← 29 Nov Monday 30 November 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,828 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 Mahara (Sri Lanka), people displaced in Nigeria and rights and justice in Paris. Sri Lanka's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 59 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSri Lanka 47 in 100 of its 286 stories, usually 32
RegionOceania 27 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 →
Protests & strikes

Sri Lanka

135 of its 286 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Mahara accounted for 99 of Sri Lanka's 135 stories about harm, carried by 262 outlets. 68 of Mahara's 99 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Mahara stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

608 of its 1,355 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (39 stories). Malaria was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with hunger. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Nigeria over 30 days → its stories →
Health

France

273 of its 776 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Paris accounted for 183 of France's 273 stories about harm, carried by 320 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (43 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

France over 30 days → its stories → Paris stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

126 of its 231 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 8 times the usual rate (15 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 31 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

274 of its 887 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (9 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 65 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding and heavy rain.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Cuba

24 of its 47 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. 6 of Havana's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Bahamas

31 of its 80 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Respiratory illness was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Romania

26 of its 70 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Health

North Korea

31 of its 51 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

South Sudan

15 of its 20 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in New Zealand (65 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Bahamas (13 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); hiv in South Africa (39 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Greece (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); heatwave in Australia (47 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 26 the day before
30 in 10023 in 1007 Oct18 Oct12 Nov22 Nov30 Nov7 Oct: 26 in 1009 Oct: 28 in 10010 Oct: 28 in 10011 Oct: 29 in 10012 Oct: 27 in 10014 Oct: 26 in 10015 Oct: 25 in 10018 Oct: 29 in 10019 Oct: 26 in 10022 Oct: 25 in 10023 Oct: 27 in 10027 Oct: 26 in 1005 Nov: 23 in 10011 Nov: 25 in 10012 Nov: 26 in 10013 Nov: 27 in 10015 Nov: 30 in 10018 Nov: 26 in 10019 Nov: 26 in 10020 Nov: 26 in 10021 Nov: 26 in 10022 Nov: 28 in 10023 Nov: 26 in 10024 Nov: 25 in 10025 Nov: 25 in 10026 Nov: 25 in 10027 Nov: 25 in 10028 Nov: 26 in 10029 Nov: 26 in 10030 Nov: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 Nov. 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 21,828 stories about harm among 87,003 counted on 30 Nov.

Read the day's briefing

New Zealand's news mentioned volcanic eruption more than ten times as often as usual. 25 in every 100 of the day's 87,003 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 26. On 1 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 25 today. Sri Lanka stood out: 47% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 32%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan64 in 100 of its 144 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia61 in 100 of its 233 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea61 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Sudan57 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 55 · mostly displacement Syria57 in 100 of its 98 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India120 stories about protests or strikes, of its 298 Washington US87 stories about protests or strikes, of its 864 Paris France85 stories about protests or strikes, of its 183 Mahara Sri Lanka68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 99 London UK37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 484

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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 readCuraçao: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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 readSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualPrince Edward Island, Canada -- health: 10 stories, carried by 38 outletsSakhir, Bahrain -- health: 13 stories, carried by 19 outletsMaryland, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 73 outletsOsaka, Japan -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsKentucky, US -- health: 30 stories, carried by 26 outletsMerthyr Tydfil, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 11 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 56 stories, carried by 121 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 23 stories, carried by 14 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

● Prince Edward Island Canada about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Sakhir Bahrain about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Maryland US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Osaka Japan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Kentucky US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 30 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health59% 12,815 stories · about as usual Rights & justice14% 3,097 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents10% 2,067 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,814 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 809 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 530 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 250 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 228 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 killed6,058 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,511 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,360 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,262 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees145 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced141 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations83 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill25 at about two-thirds of 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.