← 1 Jan Saturday 2 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 3 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,159 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 landslides in Norway, violence in Mogadishu and protests in Waiariki (New Zealand). Somalia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 60 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorway 77 in 100 of its 70 stories, usually 24
RegionCentral Asia 64 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Norway

54 of its 70 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Oslo accounted for 43 of Norway's 54 stories about harm, carried by 211 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 9 times the usual rate (29 stories). Landslides were named in 43 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Norway over 30 days → its stories → Oslo stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

31 of its 38 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Mogadishu accounted for 27 of Somalia's 31 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Protests & strikes

New Zealand

103 of its 281 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 7 of Waiariki's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Heavy rain was named in 27 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding.

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

Iraq

62 of its 85 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Baghdad accounted for 48 of Iraq's 62 stories about harm, carried by 211 outlets. Illness was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

93 of its 132 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Kabul accounted for 37 of Afghanistan's 93 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

53 of its 104 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

49 of its 56 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kazakhstan

15 of its 25 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

40 of its 60 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Puerto Rico (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Iraq (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Lebanon (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); polio in India (53 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); helicopter crash in Canada (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 28 the day before
31 in 10024 in 1004 Dec11 Dec18 Dec25 Dec2 Jan4 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 1002 Jan: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 12,159 stories about harm among 42,136 counted on 2 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Norway stood out: 77% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 24%. It was the third day running that the news turned to Norway. A year earlier, on 3 January 2020, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. Stories about people being harmed made up 29 in every 100 of the day's 42,136 stories, above the usual 27.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen88 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Norway77 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 24 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq73 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 132 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Syria67 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 322 Delhi India42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 301 London UK30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 362 San Francisco US25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 77 Philadelphia US20 stories about protests or strikes, of its 62

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: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readItaly: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readNiger: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 25 stories, carried by 18 outletsSwindon, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsOwerri, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 15 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 22 stories, carried by 20 outletsIbadan, Nigeria -- health: 27 stories, carried by 12 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 48 stories, carried by 211 outletsLucknow, India -- health: 27 stories, carried by 25 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- health: 19 stories, carried by 17 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

● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Swindon UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Owerri Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Ibadan Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health60% 7,211 stories · about as usual Rights & justice14% 1,694 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 1,276 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 960 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 537 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 204 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 96 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 87 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 killed3,913 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests1,069 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured804 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Yemen Stories reporting people affected746 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced88 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting abductions82 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees40 at about half the usual rate · most about Palestine and Australia Stories reporting evacuations35 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill19 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.