← 4 Dec Saturday 5 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,840 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 Ramallah (Palestine), illness in Moscow and people displaced in Tigray. Palestine's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostRussia 47 in 100 of its 456 stories, usually 27
RegionEast Asia 32 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

Palestine

42 of its 71 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Ramallah accounted for 35 of Palestine's 42 stories about harm, carried by 151 outlets. 20 of Ramallah's 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Palestine over 30 days → its stories → Ramallah stories →
Health

Russia

216 of its 456 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Moscow accounted for 151 of Russia's 216 stories about harm, carried by 260 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (81 stories). Outbreaks were named in 46 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with respiratory illness.

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

China

346 of its 1,061 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Poisoning was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

14 of Bangkok's 21 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Flooding was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

France

Paris accounted for 88 of France's 125 stories about harm, carried by 107 outlets. 55 of Paris' 88 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Brazil

44 of its 112 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories). Cyclone was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Armenia

11 of Yerevan's 14 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Thailand (11 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Switzerland (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); cyclone in Bangladesh (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); poisoning in China (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in UK (49 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
30 in 10023 in 10014 Oct5 Nov20 Nov27 Nov5 Dec14 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 1005 Dec: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 14,840 stories about harm among 55,546 counted on 5 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

In Russia's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about three times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 27 in every 100 of the day's 55,546 stories, as usual. A year earlier, on 6 December 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. In Palestine, 59% of the news was about people being harmed, where 50% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia75 in 100 of its 97 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia74 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen72 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 68 · mostly health Afghanistan59 in 100 of its 108 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine59 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India69 stories about protests or strikes, of its 205 Washington US68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 560 Paris France55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 88 Staten Island US27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 95 Chicago US26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 148

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTurkey: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSão 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'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRussia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: feelings about like the world'sNiger: 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 readWestern Sahara: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLaos: 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'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: 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 readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: 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'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: 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'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sCrimea: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: feelings about like the world'sZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUganda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sThailand: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSomalia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPeru: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPakistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sOman: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNamibia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLuxembourg: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJapan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIran: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFrance: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sEritrea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more grief-stricken 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'sCameroon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBenin: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJersey: 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

● Iran about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 81 stories about harm ● France about twice as angry as the world's · 125 stories about harm ● Somalia about twice as angry as the world's · 73 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 64 stories about harm ● Palestine few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 42 stories about harm ● Brazil few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 44 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 8,527 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 2,433 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,351 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,023 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 754 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 285 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 167 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 163 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 killed4,537 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,049 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured961 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees103 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions85 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced74 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations63 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill15 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US

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
● Griefa little more than 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.