← 5 Dec Sunday 6 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 7 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,161 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to illness in Havana, protests in Minsk (Belarus) and violence in Tehran. Iran's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 59 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCuba 69 in 100 of its 74 stories, usually 38
RegionCentral Asia 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Health

Cuba

51 of its 74 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Havana accounted for 46 of Cuba's 51 stories about harm, carried by 161 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (30 stories). Illness was named in 42 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

25 of its 34 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Minsk accounted for 21 of Belarus' 25 stories about harm, carried by 150 outlets. 20 of Minsk's 21 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 64 of Iran's 87 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Thailand

34 of its 77 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. 11 of Bangkok's 17 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Uruguay

14 of its 22 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

89 of its 196 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Seoul accounted for 74 of South Korea's 89 stories about harm, carried by 140 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (55 stories).

its stories →
Health

China

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Poisoning was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Ethiopia

Tigray accounted for 27 of Ethiopia's 33 stories about harm, carried by 100 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

France

46 of Paris' 73 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: house fires in Ireland (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Romania (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in China (15 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); drownings in Nigeria (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); polio in UK (19 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
30 in 10023 in 10015 Oct11 Nov21 Nov28 Nov6 Dec15 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 1006 Dec: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 6 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 12,161 stories about harm among 46,233 counted on 6 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Ireland's news mentioned house fires more than ten times as often as usual. 26 in every 100 of the day's 46,233 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 7 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 26 today. Cuba stood out: 69% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 38%. This week the news turned most often to Sri Lanka, on 5 of 7 days; help rose on 3 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine80 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 50 · mostly health Cuba69 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 38 · mostly health Ethiopia58 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 60 · mostly health Afghanistan53 in 100 of its 135 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia53 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 44 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 483 Delhi India51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 207 Paris France46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 73 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 259 Jerusalem Israel28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 74

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 readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican 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: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualManchester, UK -- health: 64 stories, carried by 160 outletsKentucky, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsVirginia, US -- health: 25 stories, carried by 63 outletsCambridge, UK -- health: 34 stories, carried by 58 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- health: 29 stories, carried by 16 outletsKasauli, India -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 35 stories, carried by 36 outletsPerth, Australia -- rights & justice: 10 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

● Manchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 64 stories ● Kentucky US 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 · 25 stories ● Cambridge UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health59% 7,096 stories · about as usual Rights & justice15% 1,746 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,237 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 834 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 584 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 244 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 160 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 107 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 killed3,768 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected943 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests829 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured750 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees75 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions61 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced57 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations47 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill22 at about the usual rate

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

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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.