← 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.

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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 lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: 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 lessBahrain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: 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: too little coverage to readCook 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: 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 lessUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualWest Virginia, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsPuerto Rican, US -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 50 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 21 stories, carried by 16 outletsYerevan, Armenia -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 224 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsBihar, India -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 23 outletsCambridge, UK -- health: 38 stories, carried by 40 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

● West Virginia US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Puerto Rican US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Yerevan Armenia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories

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 →

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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.