← 15 Jan Saturday 16 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
16,152 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 earthquake in Indonesia, people killed in Norway and violence in Kabul drew the news. Norway's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorway 67 in 100 of its 131 stories, usually 30
RegionSouth Asia 38 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

Indonesia

154 of its 201 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Mamuju accounted for 68 of Indonesia's 154 stories about harm, carried by 200 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 9 times the usual rate (5 stories). Earthquake was named in 117 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with landslides, tsunami and volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Mamuju stories →
Health

Norway

88 of its 131 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (78 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Norway over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Cuba

30 of its 51 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Havana accounted for 20 of Cuba's 30 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Uganda

120 of its 227 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Kampala accounted for 78 of Uganda's 120 stories about harm, carried by 348 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Snowstorms were named in 27 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with drownings. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

India

1,431 of its 3,678 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Polio was named in 49 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Brazil

70 of its 141 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Belgium

24 of its 51 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Brussels accounted for 22 of Belgium's 24 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Haiti

11 of its 16 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 6 of Port-au-Prince's 6 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: polio in India (49 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in UK (27 of its stories, about three times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 27 the day before
31 in 10025 in 10018 Dec25 Dec1 Jan8 Jan16 Jan18 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 10010 Jan: 31 in 10011 Jan: 27 in 10012 Jan: 27 in 10013 Jan: 27 in 10014 Jan: 27 in 10015 Jan: 27 in 10016 Jan: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 16,152 stories about harm among 55,677 counted on 16 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to Indonesia. Stories about people being harmed made up 29 in every 100 of the day's 55,677 stories, as usual. A year earlier, on 17 January 2020, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today. In Indonesia, 77% of the news was about people being harmed, where 51% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Indonesia77 in 100 of its 201 stories · usually 51 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan72 in 100 of its 116 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Norway67 in 100 of its 131 stories · usually 30 · mostly health Cuba59 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 42 · mostly rights & justice Syria57 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US887 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1511 Phoenix US36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 67 Beijing China35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 93 Kampala Uganda32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 78 Houston US31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 98

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRussia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt 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 readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: 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: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: 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: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUS: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTanzania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPortugal: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPoland: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNorway: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sNigeria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLibya: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sItaly: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIsrael: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCuba: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCongo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBelarus: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMaldives: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Norway about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 88 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 84 stories about harm ● Central African Republic few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 21 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 19 stories about harm ● Türkiye few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 37 stories about harm ● Indonesia about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 154 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 9,218 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 2,839 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence10% 1,637 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 1,255 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 504 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 249 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 162 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 157 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 killed5,020 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,158 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected945 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured824 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees102 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions82 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations76 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced52 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.