← 18 Jan Tuesday 19 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,489 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 violence in Darfur, protests in Tunis (Tunisia) and illness in Switzerland. Tunisia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSwitzerland 41 in 100 of its 297 stories, usually 24
RegionCentral Asia 53 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
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 →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

48 of its 66 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Darfur accounted for 33 of Sudan's 48 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Tunisia

Tunis accounted for 43 of Tunisia's 54 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. 39 of Tunis' 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (41 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Tunisia over 30 days → its stories → Tunis stories →
Health

Switzerland

123 of its 297 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Avalanche was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Central African Republic

32 of its 38 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Bangui accounted for 18 of the Central African Republic's 32 stories about harm, carried by 41 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (6 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 →
Health

Romania

61 of its 138 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Outbreaks were named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Rwanda

26 of its 43 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Kigali accounted for 22 of Rwanda's 26 stories about harm, carried by 24 outlets. Outbreaks were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Russia

393 of its 1,022 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

China

846 of its 2,405 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Zimbabwe

82 of its 137 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Argentina (33 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Romania (22 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in Rwanda (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in Japan (20 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); heavy rain in UK (121 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 27 the day before
31 in 10027 in 10021 Dec28 Dec4 Jan11 Jan19 Jan21 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 10018 Jan: 27 in 10019 Jan: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 25,489 stories about harm among 94,433 counted on 19 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

For the third day running, the news turned to Sudan. Stories about people being harmed made up 27 in every 100 of the day's 94,433 stories, below the usual 28. Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Argentina's news. A year earlier, on 20 January 2020, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. Sudan stood out: 73% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 53%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen82 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan73 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia67 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 61 · mostly displacement Tunisia67 in 100 of its 81 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice Zimbabwe60 in 100 of its 137 stories · usually 41 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US1151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2342 Moscow Russia101 stories about protests or strikes, of its 217 Boston US54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 212 London UK40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 379 Tunis Tunisia39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 43

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Venezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: 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: too little coverage to readUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIsrael: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: 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 readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: 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'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: 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: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: too little coverage to readAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: feelings about like the world'sZimbabwe: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sZambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTunisia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPeru: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sOman: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sNigeria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNiger: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMadagascar: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLesotho: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKenya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIreland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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 one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHaiti: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sFrance: coverage a little angrier than the world'sFinland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCroatia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sColombia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChile: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelize: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGibraltar: 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

● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 73 stories about harm ● Zimbabwe about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 82 stories about harm ● Switzerland about twice as fearful as the world's · 123 stories about harm ● Norway about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 59 stories about harm ● Central African Republic few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 32 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 45 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 14,681 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 4,584 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Conflict & violence9% 2,194 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 1,990 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 831 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 504 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 267 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 220 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 killed6,732 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,772 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,570 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,126 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions205 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees156 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations90 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and New Zealand Stories reporting people falling ill40 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 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

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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.