← 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.

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: 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: too little coverage to readEswatini: 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 lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: 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: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 lessIsrael: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readDR 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 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 lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: 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 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readJammu & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualCentral African Republic: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualBotswana: warmth about its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualHurricane Mills, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsBangassou, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 37 outletsRostov-On-Don, Russia -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 24 outletsCheltenham, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsKelowna, Canada -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 35 stories, carried by 37 outletsState of Michigan, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsInverness, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 10 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

● Hurricane Mills US about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Bangassou Central African Republic about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Rostov-On-Don Russia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Cheltenham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Kelowna Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

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 · 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.