← 16 Jan Sunday 17 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
13,372 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 the earthquake in Indonesia, illness in Moscow and violence in Darfur. Indonesia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostIndonesia 82 in 100 of its 207 stories, usually 53
RegionCentral Asia 44 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

170 of its 207 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Mamuju accounted for 60 of Indonesia's 170 stories about harm, carried by 135 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Earthquake was named in 118 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with landslides, tsunami and flooding. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Russia

252 of its 522 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Moscow accounted for 192 of Russia's 252 stories about harm, carried by 627 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (61 stories). Poisoning was named in 145 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Russia over 30 days → its stories → Moscow stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

52 of its 62 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Darfur accounted for 46 of Sudan's 52 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Darfur stories →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

36 of its 49 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Tunis accounted for 28 of Tunisia's 36 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. 18 of Tunis' 28 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (20 stories).

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Norway

49 of its 71 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (45 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

150 of its 191 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Kabul accounted for 123 of Afghanistan's 150 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Japan

86 of its 328 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

16 of its 23 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Brazil

78 of its 155 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Guatemala

35 of its 59 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Hurricane was named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with covid.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Guatemala (29 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); road crashes in Hong Kong (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Australia (23 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); polio in India (32 of its stories, about three times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 29 the day before
31 in 10027 in 10019 Dec26 Dec2 Jan9 Jan17 Jan19 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 10017 Jan: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 13,372 stories about harm among 45,813 counted on 17 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Indonesia for the third day running. 29 in every 100 of the day's 45,813 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 18 January 2020, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 29 today. Indonesia stood out: 82% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 53%. This week the news turned most often to Uganda, on 3 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan84 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia82 in 100 of its 207 stories · usually 53 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan79 in 100 of its 191 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Norway69 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 32 · mostly health Guatemala59 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 47 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US703 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1183 Moscow Russia87 stories about protests or strikes, of its 192 New York US39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 123 Kabul Afghanistan30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 123 Delhi India30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 293

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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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: too little coverage to readPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: 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 lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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): 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: too little coverage to readEast 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: 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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 readUganda: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualBelagavi, India -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsMassachusetts, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 25 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 46 outletsPennsylvania, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 20 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 30 stories, carried by 48 outletsKampala, Uganda -- rights & justice: 48 stories, carried by 66 outletsGlamorgan, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 19 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

● Belagavi India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Massachusetts US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Baghdad Iraq about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Pennsylvania US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Vancouver Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 30 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 7,061 stories · much less than usual (usually 59%) Rights & justice19% 2,506 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Conflict & violence11% 1,499 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Disasters & accidents9% 1,219 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 513 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 234 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 125 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 108 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 killed4,320 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,083 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected858 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured786 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced102 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Sudan and Indonesia Stories reporting abductions100 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees84 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations67 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill18 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.