← 30 Oct Sunday 31 October 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Nov →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
13,193 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 →

Protests in Khartoum (Sudan), violence in Mogadishu and illness in Tokyo drew the news. Somalia's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Somalia and the US → Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Somalia and the US → Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about Somalia and the UK → Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 44 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostJapan 40 in 100 of its 605 stories, usually 14
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 48 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 →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

141 of its 174 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Khartoum accounted for 101 of Sudan's 141 stories about harm, carried by 258 outlets. 95 of Khartoum's 101 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Illness was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

1,539 of its 2,645 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Mogadishu accounted for 935 of Somalia's 1,539 stories about harm, carried by 7 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Heavy rain was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Health

Japan

245 of its 605 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Tokyo accounted for 193 of Japan's 245 stories about harm, carried by 438 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (102 stories).

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

Kenya

190 of its 357 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (32 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

21 of its 26 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 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.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

101 of its 180 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (14 stories). Drought was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

Jammu accounted for 27 of Kashmir's 48 stories about harm, carried by 17 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Switzerland

30 of its 80 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Mexico

75 of its 178 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: accidents in Zimbabwe (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Ethiopia (11 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); road crashes in Ireland (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); wildfires in France (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); storms in UK (65 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 25 the day before
28 in 10024 in 1002 Oct9 Oct16 Oct23 Oct31 Oct2 Oct: 26 in 1003 Oct: 26 in 1004 Oct: 25 in 1005 Oct: 25 in 1006 Oct: 25 in 1007 Oct: 25 in 1008 Oct: 25 in 1009 Oct: 25 in 10010 Oct: 26 in 10011 Oct: 25 in 10012 Oct: 25 in 10013 Oct: 25 in 10014 Oct: 25 in 10015 Oct: 26 in 10016 Oct: 26 in 10017 Oct: 25 in 10018 Oct: 25 in 10019 Oct: 25 in 10020 Oct: 25 in 10021 Oct: 25 in 10022 Oct: 25 in 10023 Oct: 26 in 10024 Oct: 26 in 10025 Oct: 26 in 10026 Oct: 25 in 10027 Oct: 24 in 10028 Oct: 24 in 10029 Oct: 24 in 10030 Oct: 25 in 10031 Oct: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 Oct. 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 13,193 stories about harm among 47,597 counted on 31 Oct.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 19 September 2021. Stories about people being harmed made up 28 in every 100 of the day's 47,597 stories, above the usual 25. It was the seventh day running that the news turned to Sudan. On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Somalia and the US. This week the news turned most often to Sudan, on 7 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen82 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan81 in 100 of its 174 stories · usually 55 · mostly rights & justice Kashmir61 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia58 in 100 of its 2,645 stories · usually 47 · mostly conflict & violence Syria58 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Khartoum Sudan95 stories about protests or strikes, of its 101 Washington US86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 380 Glasgow UK75 stories about protests or strikes, of its 221 Mogadishu Somalia50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 935 Rome Italy34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 117

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: no storiesTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: no storiesSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: no storiesMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: no storiesKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessPalestine: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: no storiesNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessGaza: near the world's share or lessWest Bank: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: no storiesTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: no storiesCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: no storiesMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 38 in 100 of its 136 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Yemen: 82 in 100 of its 60 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Uganda: 46 in 100 of its 84 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Türkiye: 45 in 100 of its 194 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Tunisia: 65 in 100 of its 23 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Trinidad & Tobago: 45 in 100 of its 56 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Thailand: 50 in 100 of its 88 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Syria: 58 in 100 of its 83 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)South Sudan: 64 in 100 of its 36 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Sudan: 81 in 100 of its 174 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)South Africa: 36 in 100 of its 435 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Somalia: 58 in 100 of its 2,645 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Romania: 50 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Philippines: 46 in 100 of its 370 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Nepal: 49 in 100 of its 35 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Mexico: 42 in 100 of its 178 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Mali: 81 in 100 of its 26 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Malaysia: 38 in 100 of its 224 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Libya: 43 in 100 of its 89 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Lebanon: 41 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Kenya: 53 in 100 of its 357 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Japan: 40 in 100 of its 605 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Israel: 37 in 100 of its 383 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Iraq: 41 in 100 of its 78 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Indonesia: 48 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Haiti: 74 in 100 of its 35 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Ethiopia: 56 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)DR Congo: 76 in 100 of its 17 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Congo: 70 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Central African Republic: 92 in 100 of its 13 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Cameroon: 51 in 100 of its 39 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Cambodia: 60 in 100 of its 42 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Myanmar: 59 in 100 of its 37 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Brunei: 88 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Brazil: 41 in 100 of its 85 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Bangladesh: 49 in 100 of its 139 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Afghanistan: 45 in 100 of its 321 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Kashmir: 61 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Kashmir: 61 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Kashmir: 61 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)Kashmir: 61 in 100 of its 79 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 28)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 28 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Sudan 81 in 100 of its 174 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Somalia 58 in 100 of its 2,645 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Yemen 82 in 100 of its 60 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Kenya 53 in 100 of its 357 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Ethiopia 56 in 100 of its 180 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Kashmir 61 in 100 of its 79 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health44% 5,793 stories · much less than usual (usually 55%) Conflict & violence18% 2,343 stories · much more than usual (usually 8%) Rights & justice16% 2,160 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 1,452 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 458 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 301 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 295 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 292 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 killed3,643 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Somalia Stories reporting people injured1,144 at about twice the usual rate · most about Somalia and the US Stories reporting people affected990 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests912 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees190 at about twice the usual rate · most about Somalia and the US Stories reporting people displaced177 at about three times the usual rate · most about Somalia and the UK Stories reporting evacuations77 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Somalia and the US Stories reporting abductions76 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill9 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Jamaica and Bermuda

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 one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout one and a half times 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.