← 28 Dec Tuesday 29 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 30 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,228 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 news turned to the earthquake in Croatia, protests in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and people killed in Mali. Croatia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCroatia 77 in 100 of its 327 stories, usually 31
RegionEurope 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Croatia

252 of its 327 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Petrinja accounted for 192 of Croatia's 252 stories about harm, carried by 487 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (140 stories). Earthquake was named in 249 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with power cuts. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Croatia over 30 days → its stories → Petrinja stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

24 of its 27 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Mali over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Sudan

24 of its 38 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. 6 of Darfur's 11 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Mexico

112 of its 281 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Iran

85 of its 146 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Tehran accounted for 50 of Iran's 85 stories about harm, carried by 100 outlets. Outbreaks were named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with polio.

its stories →
Health

Ethiopia

Tigray accounted for 30 of Ethiopia's 54 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Argentina

42 of its 97 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Africa

224 of its 505 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Mozambique (11 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Iran (17 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in India (20 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in UK (26 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 29 the day before
31 in 10024 in 10030 Nov7 Dec14 Dec21 Dec29 Dec30 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 10029 Dec: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 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 21,228 stories about harm among 74,315 counted on 29 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

In Croatia, 77% of the news was about people being harmed, where 31% is usual. the news turned to Croatia for the second day running. A year earlier, on 30 December 2019, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. of the day's 74,315 news stories, 29 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 →

Croatia77 in 100 of its 327 stories · usually 31 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia63 in 100 of its 86 stories · usually 62 · mostly health Iran58 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Fiji58 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 49 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan57 in 100 of its 140 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US126 stories about protests or strikes, of its 837 Delhi India66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 252 Wuhan China54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 199 Riyadh Saudi Arabia35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 45 Beijing China33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 147

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: 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'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: 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'sSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: 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'sJamaica: 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'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: 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'sGreece: 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe 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'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little angrier than the world'sZambia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSt Vincent: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sMalawi: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNorth Macedonia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKenya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJapan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHonduras: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEcuador: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCroatia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sChina: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChad: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCameroon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sArmenia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlbania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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 twice as angry as the world's · 80 stories about harm ● Iraq few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 44 stories about harm ● Kashmir few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 42 stories about harm ● North Macedonia few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 3 stories about harm ● Türkiye about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 73 stories about harm ● Croatia about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 252 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 12,996 stories · about as usual Rights & justice13% 2,815 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,188 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,176 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 991 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 388 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 255 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 250 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 killed6,148 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,445 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Croatia Stories reporting arrests1,437 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,371 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees155 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations112 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and New Zealand Stories reporting people falling ill29 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.