← 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.

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: 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: 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: too little coverage to readQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: too little coverage to readPhilippines: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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 lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: 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 lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: too little coverage to readEl 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 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: 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 lessCentral 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelarus: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualArlington Cemetery, US -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 18 outletsAsheville, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsTowie, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 51 stories, carried by 123 outletsAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- health: 19 stories, carried by 22 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 33 outletsUttar Pradesh, India -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 36 stories, carried by 62 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

● Arlington Cemetery US about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Asheville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Towie UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 51 stories ● Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories

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 · 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.