← 3 Dec Friday 4 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,352 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 the cyclone in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and people killed in Belarus. Belarus' coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 61 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostBelarus 61 in 100 of its 83 stories, usually 40
RegionCentral Asia 37 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
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 →
Displacement

Bangladesh

167 of its 275 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Bhasan Char accounted for 107 of Bangladesh's 167 stories about harm, carried by 271 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 8 times the usual rate (74 stories). Cyclone was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with landslides.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories → Bhasan Char stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

Colombo accounted for 54 of Sri Lanka's 80 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (23 stories). Cyclone was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Rights & justice

Belarus

51 of its 83 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Displacement

Ethiopia

Tigray accounted for 62 of Ethiopia's 85 stories about harm, carried by 133 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Lebanon

45 of its 87 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Beirut accounted for 35 of Lebanon's 45 stories about harm, carried by 56 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Bahrain

49 of its 209 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

35 of its 61 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mozambique

26 of its 41 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nicaragua

12 of its 15 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Earthquake was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Nicaragua (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Vietnam (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Afghanistan (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); road crashes in Ireland (16 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); house fires in Australia (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
30 in 10023 in 10012 Oct27 Oct19 Nov26 Nov4 Dec12 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 1002 Dec: 25 in 1003 Dec: 25 in 1004 Dec: 25 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 24,352 stories about harm among 96,401 counted on 4 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Nicaragua's news. of the day's 96,401 news stories, 25 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of vaccination, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. It was the second day running that the news turned to Bangladesh. On 5 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 17 in every 100, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen70 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Belarus61 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 40 · mostly rights & justice Bangladesh61 in 100 of its 275 stories · usually 47 · mostly displacement Ethiopia61 in 100 of its 140 stories · usually 59 · mostly displacement Azerbaijan57 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 44 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1112 Delhi India85 stories about protests or strikes, of its 242 Beijing China35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 191 San Francisco US35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 219 Lagos Nigeria34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 83

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: feelings about like the world'sSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTimor-Leste: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTanzania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSweden: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSomalia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSolomon Islands: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRussia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRomania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPhilippines: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMalta: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMadagascar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLuxembourg: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLaos: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sItaly: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHungary: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sFiji: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCuba: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCroatia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCôte d’Ivoire: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBenin: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelarus: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAngola: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sVatican City: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSt. Helena: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Yemen few stories about twice as fearful as the world's · 37 stories about harm ● Iran about twice as angry as the world's · 106 stories about harm ● Kashmir few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 40 stories about harm ● Azerbaijan few stories about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's · 35 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's · 54 stories about harm ● Ghana a little warmer than the world's · 91 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health61% 14,753 stories · more than usual (usually 59%) Rights & justice16% 3,772 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 2,017 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,542 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 953 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 482 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 313 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 292 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 killed6,507 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,762 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,678 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,312 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees202 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions130 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced107 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations90 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill27 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than 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.