← 7 Dec Tuesday 8 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 9 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,560 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 illness in Rabat, people injured in New Zealand and the earthquake in Nepal. New Zealand's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 63 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostMorocco 51 in 100 of its 51 stories, usually 22
RegionOceania 28 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Morocco

26 of its 51 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Rabat accounted for 20 of Morocco's 26 stories about harm, carried by 115 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Polio was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Morocco over 30 days → its stories → Rabat stories →
Conflict & violence

New Zealand

332 of its 991 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (37 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

New Zealand over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

69 of its 168 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Mount Everest accounted for 46 of Nepal's 69 stories about harm, carried by 103 outlets. Earthquake was named in 55 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with avalanche and hypothermia.

Nepal over 30 days → its stories → Mount Everest stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

UK

2,745 of its 7,982 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (111 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 36 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with polio.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mozambique

24 of its 29 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Kiribati

7 of its 7 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Türkiye

96 of its 272 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 44 of Afghanistan's 90 stories about harm, carried by 71 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

India

207 of Delhi's 391 stories were about protests or strikes. Chikungunya was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with dengue.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flu in Spain (27 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in France (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); earthquake in China (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); wildfires in Canada (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); chikungunya in India (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
30 in 10023 in 10019 Oct13 Nov23 Nov30 Nov8 Dec19 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 1007 Dec: 25 in 1008 Dec: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 24,560 stories about harm among 97,766 counted on 8 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 25 in every 100 of the day's 97,766 stories, as usual. Mentions of the earthquake ran about 7 times their usual in Nepal's news. In Morocco, 51% of the news was about people being harmed, where 22% is usual. On 9 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan62 in 100 of its 145 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Syria56 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia56 in 100 of its 138 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq53 in 100 of its 199 stories · usually 51 · mostly rights & justice Sudan50 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India207 stories about protests or strikes, of its 391 Washington US115 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1161 Beijing China62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 209 Chicago US61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 248 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 552

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: too little coverage to readLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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 lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualRocky Mountain, US -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 43 outletsRocky Mountains, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 38 outletsEssex, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 16 outletsEnniskillen, UK -- health: 56 stories, carried by 203 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 63 stories, carried by 24 outletsHindustan, India -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- health: 20 stories, carried by 13 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- conflict & violence: 41 stories, carried by 46 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

● Rocky Mountain US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Rocky Mountains US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Essex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Enniskillen UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 56 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 63 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health63% 15,393 stories · more than usual (usually 59%) Rights & justice16% 3,829 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents7% 1,671 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,571 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 872 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 474 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 298 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 251 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 killed6,343 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,709 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,629 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,304 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees157 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced137 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions107 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations47 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill32 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 much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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.