← 3 Dec Wednesday 4 December 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,896 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 a disaster in Khartoum, protests in Valletta (Malta) and violence in Kabul. Sudan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSudan 76 in 100 of its 168 stories, usually 51
RegionCentral Asia 19 in 100 of its stories, usually 15
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

Sudan

127 of its 168 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Khartoum accounted for 102 of Sudan's 127 stories about harm, carried by 92 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (74 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Iran

Tehran accounted for 91 of Iran's 165 stories about harm, carried by 198 outlets. 62 of Tehran's 91 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Venezuela

40 of its 107 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Storms were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Uganda

66 of its 168 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (15 stories). Storms were named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heatwave and cyclone.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Russia

Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

India

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Philippines (93 of its stories, about three times its usual); avalanche in Kashmir (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Spain (23 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Sri Lanka (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Venezuela (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

16 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 17; 17 the day before
21 in 10016 in 1005 Nov12 Nov19 Nov26 Nov4 Dec5 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 1003 Dec: 17 in 1004 Dec: 16 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 19,896 stories about harm among 122,546 counted on 4 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Sudan. of the day's 122,546 news stories, 16 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 17. Sudan stood out: 76% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 51%. A year earlier, on 4 December 2018, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 16 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Samoa88 in 100 of its 103 stories · usually 69 · mostly health Sudan76 in 100 of its 168 stories · usually 51 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria61 in 100 of its 176 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq55 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 66 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan54 in 100 of its 315 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US108 stories about protests or strikes, of its 514 Beijing China99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 180 London UK77 stories about protests or strikes, of its 421 Tehran Iran62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 91 Delhi India51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 213

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: 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 lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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 readEstonia: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualWyoming, US -- health: 23 stories, carried by 107 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 16 outletsArizona, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 15 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- rights & justice: 29 stories, carried by 21 outletsRotherham, UK -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsCanberra, Australia -- displacement: 38 stories, carried by 43 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 27 stories, carried by 20 outletsNajaf, Iraq -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 20 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

● Wyoming US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories ● Stockholm Sweden about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 15 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 29 stories ● Rotherham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice32% 6,196 stories · about as usual Health25% 4,886 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents17% 3,267 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 2,260 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,053 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 832 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 505 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 480 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 killed4,619 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,467 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,229 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,042 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting refugees243 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced191 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions178 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations161 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill46 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

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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.