Central African Republic 88 in 100 of its 73 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Afghanistan 74 in 100 of its 125 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Ethiopia 84 in 100 of its 61 stories · mostly displacement ● Iran 66 in 100 of its 100 stories · mostly health ● Philippines 55 in 100 of its 301 stories · mostly health ● Iraq 69 in 100 of its 61 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 6,453 stories · less than usual (usually 61%) Rights & justice12% 1,383 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Disasters & accidents11% 1,280 stories · more than usual (usually 8%) Conflict & violence11% 1,274 stories · more than usual (usually 7%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 562 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 235 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 186 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 128 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 killed3,611 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people injured1,013 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting people affected847 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests725 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions117 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations105 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people displaced71 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees51 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Palestine and Ethiopia Stories reporting people falling ill36 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Russia

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more than 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.