← 8 Dec Wednesday 9 December 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 10 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,647 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 people injured in Kashmir, the avalanche in Nepal and illness in Pyongyang. Kashmir's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK → 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 mostKashmir 54 in 100 of its 145 stories, usually 34
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

78 of its 145 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Yemen

45 of its 58 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Singapore

138 of its 372 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (43 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Albania

10 of its 17 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 9 of Tirana's 10 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Liberia

19 of its 49 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

China

Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories). Polio was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Ghana

Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (20 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: polio in United Arab Emirates (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in New Zealand (30 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in France (32 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Italy (13 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); dengue in India (23 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
30 in 10023 in 10022 Oct15 Nov24 Nov1 Dec9 Dec22 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 1009 Dec: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 9 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 24,647 stories about harm among 100,268 counted on 9 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 5 November 2020. 25 in every 100 of the day's 100,268 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 26. On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK. Mentions of the avalanche ran about 6 times their usual in Nepal's news.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen78 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia60 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 61 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan60 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Syria59 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 56 · mostly rights & justice North Korea56 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 46 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1118 Delhi India92 stories about protests or strikes, of its 265 Beijing China49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 196 Boise US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 69 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 566

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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 lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: 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): 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: too little coverage to readSyria: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualWaldo County, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 17 outletsWhitehaven, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsHonolulu, US -- health: 28 stories, carried by 27 outletsSandringham, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 22 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 72 stories, carried by 25 outletsKirkuk, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 19 outletsKangaroo Island, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 13 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

● Waldo County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Buhari Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 23 stories ● Whitehaven UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Honolulu US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 28 stories ● Sandringham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health63% 15,279 stories · more than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice16% 3,900 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents7% 1,829 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,370 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 987 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 493 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 285 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 281 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 killed6,109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,752 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,725 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,350 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees200 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced150 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions101 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill82 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting evacuations48 at about half 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 much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than 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.