← 31 Dec Friday 1 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 2 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,275 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 landslides in Norway and people killed in Bosnia and Kashmir. Bosnia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorway 55 in 100 of its 66 stories, usually 23
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 45 in 100 of its stories, usually 36
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Norway

36 of its 66 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Oslo accounted for 26 of Norway's 36 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Landslides were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

Norway over 30 days → its stories → Oslo stories →
Health

Bosnia

22 of its 26 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Poisoning was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Bosnia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

73 of its 129 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (43 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Algeria

20 of its 26 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories).

Algeria over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Belgium

18 of its 45 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Outbreaks were named in 13 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 →
Conflict & violence

Congo

16 of its 20 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Israel

113 of its 253 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Jerusalem accounted for 55 of Israel's 113 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →
Health

Australia

352 of its 1,070 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (40 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

110 of its 196 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Tehran accounted for 79 of Iran's 110 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Thailand

55 of its 121 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Bangkok accounted for 34 of Thailand's 55 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Belgium (13 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); hunger in South Sudan (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in Ethiopia (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); respiratory illness in Australia (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in India (22 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 29 the day before
31 in 10024 in 1003 Dec10 Dec17 Dec24 Dec1 Jan3 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 10010 Dec: 24 in 10011 Dec: 25 in 10012 Dec: 27 in 10013 Dec: 27 in 10014 Dec: 26 in 10015 Dec: 25 in 10016 Dec: 25 in 10017 Dec: 25 in 10018 Dec: 25 in 10019 Dec: 28 in 10020 Dec: 28 in 10021 Dec: 27 in 10022 Dec: 27 in 10023 Dec: 27 in 10024 Dec: 27 in 10025 Dec: 28 in 10026 Dec: 30 in 10027 Dec: 31 in 10028 Dec: 29 in 10029 Dec: 29 in 10030 Dec: 29 in 10031 Dec: 29 in 1001 Jan: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 Jan. 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 14,275 stories about harm among 50,689 counted on 1 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Norway. Stories about people being harmed made up 28 in every 100 of the day's 50,689 stories, above the usual 27. Norway's news was 55% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. A year earlier, on 2 January 2020, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today. Over December, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 in December 2019.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen85 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan59 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir57 in 100 of its 129 stories · usually 34 · mostly conflict & violence Iran56 in 100 of its 196 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence Türkiye55 in 100 of its 112 stories · usually 34 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 461 Delhi India42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 261 Karak Pakistan41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 51 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 374 Abuja Nigeria28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 64

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 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: too little coverage to readPalau: 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 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBosnia 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 lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readVietnam: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNigeria: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualOwerri, Nigeria -- health: 11 stories, carried by 169 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 11 stories, carried by 44 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 64 stories, carried by 29 outletsPyongyang, North Korea -- health: 27 stories, carried by 181 outletsMinnesota, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsMichigan, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 29 outletsGloucester, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 18 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 23 stories, carried by 18 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

● North Korea warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Owerri Nigeria about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Brussels Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 64 stories ● Pyongyang North Korea about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories ● Minnesota US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 8,739 stories · about as usual Rights & justice14% 1,948 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,356 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 916 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 634 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 279 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 146 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 145 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 killed4,157 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,197 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people affected924 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured789 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions125 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced88 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees62 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations41 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill27 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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.