← 27 Dec Monday 28 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,320 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 →

The day's news pointed at the earthquake in Croatia, protests in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and rights and justice in Tigray. Ethiopia's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Australia →
Part of lifeHealth 60 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 55 in 100 of its 332 stories, usually 32
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Croatia

32 of its 51 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Zagreb accounted for 30 of Croatia's 32 stories about harm, carried by 91 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Earthquake was named in 27 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Croatia over 30 days → its stories → Zagreb stories →
Protests & strikes

Saudi Arabia

184 of its 332 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 59 of Riyadh's 79 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (76 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Riyadh stories →
Rights & justice

Ethiopia

101 of its 130 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Tigray accounted for 78 of Ethiopia's 101 stories about harm, carried by 131 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories → Tigray stories →
Health

Israel

184 of its 406 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Jerusalem accounted for 112 of Israel's 184 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (15 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Iran

98 of its 170 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Tehran accounted for 50 of Iran's 98 stories about harm, carried by 96 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Avalanche was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Chile

41 of its 65 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Earthquake was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tsunami.

its stories →
Health

Russia

271 of its 708 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

North Macedonia

11 of its 24 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

33 of its 48 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

49 of its 118 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Chile (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Bangladesh (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); avalanche in Iran (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in China (45 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); power cuts in Ireland (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 31 the day before
31 in 10024 in 10029 Nov6 Dec13 Dec20 Dec28 Dec29 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 10027 Dec: 31 in 10028 Dec: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 18,320 stories about harm among 63,938 counted on 28 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Croatia's news. of the day's 63,938 news stories, 29 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. Evacuations were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Australia. Croatia's news was 63% about people being harmed, against a usual 28%. On 29 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 29 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ethiopia78 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 62 · mostly rights & justice Chile63 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 37 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria63 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Fiji63 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 48 · mostly disasters & accidents Croatia63 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Wuhan China78 stories about protests or strikes, of its 195 Washington US67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 661 Riyadh Saudi Arabia59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 79 Delhi India55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 267 Russellville US49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 59

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: too little coverage to readCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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 readLibya: warmth about its own usualMaitumbi, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 18 stories, carried by 12 outletsIndiana, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 18 outletsNew Jersey, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsBihar, India -- health: 24 stories, carried by 23 outletsTripoli, Libya -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsBangui, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 29 outletsStoke-On-Trent, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 11 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

● Maitumbi Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Indiana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● New Jersey US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Bihar India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health60% 10,867 stories · about as usual Rights & justice13% 2,388 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,857 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,492 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 771 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 374 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 232 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 187 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 killed5,484 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,465 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,447 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured1,373 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions160 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced159 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting evacuations156 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting refugees147 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and Ethiopia Stories reporting people falling ill23 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 much harsher 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

Read the week →

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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.