← 8 Jan Saturday 9 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 10 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,846 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 →

The day's news pointed at protests in Quetta (Pakistan), people falling ill in India and the avalanche in Russia. Pakistan's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 50 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostZimbabwe 50 in 100 of its 131 stories, usually 35
RegionSouth Asia 38 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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

Pakistan

294 of its 616 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. 48 of Quetta's 59 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories → Quetta stories →
Health

India

1,184 of its 3,291 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Flu was named in 129 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with bird flu and poisoning. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

India over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Russia

98 of its 266 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (52 stories). Avalanche was named in 25 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.

Russia over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

247 of its 470 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Jakarta accounted for 210 of Indonesia's 247 stories about harm, carried by 385 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (70 stories). Heavy rain was named in 22 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with plane crash.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Taiwan

37 of its 96 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (21 stories). Earthquake was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

116 of its 297 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Flooding was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tuberculosis.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Spain

95 of its 319 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (22 stories). Snowstorms were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Cuba

27 of its 43 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Havana accounted for 17 of Cuba's 27 stories about harm, carried by 38 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Tunisia

23 of its 28 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Tunis accounted for 16 of Tunisia's 23 stories about harm, carried by 9 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (32 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Taiwan (14 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); snowstorms in Spain (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); illness in Iran (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); heavy rain in Indonesia (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

31 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 29 the day before
31 in 10025 in 10011 Dec18 Dec25 Dec1 Jan9 Jan11 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 1008 Jan: 29 in 1009 Jan: 31 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 9 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 16,846 stories about harm among 54,978 counted on 9 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 54,978 news stories, 31 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 28. On 10 January 2020, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 31 today. Pakistan's news was 48% about people being harmed, against a usual 37%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ethiopia70 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 61 · mostly displacement Iraq63 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Indonesia53 in 100 of its 470 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Iran52 in 100 of its 177 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Hong Kong52 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 37 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US1474 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2021 South River US51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 107 Quetta Pakistan48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 59 Seattle US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 67 New York US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 152

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readAlaska, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsCheyenne, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsCambridge, UK -- health: 46 stories, carried by 198 outletsWrexham, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 12 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 37 stories, carried by 20 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- health: 17 stories, carried by 16 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

● Alaska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Cheyenne US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Cambridge UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 46 stories ● Wrexham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 37 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health50% 8,418 stories · much less than usual (usually 61%) Rights & justice22% 3,611 stories · much more than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence11% 1,885 stories · more than usual (usually 7%) Disasters & accidents9% 1,430 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 717 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 270 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 269 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 109 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 killed5,981 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests1,477 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,027 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured834 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees67 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Ethiopia Stories reporting people displaced60 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Ethiopia Stories reporting evacuations56 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill19 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.

● Angera little more than 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.