← 1 Dec Monday 2 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 3 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,889 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 protests in Valletta (Malta), violence in Idlib and people injured in Tunisia. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSamoa 92 in 100 of its 117 stories, usually 62
RegionSouth Asia 23 in 100 of its stories, usually 21
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 →
Protests & strikes

Malta

89 of its 174 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Valletta accounted for 66 of Malta's 89 stories about harm, carried by 250 outlets. 56 of Valletta's 66 stories were about protests or strikes. 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.

Malta over 30 days → its stories → Valletta stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

128 of its 169 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Idlib accounted for 71 of Syria's 128 stories about harm, carried by 138 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (49 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Idlib stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Tunisia

46 of its 84 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (33 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Jordan

50 of its 140 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 76 of Iraq's 124 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. 67 of Baghdad's 76 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Morocco

20 of its 42 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mexico

205 of its 478 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (65 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

62 of its 71 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Hantoukoura accounted for 48 of Burkina Faso's 62 stories about harm, carried by 175 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Poland

58 of its 212 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (34 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

173 of its 823 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (28 stories). Wildfires were named in 36 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cyclone, hurricane and drought.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Philippines (99 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); landslides in Sri Lanka (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Spain (36 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); helicopter crash in France (36 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in US (407 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 17; 21 the day before
21 in 10016 in 1003 Nov10 Nov17 Nov24 Nov2 Dec3 Nov: 18 in 1004 Nov: 16 in 1005 Nov: 16 in 1006 Nov: 16 in 1007 Nov: 16 in 1008 Nov: 16 in 1009 Nov: 17 in 10010 Nov: 18 in 10011 Nov: 17 in 10012 Nov: 17 in 10013 Nov: 17 in 10014 Nov: 17 in 10015 Nov: 17 in 10016 Nov: 18 in 10017 Nov: 18 in 10018 Nov: 17 in 10019 Nov: 17 in 10020 Nov: 16 in 10021 Nov: 16 in 10022 Nov: 16 in 10023 Nov: 17 in 10024 Nov: 19 in 10025 Nov: 17 in 10026 Nov: 18 in 10027 Nov: 18 in 10028 Nov: 18 in 10029 Nov: 17 in 10030 Nov: 20 in 1001 Dec: 21 in 1002 Dec: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 18,889 stories about harm among 106,286 counted on 2 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 106,286 stories, as usual. Malta's news was 51% about people being harmed, against a usual 33%. A year earlier, on 2 December 2018, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Samoa92 in 100 of its 117 stories · usually 62 · mostly health Burkina Faso87 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Syria76 in 100 of its 169 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Libya62 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq59 in 100 of its 209 stories · usually 66 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beijing China153 stories about protests or strikes, of its 226 Washington US112 stories about protests or strikes, of its 404 Hyderabad India70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 192 Baghdad Iraq67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 76 Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 65

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman 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: too little coverage to readSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: 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 readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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 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): 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualEl Salvador: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualKansas, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsColorado, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsBirkenau, Poland -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 20 outletsBerkshire, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 15 outletsRome, Italy -- health: 14 stories, carried by 15 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 31 stories, carried by 11 outletsPerth, Australia -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 27 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

● Kansas US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Colorado US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Birkenau Poland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Berkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 5,314 stories · about as usual Health23% 4,194 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents20% 3,725 stories · more than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence14% 2,631 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,089 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 765 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 433 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 403 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 killed5,232 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,063 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,893 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,485 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced189 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and Spain Stories reporting refugees169 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting abductions166 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations142 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill26 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.