← 30 Nov Tuesday 1 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,340 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 protests in Mahara (Sri Lanka), people injured in Yemen and people displaced in Tigray. Ethiopia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostYemen 87 in 100 of its 60 stories, usually 66
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Sri Lanka

107 of its 254 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Mahara accounted for 71 of Sri Lanka's 107 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. 49 of Mahara's 71 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Mahara stories →
Health

Yemen

52 of its 60 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Yemen over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Germany

368 of its 871 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (130 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Cuba

22 of its 38 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. 10 of San Isidro's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Vietnam

103 of its 247 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 14 of Hanoi's 23 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (22 stories).

its stories →
Health

Indonesia

139 of its 268 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (15 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Iceland

15 of its 41 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Indonesia (34 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Lebanon (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in South Africa (47 of its stories, about three times its usual); natural hazards in New Zealand (27 of its stories, about three times its usual); heatwave in Australia (35 of its stories, about three times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
30 in 10023 in 1009 Oct19 Oct13 Nov23 Nov1 Dec9 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 1001 Dec: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 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 25,340 stories about harm among 101,421 counted on 1 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Sri Lanka. of the day's 101,421 news stories, 25 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 26. A year earlier, on 2 December 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 25 today. Sri Lanka's news was 42% about people being harmed, against a usual 33%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen87 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 66 · mostly health Sudan66 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia62 in 100 of its 184 stories · usually 59 · mostly displacement North Korea61 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Afghanistan58 in 100 of its 134 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US122 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1176 Delhi India99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 294 Mahara Sri Lanka49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 71 Paris France41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 128 Hollywood US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 224

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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 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 lessTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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 lessSouth Korea: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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: too little coverage to readJapan: 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 lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe 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 lessBrazil: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualCumbria, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsSouth Carolina, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsUlverston, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsVirginia, US -- health: 64 stories, carried by 111 outletsSakhir, Bahrain -- health: 24 stories, carried by 25 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 30 stories, carried by 18 outletsBenue, Nigeria -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 11 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

● Cumbria UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● South Carolina US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Ulverston UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Virginia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 64 stories ● Sakhir Bahrain about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 15,586 stories · more than usual (usually 59%) Rights & justice15% 3,715 stories · less than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents8% 2,073 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,716 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 909 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 552 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 336 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 236 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 killed6,923 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,638 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,560 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,470 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees154 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced146 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions145 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations59 at about half the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill25 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and China

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 softer than 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.