← 30 Dec Thursday 31 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,849 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 →

Landslides in Norway, violence in Sanaa and protests in Santiago de Puringla (Honduras) drew the news. Yemen's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 64 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostNorway 61 in 100 of its 106 stories, usually 21
RegionEast Asia 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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

Norway

65 of its 106 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Oslo accounted for 47 of Norway's 65 stories about harm, carried by 62 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (46 stories). Landslides were named in 47 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

Norway over 30 days → its stories → Oslo stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

130 of its 138 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Sanaa accounted for 74 of Yemen's 130 stories about harm, carried by 149 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (97 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

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

Syria

67 of its 90 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Croatia

45 of its 68 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Petrinja accounted for 36 of Croatia's 45 stories about harm, carried by 43 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 76 of Iran's 114 stories about harm, carried by 140 outlets. Plane crash was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. 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.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Argentina

60 of its 117 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 19 of Buenos Aires' 33 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

72 of its 132 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Australia

482 of its 1,338 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Tunisia (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in Zimbabwe (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); volcanic eruption in Philippines (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); plane crash in Iran (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in Japan (12 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 29 the day before
31 in 10024 in 1002 Dec9 Dec16 Dec23 Dec31 Dec2 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 10030 Dec: 29 in 10031 Dec: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 20,849 stories about harm among 72,370 counted on 31 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Norway's news was 61% about people being harmed, against a usual 21%. On 1 January 2020, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 29 today. Stories about people being harmed made up 29 in every 100 of the day's 72,370 stories, above the usual 27.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen94 in 100 of its 138 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Syria74 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Croatia66 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 49 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine62 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence Norway61 in 100 of its 106 stories · usually 21 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US111 stories about protests or strikes, of its 638 Beijing China53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 302 Chicago US42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 172 Delhi India37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 310 Karak Pakistan29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 40

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: 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: near the world's share or lessU.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 lessTurkmenistan: 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 lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: no storiesSuriname: no storiesSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: 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 lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: 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 lessRussia: 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 lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: 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: near the world's share or lessNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: 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 lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: no storiesMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: 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 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: 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 lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: 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 lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: 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 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: near the world's share or lessColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: 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: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: 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 lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlbania: 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 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: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & 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: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: no storiesAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: near the world's share or lessGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: near the world's share or lessZambia: 49 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Yemen: 94 in 100 of its 138 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Uganda: 47 in 100 of its 115 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Türkiye: 40 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Tunisia: 59 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Thailand: 46 in 100 of its 130 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Syria: 74 in 100 of its 90 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)South Sudan: 76 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Sudan: 57 in 100 of its 86 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)South Africa: 44 in 100 of its 391 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Singapore: 44 in 100 of its 209 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Philippines: 45 in 100 of its 386 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Peru: 44 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Papua New Guinea: 58 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Pakistan: 38 in 100 of its 745 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Norway: 61 in 100 of its 106 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Mozambique: 67 in 100 of its 12 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Luxembourg: 55 in 100 of its 20 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kenya: 38 in 100 of its 190 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Israel: 45 in 100 of its 450 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 62 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Iraq: 57 in 100 of its 94 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Iran: 54 in 100 of its 210 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Indonesia: 54 in 100 of its 117 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Honduras: 75 in 100 of its 20 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Ethiopia: 54 in 100 of its 54 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Egypt: 39 in 100 of its 166 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Ecuador: 69 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Croatia: 66 in 100 of its 68 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Hong Kong: 45 in 100 of its 119 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Central African Republic: 62 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Bangladesh: 47 in 100 of its 145 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Argentina: 51 in 100 of its 117 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Algeria: 59 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Afghanistan: 57 in 100 of its 109 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 55 in 100 of its 132 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 62 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 62 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 55 in 100 of its 132 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 55 in 100 of its 132 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Palestine: 62 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Kashmir: 55 in 100 of its 132 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)Vatican City: 67 in 100 of its 15 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 29)
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 29 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

● Yemen 94 in 100 of its 138 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Syria 74 in 100 of its 90 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Norway 61 in 100 of its 106 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Croatia 66 in 100 of its 68 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Iran 54 in 100 of its 210 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Afghanistan 57 in 100 of its 109 stories · mostly conflict & violence

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

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health64% 13,329 stories · more than usual (usually 61%) Rights & justice13% 2,761 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,940 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,234 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 763 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 334 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 186 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 150 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 killed6,117 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,437 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,335 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,217 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced141 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and Sudan Stories reporting refugees128 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions120 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations95 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Norway and the US Stories reporting people falling ill28 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 · 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.