← 20 Jan Thursday 21 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,007 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 violence in Baghdad, illness in Lisbon and drownings in Libya. Iraq's coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK → Help and hope: reports of aid and relief ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 59 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostIraq 86 in 100 of its 291 stories, usually 56
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

251 of its 291 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Baghdad accounted for 238 of Iraq's 251 stories about harm, carried by 430 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (198 stories). Its coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Health

Portugal

55 of its 121 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Lisbon accounted for 34 of Portugal's 55 stories about harm, carried by 31 outlets. Outbreaks were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Portugal over 30 days → its stories → Lisbon stories →
Disasters & accidents

Libya

41 of its 96 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Drownings were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Ukraine

71 of its 157 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (28 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Spain

Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (38 stories). Gas explosion was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (70 stories). Flooding was named in 307 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 →
Health

Australia

Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Heatwave was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Ghana

140 of its 454 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (41 stories).

its stories →
Health

Barbados

12 of its 33 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in UK (307 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); gas explosion in Spain (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Philippines (34 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in Australia (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); diphtheria in India (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10023 Dec30 Dec6 Jan13 Jan21 Jan23 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 10021 Jan: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 26,007 stories about harm among 100,957 counted on 21 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 18 December 2020. of the day's 100,957 news stories, 26 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 28. Reports of aid and relief, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the UK. On 22 January 2020, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 26 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq86 in 100 of its 291 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan57 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Tunisia55 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 59 · mostly health Syria54 in 100 of its 114 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine54 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US944 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2574 Portland US102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 117 New York US44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 266 Xinjiang China43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 105 London UK39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 482

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'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: 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 readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: 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 readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNiger: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: 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'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGambia: 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: 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'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: 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'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: 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'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'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: 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 readAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: 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: 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'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times 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'sUzbekistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sGuam: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTunisia: 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'sSweden: 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 about one and a half times as grief-stricken as 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'sSolomon Islands: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSeychelles: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPortugal: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPanama: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNorway: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: 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'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLesotho: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLatvia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKuwait: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJapan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about 5 times as grief-stricken 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'sGeorgia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as 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'sEl Salvador: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCyprus: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sColombia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBarbados: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBahrain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGuernsey: 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

● Iraq about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's · 251 stories about harm ● Syria about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 62 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 30 stories about harm ● Cyprus few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 14 stories about harm ● Central African Republic few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 15 stories about harm ● Iran about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 54 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health59% 15,301 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 4,304 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 2,109 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents8% 2,102 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 869 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 481 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 381 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 283 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 killed6,775 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,686 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,644 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,212 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations267 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting refugees153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions122 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced102 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Sudan Stories reporting people falling ill31 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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 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

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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.