← 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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).

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

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTurkey: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessPakistan: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: no storiesFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: near the world's share or lessSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZimbabwe: 45 in 100 of its 164 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Yemen: 67 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)UK: 34 in 100 of its 7,037 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Ukraine: 45 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Uganda: 42 in 100 of its 120 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Tunisia: 55 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Thailand: 41 in 100 of its 233 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Syria: 54 in 100 of its 114 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Sudan: 57 in 100 of its 54 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)South Africa: 35 in 100 of its 820 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Somalia: 44 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Portugal: 45 in 100 of its 121 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Philippines: 43 in 100 of its 693 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Peru: 40 in 100 of its 80 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Nigeria: 34 in 100 of its 1,148 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Nepal: 73 in 100 of its 30 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Mozambique: 51 in 100 of its 37 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Mongolia: 60 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Libya: 43 in 100 of its 96 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Lebanon: 42 in 100 of its 100 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Israel: 34 in 100 of its 505 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Palestine: 54 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Iraq: 86 in 100 of its 291 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Indonesia: 45 in 100 of its 226 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Guatemala: 44 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Georgia: 54 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Fiji: 42 in 100 of its 69 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Ethiopia: 50 in 100 of its 64 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)El Salvador: 75 in 100 of its 8 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Cyprus: 45 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Cuba: 41 in 100 of its 54 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Central African Republic: 75 in 100 of its 20 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Brazil: 42 in 100 of its 245 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Bangladesh: 36 in 100 of its 242 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Algeria: 52 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Afghanistan: 43 in 100 of its 96 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Palestine: 54 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Palestine: 54 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Ukraine: 45 in 100 of its 157 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Palestine: 54 in 100 of its 74 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)Kashmir: 36 in 100 of its 98 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 26)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 26 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

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 · 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.