← 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: 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 lessNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMali: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: 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: too little coverage to readIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readRussia: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualCentral African Republic: warmth about its own usualMichoacan, Mexico -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsDekoa, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 34 outletsMassachusetts, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsBakouma, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 38 outletsSandringham, UK -- health: 31 stories, carried by 28 outletsMakhachkala, Russia -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 16 outletsArizona, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 18 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 31 stories, carried by 56 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

● Michoacan Mexico about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Dekoa Central African Republic about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Massachusetts US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Bakouma Central African Republic about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Sandringham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 31 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.