← 2 Jan Sunday 3 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 4 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,501 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 landslides in Norway, violence in Kabul and people injured in India. Afghanistan's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 60 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorway 72 in 100 of its 95 stories, usually 25
RegionCentral Asia 63 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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

68 of its 95 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Oslo accounted for 60 of Norway's 68 stories about harm, carried by 136 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 9 times the usual rate (47 stories). Landslides were named in 57 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

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

Afghanistan

70 of its 92 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Kabul accounted for 30 of Afghanistan's 70 stories about harm, carried by 54 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Health

India

1,283 of its 3,185 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (60 stories). Bird flu was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with snowstorms and wildfires.

India over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

New Zealand

105 of its 329 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Flooding was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain.

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

Niger

59 of its 61 stories (97%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (42 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

90 of its 121 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Baghdad accounted for 84 of Iraq's 90 stories about harm, carried by 361 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

20 of its 24 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malaysia

112 of its 274 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Flooding was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with heavy rain.

its stories →
Health

Israel

169 of its 345 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Jerusalem accounted for 91 of Israel's 169 stories about harm, carried by 145 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories).

its stories →
Health

Thailand

60 of its 117 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Bangkok accounted for 40 of Thailand's 60 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (26 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); outbreaks in Zimbabwe (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); cyclone in Australia (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); plane crash in US (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

30 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 29 the day before
31 in 10024 in 1005 Dec12 Dec19 Dec26 Dec3 Jan5 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 1003 Jan: 30 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 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 12,501 stories about harm among 41,321 counted on 3 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

It was the fourth day running that the news turned to Norway. In Norway, 72% of the news was about people being harmed, where 25% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 30 in every 100 of the day's 41,321 stories, above the usual 27. A year earlier, on 4 January 2020, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 30 today. This week the news turned most often to Norway, on 4 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Niger97 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan76 in 100 of its 92 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq74 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Norway72 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine59 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 48 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 407 Delhi India59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 312 San Francisco US34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 87 Baghdad Iraq33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 84 Jerusalem Israel28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 91

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 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: too little coverage to readIceland: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: 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: too little coverage to readDR 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: too little coverage to readChile: 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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 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: too little coverage to readHeard & 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readItaly: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualArizona, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsBromyard, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsRome, Italy -- health: 13 stories, carried by 16 outletsPune, India -- health: 50 stories, carried by 42 outletsVirginia, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 18 outletsLucknow, India -- health: 12 stories, carried by 22 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- shelter & services: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsWrexham, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 89 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

● Arizona US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Bromyard UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Rome Italy about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Pune India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 50 stories ● Virginia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health60% 7,451 stories · about as usual Rights & justice13% 1,618 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,184 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,136 stories · more than usual (usually 7%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 538 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 253 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 116 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 101 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 killed4,193 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people injured884 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected876 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests854 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced58 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations58 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Malaysia and Australia Stories reporting refugees56 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and Pakistan Stories reporting people falling ill28 at about one and a half times 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than 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.