← 6 Jan Thursday 7 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 8 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
27,409 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 volcanic eruption in Indonesia, violence in Baghdad and protests in Hong Kong. Iraq's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Indonesia → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostHong Kong 64 in 100 of its 176 stories, usually 35
RegionSoutheast Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 36
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

Indonesia

108 of its 204 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with avalanche. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

66 of its 102 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Baghdad accounted for 56 of Iraq's 66 stories about harm, carried by 83 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Health

Malaysia

170 of its 490 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (14 stories). Flooding was named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

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

Pakistan

296 of its 696 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

US

4,328 of Washington's 5,075 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 8 times the usual rate (252 stories). Accidents were named in 104 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Extreme cold was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Romania

34 of its 86 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Africa

306 of its 689 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Senegal

15 of its 42 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 7 of Dakar's 13 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: snowstorms in Kashmir (18 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); flooding in North Korea (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Lebanon (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in India (135 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); storms in China (15 of its stories, about 10 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 27 the day before
31 in 10024 in 1009 Dec16 Dec23 Dec30 Dec7 Jan9 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 1005 Jan: 27 in 1006 Jan: 27 in 1007 Jan: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 7 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 27,409 stories about harm among 97,009 counted on 7 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Evacuations were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Indonesia. Stories about people being harmed made up 28 in every 100 of the day's 97,009 stories, above the usual 27. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. A year earlier, on 8 January 2020, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today. Indonesia stood out: 53% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 45%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq65 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Hong Kong64 in 100 of its 176 stories · usually 35 · mostly rights & justice Palestine59 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 48 · mostly health Syria58 in 100 of its 97 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia54 in 100 of its 94 stories · usually 61 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US4328 stories about protests or strikes, of its 5075 Georgia US81 stories about protests or strikes, of its 145 San Diego US69 stories about protests or strikes, of its 122 Beijing China68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182 Los Angeles US66 stories about protests or strikes, of its 236

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: too little coverage to readSan 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: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualKunduz, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 36 outletsOmaha, US -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 15 outletsOregon, US -- health: 23 stories, carried by 26 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 19 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 54 stories, carried by 78 outletsBridport, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- health: 27 stories, carried by 20 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

● Kunduz Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Omaha US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories ● Edinburgh UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 54 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 13,222 stories · much less than usual (usually 62%) Rights & justice20% 5,579 stories · much more than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence16% 4,226 stories · much more than usual (usually 7%) Disasters & accidents6% 1,665 stories · less than usual (usually 9%) Displacement4% 1,055 stories · more than usual (usually 1%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 833 stories · about as usual Shelter & services1% 398 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 243 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 killed8,352 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests3,364 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,585 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,568 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations319 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Indonesia Stories reporting abductions133 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced102 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees78 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Ethiopia Stories reporting people falling ill38 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 one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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.