← 4 Dec Sunday 5 December 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 6 Dec →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,059 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 protests in Yangon (Myanmar), volcanic eruption in Indonesia and people killed in South Africa. Myanmar's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Indonesia and India →
Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostIndonesia 85 in 100 of its 231 stories, usually 38
RegionSoutheast Asia 54 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Myanmar

54 of its 65 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Yangon accounted for 43 of Myanmar's 54 stories about harm, carried by 139 outlets. 41 of Yangon's 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (17 stories). Illness was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Myanmar over 30 days → its stories → Yangon stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

196 of its 231 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Lumajang accounted for 105 of Indonesia's 196 stories about harm, carried by 298 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (126 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 153 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with earthquake and tsunami. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Lumajang stories →
Health

South Africa

330 of its 576 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (136 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

South Africa over 30 days → its stories →
Displacement

Greece

99 of its 174 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Lesbos accounted for 57 of Greece's 99 stories about harm, carried by 327 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (66 stories).

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

Belgium

54 of its 89 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Brussels accounted for 42 of Belgium's 54 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. 34 of Brussels' 42 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Outbreaks were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

974 of its 2,822 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Storms were named in 71 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with power cuts and snowstorms. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

India

966 of its 2,534 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Cyclone was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with hunger. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

14 of its 17 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Pakistan

192 of its 479 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

43 of its 100 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Ireland (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Belgium (15 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); outbreaks in Norway (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in UK (71 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); earthquake in Philippines (14 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 27 the day before
28 in 10024 in 1006 Nov13 Nov20 Nov27 Nov5 Dec6 Nov: 25 in 1007 Nov: 26 in 1008 Nov: 25 in 1009 Nov: 25 in 10010 Nov: 24 in 10011 Nov: 24 in 10012 Nov: 24 in 10013 Nov: 26 in 10014 Nov: 24 in 10015 Nov: 25 in 10016 Nov: 24 in 10017 Nov: 24 in 10018 Nov: 24 in 10019 Nov: 24 in 10020 Nov: 25 in 10021 Nov: 25 in 10022 Nov: 25 in 10023 Nov: 25 in 10024 Nov: 25 in 10025 Nov: 25 in 10026 Nov: 26 in 10027 Nov: 27 in 10028 Nov: 28 in 10029 Nov: 27 in 10030 Nov: 26 in 1001 Dec: 26 in 1002 Dec: 25 in 1003 Dec: 26 in 1004 Dec: 27 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 11,059 stories about harm among 40,332 counted on 5 Dec.

Read the day's briefing

Evacuations were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about Indonesia and India. of the day's 40,332 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 25. Myanmar stood out: 83% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 62%. A year earlier, on 5 December 2020, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today. This week the news turned most often to Sudan, on 3 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 →

Indonesia85 in 100 of its 231 stories · usually 38 · mostly disasters & accidents Myanmar83 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 62 · mostly rights & justice Belgium61 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 26 · mostly health Afghanistan59 in 100 of its 185 stories · usually 53 · mostly rights & justice South Africa57 in 100 of its 576 stories · usually 45 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US76 stories about protests or strikes, of its 425 Yangon Myanmar41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 43 Brussels Belgium34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 42 Paris France33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 55 Delhi India25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 183

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: too little coverage to readPapua 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: too little coverage to readNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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 readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readIreland: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe 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: 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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 lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern 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: too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readNetherlands: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualNagaland, India -- conflict & violence: 34 stories, carried by 24 outletsNorth Island, New Zealand -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 20 stories, carried by 25 outletsEdgbaston, UK -- rights & justice: 56 stories, carried by 94 outletsNorfolk, US -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 23 outletsKohima, India -- conflict & violence: 44 stories, carried by 32 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 24 stories, carried by 18 outletsBanjul, Gambia -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 25 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

● Nagaland India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 34 stories ● North Island New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Calgary Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Edgbaston UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 56 stories ● Norfolk US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 5,797 stories · less than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice16% 1,747 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 1,249 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence10% 1,076 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 414 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 262 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 249 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 193 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 killed2,955 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected965 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Indonesia Stories reporting arrests704 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured694 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Indonesia Stories reporting evacuations145 at about three times the usual rate · most about Indonesia and India Stories reporting refugees127 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Greece and the US Stories reporting people displaced69 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Myanmar and Indonesia Stories reporting abductions61 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 harsher than 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.