← 3 Jan Monday 4 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 5 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,092 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 →

A disaster in Oslo, violence in Baghdad and illness in Bangkok drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 62 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNiger 86 in 100 of its 79 stories, usually 55
RegionEurope 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Norway

48 of its 97 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Oslo accounted for 41 of Norway's 48 stories about harm, carried by 157 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (33 stories). Natural hazards were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

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

Iraq

82 of its 127 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Baghdad accounted for 44 of Iraq's 82 stories about harm, carried by 48 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Niger

68 of its 79 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

349 of its 774 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

51 of its 78 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

114 of its 371 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (26 stories). Flooding was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heavy rain.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Snowstorms were named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories). Hunger was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in New Zealand (25 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); snowstorms in Kashmir (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Kenya (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); hunger in Malaysia (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Australia (31 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 30 the day before
31 in 10024 in 1006 Dec13 Dec20 Dec27 Dec4 Jan6 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 1004 Jan: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 21,092 stories about harm among 78,917 counted on 4 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the fifth day running, the news turned to Norway. Stories about people being harmed made up 27 in every 100 of the day's 78,917 stories, as usual. Norway's news was 49% about people being harmed, against a usual 27%. On 5 January 2020, a year earlier, the share was 24 in every 100, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Niger86 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan67 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Syria65 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq65 in 100 of its 127 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine53 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 48 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US128 stories about protests or strikes, of its 693 Delhi India91 stories about protests or strikes, of its 346 London UK62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 838 Abuja Nigeria47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 80 Islamabad Pakistan32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 97

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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPeru: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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 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: 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 lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readGreece: warmth about its own usualOregon, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 29 outletsMaryland, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsMiddlesbrough, UK -- health: 29 stories, carried by 12 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 65 stories, carried by 198 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 41 stories, carried by 77 outletsHelsinki, Finland -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsBangassou, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 34 outletsAccra, Ghana -- health: 34 stories, carried by 15 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

● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Maryland US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Middlesbrough UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 65 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 41 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health62% 13,047 stories · about as usual Rights & justice14% 2,933 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 1,733 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,405 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 925 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 410 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 234 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 196 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 killed6,204 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,469 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,275 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,217 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions117 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced100 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees98 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the UK and the US Stories reporting evacuations76 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill25 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the Philippines

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 about as 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

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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.