← 19 Jan Wednesday 20 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,977 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 →

Gas explosion in Spain, people affected in Libya and violence in Darfur drew the news. Tunisia's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostRomania 46 in 100 of its 116 stories, usually 28
RegionCentral Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 36
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Displacement

Spain

213 of its 571 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Madrid accounted for 140 of Spain's 213 stories about harm, carried by 226 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (56 stories). Gas explosion was named in 32 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Spain over 30 days → its stories → Madrid stories →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

37 of its 77 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

35 of its 55 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Darfur accounted for 20 of Sudan's 35 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Iran

Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

Flooding was named in 243 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 36 of Afghanistan's 67 stories about harm, carried by 62 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

India

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Road crashes were named in 24 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Health

Ghana

157 of its 469 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in UK (243 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); road crashes in India (24 of its stories, about three times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 27 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10022 Dec29 Dec5 Jan12 Jan20 Jan22 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 10020 Jan: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 25,977 stories about harm among 100,594 counted on 20 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 18 December 2020. Mentions of gas explosion ran more than ten times their usual in Spain's news. A year earlier, on 21 January 2020, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 26 today. Stories about people being harmed made up 26 in every 100 of the day's 100,594 stories, below the usual 28.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan64 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia59 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice Syria59 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 57 · mostly health Ethiopia58 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 61 · mostly displacement Iraq56 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US1698 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3547 Manhattan US52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 174 Hollywood US39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 197 Boston US35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142 San Francisco US34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 147

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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'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: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPoland: 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'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: 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 readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: 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: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: 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'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIsrael: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: 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: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: 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: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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 readCroatia: 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 readColombia: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBelize: 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 readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sCrimea: feelings about like the world'sEast Jerusalem: 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: feelings about like the world'sChagos 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: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readMayotte: feelings about like the world'sZimbabwe: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sZambia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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 angry as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTanzania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEswatini: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful 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'sPortugal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNorway: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIceland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHaiti: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCuba: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChad: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more fearful than 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'sBenin: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBahrain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful 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'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGibraltar: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as 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 twice as angry as the world's · 67 stories about harm ● Zimbabwe about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 97 stories about harm ● Switzerland about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 66 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 33 stories about harm ● Iraq few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 39 stories about harm ● Norway few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 29 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 15,047 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 4,410 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 2,422 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents7% 1,921 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 888 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 472 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 350 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 287 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 killed6,895 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,709 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,499 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,021 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Spain Stories reporting abductions181 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees168 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced79 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Sudan Stories reporting evacuations74 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill34 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than 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 →

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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.