← 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 the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: 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 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 readSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: 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 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readTunisia: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualEritrea: warmth about its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGeorgia, US -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 87 outletsSolihull, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsArizona, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 17 outletsParis, France -- health: 72 stories, carried by 189 outletsJohannesburg, South Africa -- rights & justice: 31 stories, carried by 20 outletsSouth Yorkshire, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 14 outletsAguata, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 44 stories, carried by 14 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

● Georgia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories ● Solihull UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Paris France about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 72 stories ● Johannesburg South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 31 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 →

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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.