← 22 Jan Saturday 23 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 24 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
15,454 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 protests in Moscow (Russia), illness in Lisbon and heavy rain in Mozambique. Russia's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Ukraine →
Part of lifeHealth 57 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostRussia 60 in 100 of its 693 stories, usually 33
RegionEurope 36 in 100 of its stories, usually 32
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Russia

413 of its 693 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Moscow accounted for 335 of Russia's 413 stories about harm, carried by 687 outlets. 264 of Moscow's 335 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (253 stories). Poisoning was named in 192 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with extreme cold. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Russia over 30 days → its stories → Moscow stories →
Health

Portugal

38 of its 86 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Lisbon accounted for 32 of Portugal's 38 stories about harm, carried by 36 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Portugal over 30 days → its stories → Lisbon stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Belarus

15 of its 21 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 6 of Minsk's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Hong Kong

63 of its 131 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (33 stories). Outbreaks were named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tunisia

37 of its 52 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Tunis accounted for 27 of Tunisia's 37 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. 14 of Tunis' 27 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Health

Brazil

95 of its 176 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Displacement

Sudan

26 of its 33 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Health

Uruguay

7 of its 13 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Hong Kong (29 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); cyclone in South Africa (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Nigeria (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in China (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tsunami in US (57 of its stories, about three times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 10025 Dec1 Jan8 Jan15 Jan23 Jan25 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 10022 Jan: 26 in 10023 Jan: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 15,454 stories about harm among 55,479 counted on 23 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Ukraine. 28 in every 100 of the day's 55,479 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Russia's news, mentions of poisoning ran about three times their usual. A year earlier, on 24 January 2020, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today. Russia's news was 60% about people being harmed, against a usual 33%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Tunisia71 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 59 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan64 in 100 of its 113 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Russia60 in 100 of its 693 stories · usually 33 · mostly rights & justice Syria59 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia59 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 55 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US398 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1167 Moscow Russia264 stories about protests or strikes, of its 335 Delhi India57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 197 Manhattan US31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 79 Hollywood US28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 211

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: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 lessTaiwan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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 lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 lessItaly: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: too little coverage to readGermany: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCôte 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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 lessJammu & 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): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readIraq: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 35 stories, carried by 88 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 47 stories, carried by 48 outletsFrankfort, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 54 stories, carried by 60 outletsIllinois, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 16 outletsTowie, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsOwerri, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 23 stories, carried by 38 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

● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Iraq warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 35 stories ● Baghdad Iraq about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 47 stories ● Frankfort US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Vancouver Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 54 stories ● Illinois US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health57% 8,825 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 2,692 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 1,391 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence8% 1,211 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 707 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 265 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 158 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 110 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 killed4,870 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,400 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected977 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured862 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees99 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced78 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations66 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill63 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Ukraine Stories reporting abductions62 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US

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 harsher than 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

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.